Struggling to understand crochet abbreviations? Fret no more with this simple guide…
Looking at a crochet pattern for the first time can be, well, a bit overwhelming.
Whether you’re just learning to crochet or are a seasoned pro, there’s a good chance that at some point during your crochet journey you’ve taken one look at a pattern and thought ‘Nope. Not happening!’
As if the jargon isn’t tricky enough to get to grips with, then there’s stitch counts, gauge swatch measurements, row/round numbers, asterisks-and more!
But understanding crochet patterns doesn't have to be so daunting. Once you grasp the overall structure of a pattern, it can become easier to ‘translate‘ and could open up a world of possible creations for you and your hook!
Perhaps the biggest challenge when reading crochet patterns is understanding abbreviations (the shortened names for the stitches). Why is this one of the biggest challenges? Because, despite there being a universal approach to using abbreviations in written patterns, designers do still have autonomy over the abbreviations they use. And this has the potential to cause some confusion…if the reader doesn’t pay close attention to the pattern notes.
So what is the secret to understanding abbreviations?
Well, really it all comes down to the ‘3 P’s‘:
Perusal, Patience and Practice
Perusal
Okay, yes. I could have just used the word ‘reading’ for this step. But let’s face it, if I told you to ‘read’ the pattern you would do it fleetingly, rolling your eyes at being told to do something you already know to do.
Be honest: you’d scroll through the pattern notes, skipping to the instructions on how to start. Don’t deny it. It’s the truth. I myself have done it on more occasions than I can count (and still get caught out at times, despite knowing better!)
Anyway, the bottom line of this point is that you must in fact take your time and really peruse the designer’s instructions-in order to fully grasp the abbreviations used in said pattern.
Just as no two people are the same, neither are the nuances of two different designers.
So peruse. At your leisure. Despite your haste to pick your hook and that gorgeous new yarn and get started, make sure you have read through, and understood, the abbreviations for each pattern before starting. It could save a lot of confusion, time and, worst of all, frogging (!) in the future.
Patience
Now when I say patience, I don’t mean that you must read each pattern in it’s entirety before putting hook to yarn. Believe me, I know the thrill of a new WIP (work in progress) and I know that patience isn’t easy at this time!
The patience I speak of, comes as you work through said pattern. Despite having perused the pattern notes, (and yes, I’m aware I may be labouring my use of the world peruse- but at least you won’t forget to peruse now!) you will still require patience to refer back to the notes as you work through the pattern to ensure (or even just remember!) what the abbreviations mean.
This can be frustrating. I can’t count how many times I’ve gotten cross at myself for having to check and recheck the pattern notes to ensure that the stitch I’m about to use is the correct one for the abbreviation written. However, maintaining patience is key, and the more you check the better you become. Which brings us to the final point…
Practice
We all know the age old saying ‘Practice makes perfect’ and for understanding abbreviations, and pattern reading in general, it really rings true.
The more patterns you try out, the better you will become at reading patterns.
And the better you become, the more confidence you will gain in your abilities!
When I first began reading patterns, I never for one second dreamed I’d one day be a pattern tester-not to mention a designer, writing my own patterns!
So please, try not to feel daunted by the thought of reading a pattern. I have met so many very talented crochet artists who stick only to what they know as a result of their apprehension in reading patterns.
And if this sounds like you, then you’ve come to the right place! Not only would I advise checking out my tips for reading crochet patterns, but I would also encourage you to read through and trying your hand at some of the easy to follow Sunshine Crochet patterns available on Lovecrafts!
Every Sunshine Crochet pattern is written in the same format, with clear and concise instructions, using US terminology (some are also available in UK terminology too!)
And, perhaps best of all, my patterns are written with you in mind! Each pattern has a corresponding short stitch tutorial on the Sunshine Crochet YouTube Channel, so that, combined with the ‘3 P’s‘, you need never be confused about abbreviations again!
As a final helping hand to you on your journey to understanding crochet abbreviations, here are some handy little graphics for reference – to remind you of the basic abbreviations you will need to recognise in order to get started in successfully reading crochet patterns. Both US and UK Terminology are provided, and as you can see, they really are just a shorthanded versions of the full names of each stitch!
I hope you have found these tips helpful in your quest to read crochet patterns.
What’s your thoughts on understanding abbreviations?
Do you struggle with reading crochet patterns?
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