In this part of my series on translating crochet patterns I’ll be talking about the various abbreviations and symbols you’ll find in a crochet pattern. The next step to understanding how to translate crochet patterns is by understanding what the abbreviations and symbols mean. The better you understand these, the easier it’ll be to read the crochet pattern.

I’ve found that there are so many various obscure abbreviations also. I’ve tried to compile as comprehensive of a list below as possible, but if I’ve missed something you think should be here, please comment and let me know.

Abbreviations:

Abbreviation	Meaning
alt	alternate
approx	approximately
BP	back post
BPdc	back post double crochet
BPhdc	back post half double crochet
BPsc	back post single crochet
BPtr	back post triple/treble crochet
beg	begin/beginning
bet	between
BL/bk lp	back loop(s)
BLO	back loop only
bo	bobble
CA	color a
CB	color b
CC	contrasting color
ch	chain stitch
ch-	chain or space previously made (i.e. ch-1 space)
ch sp	chain space
CL	cluster
cm	centimeter(s)
cont	continue
cr dc	crossed double crochet
cr st/x-st	cross stitch
dc	double crochet
dc2tog	double crochet 2 stitches together
dec	decrease/decreases/decreasing
dnt	do not turn
dtr/dtrc	double triple/treble crochet
ea	each
est	established
FL/ft lp	front loop(s)
FLO	front loop only
fol/foll	follow/follows/following
FP	front post
FPdc	front post double crochet
FPsc	front post single crochet
FPtr	front post triple/treble crochet
g	grams
grp(s)	group(s)
hdc	half double crochet
hk	hook
inc	increase/increases/increasing
lp(s)	loop(s)
lp st	loop stitch
m	meters
MC	main color
mm	millimeter(s)
oz	ounce(s)
p	picot
pat(s)/patt	pattern(s)
pc	popcorn
pm	place marker
prev	previous
rem	remain/remaining
rep	repeat(s)
rev sc/reverse sc	reverse single crochet
rnd(s)	round(s)
RS	right side
sc	single crochet
sc2tog	single crochet 2 stitches together
sk	skip
SL st	slip stitch
sp(s)	space(s)
st(s)	stitch(es)
tbl	through back loop
tch/t-ch	turning chain
tog	together
tr	treble crochet
tr tr/trtr	triple treble crochet
WS	wrong side
yd(s)	yard(s)
yo	yarn over
yoh	yarn over hook

Symbols:

Symbol	Meaning
[]	work instructions within brackets as many times as directed
()	work instructions within parentheses as many times as directed
*	repeat the instructions following the single asterisk as directed
* *	repeat instructions between asterisks as many times as directed or repeat from a given set of instructions
“	inch(es)

I hope these help you out. In the next part of this series I’m going to to show you some of the basic translations in picture form that way it’s easier to understand when you can see exactly what it looks like!