Crochet Conversion Charts

When teaching crochet I often get students bringing me a pattern of what they would like to make.  More often than enough it is a pattern they have bought online and uses the American crochet terms.

Now, although all the crochet stitches in the UK and the US are the same, we use different terminology.

For example, in the UK we would use the term TR for Treble Crochet, for exactly the same stitch, used in a US pattern it would be called a DC, but we also use the term DC, but for a Double Crochet, which they refer to as SC (Single Crochet)  Are you confused?

I have put together this little chart, hope it helps somewhat.

I put these charts in photo format as well as the text format so you could click and save them to your laptop, tablet, iPad, phone etc and it might be useful to have them with you when you go yarn shopping.

Crochet Terms Conversion
These Crochet stitches are the same but they use different terminology, so you might pick up a pattern not realising that is an American pattern and work away with the UK stitches when they should be the USA ones.   A couple of ways of working out what pattern it might be if it does not state it on the pattern, is look for "SC", UK patterns will not use the term "SC", failing that, look for the spelling of "Colour", if it is spelt "Color" it may well be an American pattern so you will need to use the American stitches.
UK	USA
CH - Chain	CH - Chain
DC - Double Crochet	SC - Single Crochet
TR - Treble Crochet	DC - Double Crochet
HTR - Half Treble Crochet	HDC - Half Double Crochet
DTR - Double Treble	TRC - Triple crochet
SL ST - Slip Stitch	SL ST - Slip Stitch

Another question I get asked a lot is about yarn weight.  Again, the US terms are different to the UK terms, and people are just no sure how to work it out, so here is another little chart.

Yarn Ply & Hook Size
Use this information as a guide, you may need to change your hook size if you are a tight or loose crocheter.  Always do a swatch if needed. Sometimes yarn makers put their own gradings on the labels, have a look see if they also have a suggested needle size on there, it will help you work out what alternative you could use. Check out the yarn label if it has a knitting needle size on there
UK	USA	Numbered	HOOK SIZE
1 ply	Laceweight	0	0.6mm - 1.5mm
2 ply	Fingering	0	1.5mm - 2.5mm
3 ply	Sock	1	2.25mm - 3mm
4 ply	Sport	2	2.5mm - 3.5mm
DK	DK/Light Worsted	3	3.5mm - 4.5mm
Aran	Worsted	4	5mm - 6.5mm
Chunky	Bulky	5	7mm - 9mm
Super Chunky	Super Bulky	6	9mm or larger

Magic Ring / Loop in Crochet

Often a pattern calls for a magic ring or loop to start a project.  The difference between using a magic ring and say a chain of 4 and a slip stitch, is that you can pull the MR shut and therefore making the hole in the middle disappear.

Magic loops are so much easier to demonstrate than explain, so let's see if I can do a step-by-step photo tutorial to try and make things a little easier.

So, instead of making a normal slip knot, you do this  (no knots)...

• Wrap the yarn around your fingers like shown in this photo.

• Pop your hook through the hole and pull the yarn through from the back to the front.

• As if doing a chain stitch, pull your yarn through the loop you have just made.

• Pull upwards until it is tight.

• Now, pull the working end of your yarn so the stitch tightens up enclosing your hook (keep your tension tight here as this loop will work loose otherwise).

• Start working your pattern, working your first number of stitched into the loop.

• Once all the stitches are in place, pull the tail tight and slip stitch into the first stitch to join.