Crochet Symbols Chart: How to Read Every Stitch Symbol
Every common crochet chart symbol, drawn and explained — with US and UK names side by side. Learn the one rule behind the whole system and most charts become readable on sight.
A crochet chart speaks in drawings, not words. Each stitch has a standard symbol — an oval for a chain, a cross for single crochet, a T for the taller stitches — and the symbol's position on the chart shows exactly where that stitch goes. Because the system is visual, it crosses language borders: a Japanese or French chart reads the same as an American one.
The whole system rests on a single rule: the taller the stitch, the more complex the symbol. Short stitches get dots and crosses; tall stitches get a T with one crossbar per yarn-over. Keep that rule in mind as you scan the tables below and the symbols will start explaining themselves. If what you have is a written pattern full of letter codes instead, our crochet abbreviations glossary covers the same stitches in text form.
Basic stitches
The foundation of every chart. Remember one rule and you can read most of these on sight: the taller the stitch, the more complex the symbol.
| Symbol | Abbr. | US term | UK term | What it looks like & means |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ch | Chain | same | An open oval or small loop. Yarn over, pull through the loop on the hook. | |
| sl st | Slip stitch | same | A small solid dot or short flat dash. Insert hook, yarn over, pull through everything — used to join and move. | |
| sc | Single crochet | double crochet (dc) | A plus sign (+) or a small cross (×). The shortest stitch — one compact cross per stitch. | |
| hdc | Half double crochet | half treble (htr) | A plain T shape. Taller than sc: one yarn-over, pulled through all three loops. | |
| dc | Double crochet | treble (tr) | A T with one short crossbar through the stem. One yarn-over — the one crossbar counts it. | |
| tr | Treble crochet | double treble (dtr) | A T with two crossbars through the stem. Two yarn-overs — two crossbars. The bars always equal the yarn-overs. | |
| dtr | Double treble crochet | triple treble (trtr) | A T with three crossbars through the stem. Three yarn-overs; the pattern continues for even taller stitches. | |
| mr | Magic ring (magic circle) | same | An open circle at the center or start of the chart. The adjustable starting ring that round charts grow out of. |
Increases & decreases
Shaping symbols are read by direction: increases fan out from one point, decreases converge into one.
| Symbol | Abbr. | US term | UK term | What it looks like & means |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| inc | Increase | same | Two or more stitch symbols fanning out from a single point. Work two (or more) stitches into the same stitch below. | |
| dec | Decrease (sc2tog, dc2tog…) | same | Two or more stitch symbols converging into one point at the top. Work two (or more) stitches together into a single stitch. |
Texture & special stitches
Post stitches, popcorns, shells and friends — the symbols that add three-dimensional texture to a chart.
| Symbol | Abbr. | US term | UK term | What it looks like & means |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| fpdc | Front post double crochet | raised treble front | A dc symbol (T with one crossbar) with a curved hook at the base, opening toward you. Work the stitch around the front of the post below, not into the top loops. | |
| bpdc | Back post double crochet | raised treble back | A dc symbol with a curved hook at the base, opening away from you. Work the stitch around the back of the post — the hook curves the other way. | |
| picot | Picot | same | A tiny teardrop or droplet loop on top of a stitch. Chain 3, slip stitch back into the first chain — a decorative point. | |
| puff | Puff stitch | same | A plump vertical oval, sometimes with small feet at the base. Several half-finished stitches pulled up in one stitch, closed together. | |
| popcorn | Popcorn | same | A small filled cone or ball. A group of stitches folded together so they pop out of the fabric. | |
| shell | Shell / fan | same | A fan of stitch symbols spreading from one base point. Several tall stitches all worked into the same stitch or space. | |
| v-st | V-stitch | same | A clear V, often with a small chain dot at its center. Two tall stitches with a chain between, all in one stitch or space. | |
| cr st | Crossed stitch | same | Two stitch symbols crossing in an X. Stitches worked out of order so they visibly cross each other. |
How to read a crochet chart
Stitch height = symbol complexity
The single most useful rule. Short stitches get simple marks — a dot for slip stitch, a cross for single crochet. Tall stitches get a T with one crossbar per yarn-over. Glance at a chart and the tallest symbols immediately tell you where the tall rows are.
Find the start before anything else
Round charts grow from a circle at the center, read counterclockwise, one ring per round. Row charts zigzag: odd rows usually read right to left, even rows left to right, with the row number printed at the starting edge.
Read shaping by direction
Increases are several symbols fanning out of one point — many stitches from one stitch. Decreases are several symbols merging into one point — many stitches becoming one. Once you see the fan-in / fan-out logic, amigurumi charts stop looking mysterious.
Position is instruction
Unlike a written pattern, a chart shows where each stitch goes, not just what it is. A symbol sitting in a chain space is worked into that space; a symbol stacked on another is worked into that stitch. The drawing is the pattern.
Put it to work
Holding a written pattern instead of a chart? Paste it into our free crochet abbreviations decoder — it expands every abbreviation into plain English and flags the US/UK differences for you, right in your browser.
Not sure a pattern's math adds up? The pattern stitch checker re-computes every round's stitch count and shows the arithmetic for any round that doesn't work.
Want charts to practice on? Browse our free chart library — every chart comes with real stitch counts — or turn your own photo into a chart with the pattern generator.
Common questions
Are crochet chart symbols the same worldwide?
Mostly yes. Chart symbols are an international convention: a Japanese, European or American chart uses essentially the same glyphs, which is why you can crochet from a chart in a language you don't speak. Individual publishers vary the small details (how a slip stitch or picot is drawn), but the core stitch symbols are stable. Written abbreviations are the opposite — they differ between US and UK terminology.
What is the difference between crochet symbols and crochet abbreviations?
They are two notations for the same stitches. Symbols are drawn glyphs (a T for half double crochet, an oval for a chain) used in charted diagrams, where the position of each symbol shows where the stitch goes. Abbreviations are letter codes (hdc, ch) used in written patterns. Charts are near-universal across countries; abbreviations split into US and UK vocabularies.
How do you read a crochet chart in the round?
Start at the center — usually a magic ring circle or a small chain loop — and read outward, counterclockwise. Each ring of symbols is one round. For flat row charts, read right-side rows right to left and wrong-side rows left to right, zigzagging up the chart; row numbers are printed at the side where the row begins.
What do the T-shaped symbols with crossbars mean?
They are the tall-stitch family, and the crossbars count the yarn-overs. A plain T is half double crochet (no yarn-over before inserting, by convention). One crossbar is double crochet (one yarn-over), two is treble, three is double treble — and the pattern keeps going for taller stitches. Learn this one family and most of any chart becomes readable.