As you look through my posts about crochet patterns and projects, a word on terminology is in order. As you may know, the terms for stitches used in the UK differ somewhat from those used in the US, so I have prepared the chart below. The whole matter is somewhat complicated because both rely on the same terms, yet mean different types of stitches. So it is important to be attentive. I have decided to use the American terms in my blog posts, simply because those were the first ones I came across when I started reading manuals in English. Also, I write and speak American English and it makes more sense to me to stick to the American crochet terminology for the sake of coherence. To clarify things, I will also always specify in each blog post which set of terms I am using.
Crochet Terminology in Different Countries
| German | American | British |
| Luftmasche (Lm) | chain stitch (ch) | chain stitch (ch) |
| Wendeluftmasche (WLm) | turning chain (t-ch) | turning chain (t-ch) |
| Kettmasche (Km) | slip stitch (ss, sl st) | slip stitch (ss, sl st) |
| feste Masche (fM) | single crochet (sc) | double crochet (dc) |
| halbes Stäbchen (hStb) | half double crochet (hdc) | half treble crochet (htc) |
| Stäbchen (Stb) | double crochet (dc) | treble crochet (tr) |
| Doppelstäbchen (2erStb) | treble crochet (tr) | double treble crochet (dtr) |
| Dreifachstäbchen (3erStb) | double treble crochet (dtr) | triple treble crochet (ttr) |
| Fadenring | magic ring, magic circle | magic ring, magic circle |
| 2 Stäbchen zusammen abmaschen (2 Stb zus abm) | double crochet 2 stitches together (dc2tog) | treble crochet 2 stitches together (tr2tog) |
| 2-Luftmaschen-Kette (2-Lm-Kette) | 2-chain space (2-ch space) | 2-chain space (2-ch space) |
Turning Chains
| American Terms | “Traditional” Number of Turning Chains (t-ch) | Alternative Number of Turning Chains (t-ch) |
| single crochet | 1 | 1 |
| half double crochet | 2 | 1 |
| double crochet | 3 | 2 |
| treble crochet | 4 | 3 |
| double treble crochet | 5 | 4 |
“Traditional” crochet theory recommends using 3 chain stitches when choosing double crochets, but this is not a fixed rule at all. I often actually use only two chain stitches because it creates a more even pattern with less gaps. So you see, how many chain stitches you use also depends on your individual crochet style as well as the type of yarn you are using. Hence, in some patterns I only use two chain stitches and in others I use three – in the end, however, it is your choice whether you want to use two or three chain stitches when you crochet your project.
Whatever you do, make sure to have fun! There is usually more than one “correct” way to achieve the look you are going for. 🙂
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