20 Essential Crochet Terms Every Beginner Should Know

Crochet gets so much easier once you know the lingo. Patterns and tutorials are full of terms that tell you where to put your hook, how to work your stitches, and what to do next. Once those words start making sense, you can spend less time stopping to decipher instructions and more time actually crocheting.

That’s where this list comes in. I’ve rounded up 20 essential crochet terms you’ll see again and again, with simple explanations to help you understand what they mean and how they show up in your projects.

You don’t need to memorize them all at once. Bookmark this guide and come back whenever you run into a crochet term that has you scratching your head.

Getting Started and Finishing

These are the terms you’ll see when starting, finishing and tidying up your crochet projects. They help keep your work secure and give your finished project a polished look.

// Fasten Off:

When you’ve finished crocheting, cut the yarn, leaving a tail, and pull the tail through the last loop on your hook. This secures your final stitch so your work doesn’t unravel.

// Weave in Ends:

Use a yarn needle to weave the loose yarn tails securely into your stitches so they stay hidden and your project has a clean, finished look.

PRO TIP: A metal tapestry needle makes weaving in ends quick and easy.

// Work Over Tails:

Instead of weaving in yarn tails later, crochet over them as you work to help secure and hide them within your stitches.

// Work in Pattern:

Continue following the stitch sequence that has already been established. For example, if the pattern alternates single and double crochet stitches, continue that same sequence as instructed.

Working Rows and Rounds

These terms help you understand how to move through your crochet project. They explain how to turn at the end of a row, get your hook to the right height for the next row, join rounds, and work into less obvious places like the sides of stitches.

// Turning Your Work:

At the end of a row, rotate your work 180 degrees so you can crochet back across the stitches you just made.

// Turning Chain (Tch):

The chain or chains made at the beginning of a row to bring your hook and yarn up to the correct height for the stitches in that row.

// Slip Stitch to Join:

A technique used to close a round by connecting the last stitch to the beginning of the round. Insert your hook into the indicated stitch, yarn over, and pull the yarn through the stitch and the loop on your hook.

// Work Into Row Ends:

Instead of working into the tops of stitches, insert your hook into the ends of the rows along the side edge of your project. You’ll often see this technique when adding a border or edging.

Shaping and Adjustments

These terms help you control the size and shape of your crochet. From adding or removing stitches to getting the right fit and finished measurements, they’ll help you understand how a pattern gets from a simple row of stitches to the project you’re trying to make.

// Increase (inc):

Add stitches by working two or more stitches into the same stitch. Increases are commonly used to make your project wider or to create shaping.

// Decrease (dec):

Reduce the number of stitches by working two or more stitches together. For example, “sc2tog” means to work two single crochet stitches together to create one stitch.

// Chain Multiple of X + Y:

A formula that tells you how many chains to make for your starting chain so the stitch pattern works correctly. For example, “multiple of 4 + 2” means to chain any multiple of 4, then add 2 more chains.

// Gauge/Tension:

Gauge is the number of stitches and rows within a specific measurement, usually 4 inches. Tension is how tightly or loosely you hold and work your yarn as you crochet. Your tension affects your gauge, and both can affect the size, fit and appearance of your finished project.

Learn more about crochet gauge and why it matters and how to improve your crochet tension.

Stitch Placement

Where you put your hook matters just as much as the stitch you’re making. Crochet patterns may tell you to work into a specific loop, space or part of a stitch instead of working through both loops as usual. These different placements can change the texture, structure and appearance of your crochet fabric.

// Back Loop Only (BLO) / Front Loop Only (FLO):

Instead of working under both loops at the top of a stitch, insert your hook into only the back loop (BLO) or front loop (FLO). This creates a different texture and can add ridges or other details to your fabric.

// Skip Next Stitch:

Skip over the next stitch without working into it, then continue crocheting as instructed.

// Chain Space:

An open space created by one or more chain stitches in a row or round. When a pattern tells you to work “into the chain space,” insert your hook into the open space rather than into an individual chain.

// Work Around the Post:

Instead of working into the top of a stitch, insert your hook around the vertical part of the stitch, called the post. Working around the post creates raised stitches and textured effects. You can work around the front of the post (FP = front post) or around the back (BP = back post).

Bringing It All Together

You don’t need to memorize all 20 terms at once. The more patterns you read and projects you make, the more familiar this crochet vocabulary will become.

For now, bookmark this post and use it as a quick reference whenever you come across a term you don’t recognize. Before long, BLO, turning chains, chain spaces and working around the post will start to feel like part of your everyday crochet language.

Ready to put your crochet vocabulary to work? Head to my How to Read Crochet Patterns guide to see how stitches, abbreviations and instructions come together in an actual pattern.

Is there a crochet term that still trips you up, or one you think belongs on this list? Tell me in the comments!