Beautiful 4 Leaf Clover Model

Crochet patterns can seem confusing at first. However, once you understand how a pattern works and become familiar with the more common crochet stitches, you will find that reading crochet patterns is one of the easiest aspects of crocheting. Learning to read a crochet pattern will help you feel more confident while learning the basics of crochet.

Patterns can be written in several different ways. Crochet instructions can be written in abbreviations, presented as symbols, or a combination of both. The symbols may take some time to learn, but they can save space and after a while many experienced crocheters find them easier to read. Another nice thing about crochet symbols is that they are international, so the symbols will usually be the same no matter where the pattern comes from.

If you’re trying to read and understand a crochet pattern, it’s best to have both written instructions and symbols handy. If a series of stitches doesn’t make sense by following written instructions, often symbols can explain what is actually meant. Crochet charts and symbols can help clarify written instructions. Some crochet works, such as lace, are much easier to follow using a chart than reading written instructions.

Here are some of the common abbreviations used for crochet:

sc single crochet

chain stitch

hdc half double crochet

dc double crochet

sl st slip stitch

trc triple crochet

yarn over

tr treble crochet

sp area

Skip Skip

pat st pattern stitch

When reading crochet instructions, square brackets and braces are used to communicate the relevant stitches. For example, if you encounter “(sk 3 ch, 4 trc in next chain)” along the row, that means you left three chains empty first, referring to sk, which means jump. In the fourth chain, you will then make four triple crochet stitches. You then repeat the whole process across the entire row.

When you buy a crochet book, or patterns, the abbreviations and symbols you’ll find at the beginning will be explained. After working with a few patterns, you will find that you are much more familiar with the instructions and you will no longer need to refer to the book. Crochet symbols will become second nature. Similar, but easier than learning a foreign language, after a little practice, crochet abbreviations and symbols will make perfect sense!