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Saraphir

Contemporary Crochet and Knitting Design

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Crochet terms

Abbreviations and slang abound in the crochet/crafting world. Pattern writers mostly use abbreviations and if you look at e.g. Instagram feeds you can easily get puzzled – especially if you’re new to both crochet and social media. So I decided to dedicate a page especially to explaining some of these – and it also saves me from writing guidelines to the abbreviations used in my patterns in all my posts.

PATTERN ABBREVIATIONS UK TERMS:

  • ss: slip stitch
  • ch: chain
  • ch sp: chain space
  • dc: double crochet (US: single crochet)
  • htr: half treble crochet (US: half double crochet)
  • tr: treble crochet (US: double crochet)
  • dtr: double treble crochet (US: treble crochet)
  • trtr: treble treble crochet

For some reason (which I haven’t really researched, but will one day) there are different terms for the stitches in the UK and the US. I work in UK terms as this is where I live, but I can actually see the logic behind the US terms better when you look at what you actually do when making the stitch. As you can see below some of the stitches are called the same, but are different stitches, which can change the outcome of a pattern quite a bit if you get them mixed up! All my patterns are written out in UK terms unless otherwise stated.

UK TO US TERMS:

  • ss: slip stitch = US: slip stitch (ss) – can also be abbreviated sl st or slp st
  • ch: chain = US: chain (ch)
  • ch sp: chain space = US: chain space (ch sp)
  • dc: double crochet = US: single crochet (sc)
  • htr: half treble crochet = US: half double crochet (hdc)
  • tr: treble crochet = US: double crochet (dc)
  • dtr: double treble crochet = US: treble crochet (tr)
  • trtr: treble treble crochet =US: double treble crochet (dtr)

OTHER CROCHET/KNITTING TERMS OR SLANG:

  • Afghan: basically a blanket
  • Frog: to unravel or rip back what you have done
  • CAL: crochet along – a project by a group or designer which is released in stages and where people ‘crochet along’ with the releases
  • C2C: corner to corner crochet
  • FOTH: fresh off the hook
  • HOTH: hot off the hook
  • LYS: local or little yarn store
  • STASH: yarn collection – have seen it as “special treasure all secretly hidden”
  • TIA: thank you in advance
  • UFO: unfinished project
  • USO: unstarted project
  • WIP: work in progress

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Things Men Have Made

Things men have made with wakened hands, and put soft life into

are awake through years with transferred touch, and go on glowing

for long years.

And for this reason, some old things are lovely

warm still with the life of forgotten men who made them.

D. H. LAWRENCE

On Instagram

  • The pattern for my Medium Flower Wheel Coaster Square has
    5 days ago by saraphir The pattern for my Medium Flower Wheel Coaster Square has been updated slightly to fit better with the stitch count of the large one....I just love it in these colours from  #dropsbelle , they would make a great summer blanket!
  • Morning selfie time!!! Im not really a selfie person but
    1 month ago by saraphir Morning selfie time!!! I’m not really a selfie person, but I have no other way to show off my new slouchy hat.... just finished last night. And I’m very delighted with it I must say.... made with super soft alpaca and merino mix from  @bordermillshop  that I bought last year at  @edinyarnfest .... I do hope the cold lasts a bit longer so I can enjoy it this year!! I think it goes very nicely with my  #grannyvictorycowl  !
  • Those of you who know me will know I like
    3 weeks ago by saraphir Those of you who know me will know I like a lie-in on the weekends and slow mornings.... but there’s something very satisfying about having had a haircut and done my shopping by 11am! And this is me for the next 1/2 hour.... I really like how my crochet matches my cup!
  • I was very restrained at eyf2018 yesterday but these lovely
    1 month ago by saraphir I was very restrained at  #eyf2018  yesterday, but these lovely yarns I just couldn’t resist! Gorgeous yellow from  @jillmakesstuff  , rusty red linen, alpaca and silk mix from  @caerthanwrack   #triskelionyarn  and 5 skeins from  @bordermillshop ... just couldn’t resist the alpaca and rose fibre handdyed and the very dark red and yellow alpaca and silk mix... the only problem is I didn’t use what I bought last year yet and I don’t know where to start!!  #edinyarnfest2018   #edinfest   #yarnlove   #yarnaddict   #colourlove   #wheretostart 
  • Heres the Flower Wheel Coaster next to two Flower Wheel
    4 weeks ago by saraphir Here’s the Flower Wheel Coaster next to two Flower Wheel Circles... I’m in the process of squaring the circle, from Friday I have 2 weeks holiday which means I can on with some excessive crocheting!!
  • Three versions of my Flower Wheel Circle the 5th instalment
    3 weeks ago by saraphir Three versions of my Flower Wheel Circle, the 5th instalment of my Flower Wheel Mandala Series.... 4-ply, DK and Aran weight yarns. These next days will be all about the next stage, squaring this circle. The pattern is free on my blog, link in profile.
  • Guess which one I got!! Would have got them all
    1 month ago by saraphir Guess which one I got!! Would have got them all if I could....  @caerthanwrack   #edinfest   #yarnlove   #edinyarnfest2018   #eyf2018   #iloveyarn   #triskelion 
  • Heres another version of my updated Medium Flower Wheel Coaster
    4 days ago by saraphir Here’s another version of my updated Medium Flower Wheel Coaster Square, this one is in  #dropsnepal . I quite like the darkness, it reminds me of winter and Christmas! I hope you’re all enjoying the warmth... typical me I got a sore throat and chest infection just as it started to get warmer so I’m coughing and spluttering away inside!
  • Having bought all this gorgeous yarn at edinyarnfest2018 I decided
    1 month ago by saraphir Having bought all this gorgeous yarn at  #edinyarnfest2018  I decided it was time to start using what I bought at  #edinyarnfest2017  ... ‘bout time!! And it’s still cold enough to wear this wannabe hat... it’s the softest alpaca/merino yarn from  @bordermillshop , the kind of yarn you just want to stroke all day....
  • Enjoying a slow morning on a rare day off with
    1 month ago by saraphir Enjoying a slow morning on a rare day off with coffee, radio and pompom making.... I’ve decided to do one market again this coming winter and it’s never too early to start preparing!

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