How to read crochet charts
Many crocheters skip past patterns that come with a chart, but a crochet chart is actually a gift: it shows the whole design visually, stitch by stitch, as the work looks from the right side. Where written instructions can turn into a wall of abbreviations, the chart lets you see at a glance how the stitches fit together.
Charts are also language-independent. The symbols are close to universal, so with a little practice you can crochet from a Japanese or German pattern without reading a word of the text. This guide covers the symbols, the reading direction, and a few practical tricks. Stitch names below use US terms.
Why charts are worth learning
Written instructions and charts complement each other. Text is good at detail and explanation, while the chart gives you the overview: you can see where increases and decreases sit, how the repeat builds, and how the row you are working relates to the row below. Many patterns include both, and then it pays to use them together: read the text for the details, and use the chart to keep your bearings.
Charts shine in lace and other openwork, where a single line of text can hold twenty abbreviations. One glance at the chart tells you the same as three lines of text, and it also shows you what the fabric should look like, which makes mistakes easier to spot early.
The most common chart symbols
The symbols are designed to resemble the stitches they stand for: short stitches get short symbols, tall stitches get tall ones. Most charts include a key, but these symbols appear almost everywhere.
- Oval or small circle: chain stitch.
- Filled dot or filled oval: slip stitch.
- Cross or plus sign: single crochet.
- T-shaped symbols: the taller stitches. A plain T is a half double crochet, a T with one stroke across the stem is a double crochet, and two strokes make a treble. The more strokes, the taller the stitch.
Tip
Always check the key in your particular pattern. The symbols are close to standardized, but small variations exist, especially for stitches worked together or into the same stitch.
Reading direction in rows
A chart for a piece worked flat is read from the bottom up, with every other row read in the opposite direction, exactly the way you crochet. Row 1 is read from right to left, row 2 from left to right, and so on upward.
The row number usually sits at the end where that row begins. If the number is on the right, you read that row from right to left. That makes it easy to find your starting point, even in the middle of a large chart. If you crochet left-handed, you work a mirror image and read each row in the opposite direction from what is described here.
Reading direction in rounds
When you work in the round, as in granny squares, doilies, and hats, the chart is read from the center outward. You start in the middle, often with a chain ring or a magic ring, and work your way out round by round.
Rounds are usually read counterclockwise, the same direction you crochet when holding the hook in your right hand. Here too, the round numbers sit at the start of each round, often next to the chains that lift you to the height of the new round.
Repeats in charts
Very few charts draw the entire piece. Instead they show a repeat, the part of the pattern that is worked again and again, usually marked with brackets, a frame, or shading. The written instructions tell you how many times to repeat it across the row and in height.
Pay close attention to where the repeat starts and ends. Charts often include a few stitches before and after the repeat that are only worked once, at the beginning and end of the row.
When the piece is worked in the round, the repeat usually fits a whole number of times per round, and the chart may only draw one wedge of the circle. The rest of the round is worked just like the wedge that is drawn.
Practical tricks that make charts easier
Chart reading quickly becomes second nature, and a few simple habits shorten the road there.
- Photocopy the chart and enlarge it. Tiny symbols packed together are tiring to read, and a big copy gives you room for notes.
- Cross out or mark each row as you finish it, so you never lose count.
- Hold a ruler or a strip of paper just above the row you are working. You still see the row below, which you are working into, without being distracted by the rows above.
- Use a highlighter on the printout to trace your row, or a magnetic board with a ruler if you crochet from charts a lot.
Related guides
Crochet for beginners: how to get started
Crochet needs nothing more than a hook, a ball of yarn, and a little patience. Here is everything you need to make your first stitches.
How to read a knitting pattern: abbreviations, sizes, and charts
Knitting patterns have a language of their own. Learn the abbreviations, the size system, and the reading habits that make any pattern make sense.