US and UK crochet terminology look the same but mean different things. Reading a UK pattern with US terminology in mind ruins every stitch count. Here's the full conversion.
US and UK crochet terminology share the same words but define them DIFFERENTLY. US single crochet (sc) = UK double crochet (dc). US double crochet (dc) = UK treble (tr). US treble (tr) = UK double treble (dtr). The key tell in any pattern: if it mentions "single crochet" or "sc" anywhere, it's US terminology. If it has no mention of single crochet at all and starts with "double crochet" as the foundation stitch, it's UK terminology. UK patterns are common in British, Australian, and South African publications; US patterns dominate American blogs and the Craft Yarn Council. Convert by sliding every stitch "up" one in UK → US (UK dc → US sc) or "down" one going the other way.
| US term | US abbr | UK term | UK abbr | Same stitch? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Slip stitch | sl st | Slip stitch | ss | Yes |
| Single crochet | sc | Double crochet | dc | Yes (different name) |
| Half double crochet | hdc | Half treble | htr | Yes (different name) |
| Double crochet | dc | Treble | tr | Yes (different name) |
| Treble | tr | Double treble | dtr | Yes (different name) |
| Double treble | dtr | Triple treble | ttr | Yes (different name) |
| Chain | ch | Chain | ch | Yes |
| Yarn over | yo | Yarn over hook | yoh | Yes — same motion |
| Skip | skip | Miss | miss | Yes — same instruction |
| Gauge | — | Tension | — | Yes — same concept |
Three quick tells: (1) If "single crochet" appears anywhere in the pattern, it's US. UK patterns don't use this term. (2) If the pattern starts with "double crochet" as the basic stitch and never mentions single, it's UK. (3) Author location is a strong hint — Australian, British, and South African designers default to UK; American designers default to US. Some patterns explicitly state "US terms" or "UK terms" at the top — always check.
The conversion is a 1:1 slide. Every UK term equals the next-shorter US term. So if you're following a UK pattern that says "double crochet 6 in the ring", you're working US single crochet 6 times — half as tall as you'd think. Mistakenly working US dc when the pattern means UK dc (= US sc) doubles your fabric height. The pattern won't visibly fail until you're a few rows in; by then you've wasted yarn.
Hook sizes use millimetres globally. A 4mm hook in a UK pattern is the same as a 4mm hook in a US pattern. The US letter-size system (G, H, I, J) is parallel to mm but only used in the US. UK patterns sometimes reference an old UK-specific number system (4mm = UK 8) but mm is the universal lingua franca.
Is single crochet the same as double crochet?
Only in terminology systems — US single crochet (sc) and UK double crochet (dc) are the SAME PHYSICAL STITCH, just named differently. The confusion happens when readers mix the two systems.
Why are US and UK terms different?
Historical drift. The two crochet traditions developed separately. UK terminology calls the first stitch "double" (because the hook goes through twice), while US terminology calls it "single" (because it's the smallest single stitch). Both are internally consistent — just incompatible.
Are Australian crochet terms US or UK?
Australian patterns use UK terms. So do most South African, New Zealand, and many Indian patterns. American, Canadian, and increasingly Filipino patterns use US terms.
How do I convert a UK pattern to US?
Substitute each stitch with the next-shorter US one: UK dc → US sc, UK htr → US hdc, UK tr → US dc, UK dtr → US tr. Don't change the numbers — just rename. The resulting pattern is functionally identical.
Which is more common in 2026?
US terms dominate online (most Pinterest/YouTube/Ravelry content is American). UK terms remain standard in British print magazines and many independent UK designers' work. International designers often publish in both.
Is gauge called tension in UK patterns?
Yes — UK patterns use tension for what US calls gauge. Same concept: stitches per X inches/cm. The measurement units may differ (UK is more cm/10cm, US is more inches/4 inches).