To start learning how to read crochet patterns you can begin with the most common pattern language, abbreviations and information.
To start learning the basics, you can begin by learning how to read written crochet patterns, at first it may all seem very difficult and confusing, but with time and practice everything gets easier.
All you need to know are some basic dot abbreviations, symbols, and a few terms.
CH – Chain CC – double crochet Dc – double crochet Sl st – slip stitch Sc – single crochet Hdc – half double crochet Tr (or trc) – triple (or treble crochet)
Ch-Sp – chain space Dec – decrease (Eliminate one or more stitches.) Turn – Turn your work so you can work back for the next row. Inc – increase (Add one or more stitches.)
Join – Join two stitches together; usually done by working a slip stitch in the top of the next stitch. Sp – space (refers to crocheting in the space-or spaces-between the stitches) St/Sts – stitch or stitches Rep – repeat (Do it again.)
To make reading the patterns easier, they are arranged in parentheses, asterisks, and brackets. Crochet patterns have a series of steps that are repeated several times in a yarn. So we use the (*) to represent the repetitions.
Now when we use the parentheses ( ) they are usually used to describe a group of stitches that must be worked together. And sometimes the parentheses are used to indicate how many stitches are repeated.
And lastly the brackets [ ], they are used to group points that are to be repeated, generally they are interchangeable and are very similar to the parentheses.