US vs UK Crochet Terms: Conversion Chart & How to Tell

By the PLoMUS Editorial Team · Last updated October 28, 2026 · Data: Craft Yarn Council and KnitPro

Quick answer: US and UK crochet use the same stitches but call them by different names. Each UK name is one step "taller" than the US name for the same stitch:

  • US single crochet (sc) = UK double crochet (dc)
  • US half double crochet (hdc) = UK half treble (htr)
  • US double crochet (dc) = UK treble (tr)
  • US treble (tr) = UK double treble (dtr)
  • US gauge = UK tension

The trap: "double crochet" and "treble" exist in both systems but mean different stitches.

Chart of US vs UK crochet terms: US single crochet is UK double crochet, hdc is htr, dc is tr, tr is dtr, gauge is tension

If you follow a UK pattern while reading the names as US stitches, every stitch comes out one step taller. The project ends up taller, looser and bigger than the designer intended, and often uses more yarn. This guide gives you a side-by-side chart, a checklist for telling which terms a pattern uses, and a safe order for converting a pattern by hand or with find-and-replace.

US vs UK crochet terms conversion chart

Same stitch, two names: US/Canada term and abbreviation next to the UK term and abbreviation, shortest stitch first
US / Canada nameUS abbr.UK nameUK abbr.Steps "taller" in name
slip stitchsl stslip stitchsssame name, different abbreviation
single crochetscdouble crochetdc+1
half double crochethdchalf treblehtr+1
double crochetdctrebletr+1
treble crochettrdouble trebledtr+1
double trebledtrtriple trebletrtr+1

Source: Craft Yarn Council, Crochet Abbreviations Master List (term differences section), checked October 28, 2026 (as of October 2026). The Craft Yarn Council groups the US and Canada together for stitch names, so Canadian patterns generally follow the US column here. For a few other words, such as tension and yarn over hook (yoh), it groups Canada with the UK instead (see the next table). The last column is our own summary.

Other words that change

Non-stitch words that differ between US and UK patterns
US pattern saysUK (and often Canadian) pattern saysSource
gaugetensionCraft Yarn Council; KnitPro
yarn over (yo)yarn over hook (yoh)Craft Yarn Council; KnitPro
skip (sk) a stitchmiss a stitchKnitPro

Sources: Craft Yarn Council, Crochet Abbreviations Master List and KnitPro (hook and needle maker), UK vs US crochet terminology, both checked October 28, 2026.

Chain (ch) is not listed as a difference in either source; the Craft Yarn Council master list simply defines ch as chain stitch.

The pattern to remember: going from US to UK, each stitch name moves up one step. US single becomes UK double. US double becomes UK treble. US treble becomes UK double treble. There is no stitch called "single crochet" in UK terms at all, which turns out to be the most useful clue below.

How to tell if a pattern uses US or UK terms

Many patterns say which terms they use near the top ("written in US terms"). If yours doesn't, check these clues in order:

  1. Look for "single crochet" or "sc." The UK column in the chart above has no single crochet. If you see it, the pattern is almost certainly in US terms.
  2. Look for "half treble" or "htr." That name exists only on the UK side, so it points to UK terms.
  3. Check the gauge section. "Gauge" suggests US terms. "Tension" suggests UK terms, but Canadian patterns can say "tension" too while using US stitch names.
  4. Check the small words. "Yoh" and "miss" lean UK (Canadian patterns may also say "yoh"). "Yo" and "sk" lean US.
  5. Look at the shortest stitch. If the shortest regular stitch is "dc" and there is no "sc" anywhere, that "dc" may really be a UK double crochet (a US single crochet).
  6. Weak clues: where the designer or publisher is based, and whether hook sizes appear only in millimeters. These hint but prove nothing.
Quick clue table: what you see and what it suggests
You seeSuggestsHow strong
sc, single crochetUSStrong
htr, half trebleUKStrong
trtr, triple trebleEither (the Craft Yarn Council master list uses trtr too)Weak
hdc, half double crochetUSStrong
tensionUK (or Canada)Medium
yoh, missUK (yoh also Canada)Medium
dc as the shortest stitch, no sc anywhereProbably UKMedium
Designer's country, mm-only hook sizesEitherWeak

Built by our team from the term pairs in the Craft Yarn Council and KnitPro sources above. The strength ratings are our judgment, not a standard.

Still not sure? Work a small swatch using the pattern's stitch names, then compare it to the pattern's gauge or tension. If your swatch is much taller than it should be, you are probably reading UK terms as US. Hook size matters for that check too; our Crochet Hook Sizes Chart shows how US hook letters match millimeter sizes, which is handy because many UK patterns list hooks in mm only.

How to convert a pattern without mistakes

If you rewrite a pattern into the terms you know, the order of your changes matters. Otherwise a stitch you already converted gets converted a second time. For example, if you change UK "tr" to US "dc" first, and then change every "dc" to "sc," the stitches you just fixed get shortened by mistake.

UK to US: start with the shortest stitch.

  1. dc → sc
  2. htr → hdc
  3. tr → dc
  4. dtr → tr
  5. trtr → dtr

US to UK: start with the tallest stitch.

  1. dtr → trtr
  2. tr → dtr
  3. dc → tr
  4. hdc → htr
  5. sc → dc

If you use find-and-replace, turn on "match whole word." Otherwise "tr" will also match inside "dtr" and "trtr," and "dc" will match inside "hdc." Then convert the small words: yoh → yo, miss → skip, tension → gauge (or the reverse). Slip stitch keeps its name; only the abbreviation changes (ss ↔ sl st).

A tip that saves trouble: work on a copy and keep the original pattern next to it. If the designer offers a stitch key or photo, compare your converted stitch names against it.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming "dc" means the same thing everywhere. This is the most common trap. In US terms dc is a double crochet; in UK terms dc is what Americans call a single crochet.
  • Converting half a pattern. If you switch terms, convert the stitch guide, the special stitches and every row or round, not just the first few rows.
  • Converting in the wrong order. See the order above, or a stitch gets converted twice.
  • Forgetting special stitches. Clusters, puffs and shells are often built from basic stitches. A "3 tr cluster" in UK terms is a "3 dc cluster" in US terms.
  • Skipping the gauge or tension check. A quick swatch catches a terminology mix-up before you have worked a whole project.

FAQ

Is UK double crochet the same as US single crochet?

Yes. A UK double crochet (dc) is the stitch Americans call single crochet (sc). The Craft Yarn Council's term chart lists them as the same stitch. This is the pair that causes the most confusion, because "double crochet" also exists in US terms, where it means a taller stitch.

What is a US double crochet in UK terms?

A treble (tr). If a UK pattern says "tr," work a US double crochet. If a US pattern says "dc" and you learned in UK terms, work a treble. Because the abbreviation "tr" exists in both systems for different stitches, always confirm which terms the pattern uses before you start.

What is a half treble?

It is the UK name for the US half double crochet (hdc). The UK abbreviation is htr. Because "half treble" exists only in UK terms, seeing it in a pattern is one of the strongest signs that the whole pattern is written in UK terms.

Does Canada use US or UK crochet terms?

Mostly US. The Craft Yarn Council groups the US and Canada together for stitch names, so Canadian patterns generally use US stitch names. For gauge and yarn over, though, it groups Canada with the UK, so a Canadian pattern may say "tension" and "yoh." Individual designers can differ, so check the pattern notes or use the clue list above if the pattern does not say which terms it uses.

Do symbol charts help with US vs UK confusion?

Symbol charts draw each stitch rather than naming it, so they can help when the words are confusing. The Craft Yarn Council publishes a standard set of crochet chart symbols and also tells crocheters to check the pattern's own key for extra symbols. Always read the key that comes with your pattern.

Is "tension" the same as "gauge"?

Yes. UK patterns usually say tension; US patterns say gauge. Both mean how many stitches and rows fit in a set measurement. Matching it is how you make sure your project comes out the size the pattern intends.

Related guide

Crochet Pumpkin Size Calculator: stitches and rows for any size

Sources

How this article was made

Written by the PLoMUS Editorial Team with AI drafting assistance; facts checked against the sources above on October 28, 2026. The tables were built by our team from the term pairs in those sources; the layout, the clue table and the conversion order are our own. We will recheck these sources once a year.

Update log: October 27, 2026: corrections after editorial review. October 28, 2026: Updated the trtr (triple treble) clue-table row to match the Craft Yarn Council Crochet Abbreviations Master List. Updated a moved source link; added a summary image.
October 28, 2026: Added a link to a related guide on this blog.

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