Saturday 21 September 2013

Crochet Conversion Charts

When teaching crochet I often get students bringing me a pattern of what they would like to make.  More often than enough it is a pattern they have bought online and uses the American crochet terms.

Now, although all the crochet stitches in the UK and the US are the same, we use different terminology.

For example, in the UK we would use the term TR for Treble Crochet, for exactly the same stitch, used in a US pattern it would be called a DC, but we also use the term DC, but for a Double Crochet, which they refer to as SC (Single Crochet)  Are you confused?

I have put together this little chart, hope it helps somewhat.

I put these charts in photo format as well as the text format so you could click and save them to your laptop, tablet, iPad, phone etc and it might be useful to have them with you when you go yarn shopping.

Crochet Terms Conversion

These Crochet stitches are the same but they use different terminology, so you might pick up a pattern not realising that is an American pattern and work away with the UK stitches when they should be the USA ones.  
A couple of ways of working out what pattern it might be if it does not state it on the pattern, is look for "SC", UK patterns will not use the term "SC", failing that, look for the spelling of "Colour", if it is spelt "Color" it may well be an American pattern so you will need to use the American stitches.

UK
USA
CH - Chain
CH - Chain
DC - Double Crochet
SC - Single Crochet
TR - Treble Crochet
DC - Double Crochet
HTR - Half Treble Crochet
HDC - Half Double Crochet
DTR - Double Treble
TRC - Triple crochet
SL ST - Slip Stitch
SL ST - Slip Stitch


Another question I get asked a lot is about yarn weight.  Again, the US terms are different to the UK terms, and people are just no sure how to work it out, so here is another little chart.

Yarn Ply & Hook Size

Use this information as a guide, you may need to change your hook size if you are a tight or loose crocheter.  Always do a swatch if needed.
Sometimes yarn makers put their own gradings on the labels, have a look see if they also have a suggested needle size on there, it will help you work out what alternative you could use.
Check out the yarn label if it has a knitting needle size on there

UK
USA
Numbered
HOOK SIZE
1 ply
Laceweight
0
0.6mm - 1.5mm
2 ply
Fingering
0
1.5mm - 2.5mm
3 ply
Sock
1
2.25mm - 3mm
4 ply
Sport
2
2.5mm - 3.5mm
DK
DK/Light Worsted
3
3.5mm - 4.5mm
Aran
Worsted
4
5mm - 6.5mm
Chunky
Bulky
5
7mm - 9mm
Super Chunky
Super Bulky
6
9mm or larger



3 comments:

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