US and UK Crochet Terms: Stitch Names and Abbreviations Converted

No. A US double crochet (dc) is a UK treble (tr). A UK double crochet (dc) is the stitch Americans call single crochet (sc). Because the abbreviation dc appears in both systems for different stitches, always check which terms a pattern uses before starting.

Look for single crochet (sc): it only exists in US terms, so a pattern that uses sc is American. A pattern that uses double treble (dtr) or mentions tension instead of gauge is often British. Many designers state the terms near the top of the pattern.

The two systems count loops differently when naming stitches. UK names count the loops on the hook after the first yarn over and pull through, while US names count the yarn overs that are worked off in pairs. The stitches are the same; only the names shift by one step.

Modern hooks in both countries are labeled in millimeters, which is the reliable size. The US adds letters and numbers such as H-8 for 5 mm, and vintage UK hooks used a separate number scale where higher numbers were smaller. The table on this page converts them.

Tension is the UK word for gauge: the number of stitches and rows in a set measurement, usually 10 cm or 4 inches. Matching tension or gauge is what makes a garment or blanket come out the size the pattern intends.