A crochet pattern is the "recipe" for a garment: it tells you which yarn and which crochet hook to use, how large the piece should be, and which stitches to make, row by row. To read it, you only need three things: to know the stitch abbreviations, to understand how repetitions are indicated, and to know how to follow the chart, when there is one. In this guide, we'll look at them one by one.
The parts of a pattern
Almost all patterns follow the same order. Knowing it helps you find what you need right away:
- Materials: yarn, quantity, hook size, and any accessories (stitch markers, yarn needle).
- Finished garment measurements: the dimensions you'll get by following the instructions.
- Gauge: how many stitches and rows fit in a 10 × 10 cm square.
- Abbreviation key: the list of stitches used and their meanings.
- Instructions: the work described step by step, row by row or line by line.
- Chart: the same work drawn with symbols.
- Finishing: sewing, ends to hide, edges, fringes.
Before picking up your crochet hook, read the pattern from beginning to end. You'll see where the trickiest steps are and won't have any surprises halfway through.
The most common abbreviations
Italian patterns use short abbreviations so they don't have to repeat the name of the stitch every time. These are the most frequent:
| Abbreviation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| cat | chain |
| mbss | slip stitch |
| mb | single crochet |
| mma | half double crochet |
| ma | double crochet |
| mad | treble crochet |
| aum | increase (two stitches in the same stitch) |
| dim | decrease (two stitches closed together) |
| sp | space (the gap left by one or more chains) |
| m | stitch or stitches |
Abbreviations are not identical in all patterns. Always check the key: it's the only one that applies to that model.
Asterisks, parentheses, and repetitions
To avoid writing the same sequence ten times, patterns use some signs:
- * … * the asterisk marks a sequence to repeat. "*2 mb, 1 aum* repeat until the end of the row" means: make two single crochets and an increase, then start over, until the row is finished.
- ( … ) parentheses group stitches to work in the same stitch or to repeat a specific number of times, for example "(1 ma, 1 cat, 1 ma) in the same sp".
- [ 24 ] the number at the end of the row, often in square brackets, indicates how many stitches you should have in total. It's your check: if the count doesn't add up, it's better to stop right away.
Rounds, rows, and turning chains
You work in the round (in rounds, without turning the work, like for a hat) or flat (in rows, turning the work at the end of each one, like for many shawls). The pattern says it at the beginning.
At the beginning of each row or round, you make a few chains to bring the yarn to the right height. Usually, it's 1 for single crochet, 2 for half double crochet, and 3 for double crochet. Whether these chains count as the first stitch or not varies from pattern to pattern: you'll find it written in the instructions or the initial notes.
How to read the chart
The chart draws each stitch with a symbol. The symbols are almost international, so you can read a chart even when the text is in another language:
- oval: chain
- solid stitch: slip stitch
- cross (× or +): single crochet
- "T": half double crochet
- "T" with a horizontal bar: double crochet
- "T" with two bars: treble crochet
In round work, the chart is read from the center outwards. In flat work, it is read from the bottom up, alternating the direction: one row from right to left, the next from left to right. The number next to each row indicates which side it starts on.
English terms: pay attention to US and UK
Many foreign patterns use the English names of the stitches, and the United States and the United Kingdom call them differently:
| Italian | US English | UK English |
|---|---|---|
| single crochet | single crochet (sc) | double crochet (dc) |
| half double crochet | half double crochet (hdc) | half treble (htr) |
| double crochet | double crochet (dc) | treble (tr) |
"Double crochet" therefore means two different stitches depending on the country. Before starting, check which terminology the pattern uses. The Craft Yarn Council, the trade association of the yarn industry that publishes its standards, maintains the complete list of abbreviations with a comparison between American and British terms (in English).
The gauge: why you shouldn't skip it
Everyone works with a different tension. The gauge is used to check that yours matches the one in the pattern. Work a square slightly larger than 10 × 10 cm with the indicated yarn and hook, then count the stitches and rows in the central 10 cm. If you have more stitches than expected, try a larger hook; if you have fewer, a smaller one. For a shawl, a few centimeters of difference don't matter much, for a hat much more. If you change the yarn, the guide on how to choose the yarn for a crochet shawl explains how to compare thicknesses and yardages.
Small habits that help
- Place a stitch marker on the first stitch of each round.
- Mark the completed rounds on the pattern with a pencil.
- Count the stitches at the end of each round, at least at the beginning.
- If a step is not clear, look at the chart: often the drawing resolves the doubt.
The Odette Shawl pattern by BonTon contains everything you've read here: quantities, abbreviations, step-by-step instructions, and a chart, in a PDF available in five languages. All the patterns are in the pattern catalog.
Frequently asked questions
What does "mb" mean in a crochet pattern?
"mb" means single crochet, one of the basic stitches of crochet. In American English patterns it is called single crochet (sc), in British English patterns double crochet (dc).
Does the turning chain count as a stitch?
It depends on the pattern. Often the 3 initial chains count as a double crochet, while the single chain of the single crochet does not count. The pattern indicates it in the notes or instructions.
What is the difference between a written pattern and a chart?
The written pattern describes the work in words and abbreviations; the chart draws it with symbols. They contain the same information and are used together: the text for the details, the chart to see the shape.
Do I have to make a gauge?
It is recommended. The gauge checks that your tension matches the one in the pattern; without it, the garment can come out larger or smaller than expected and require more or less yarn.