Glossary / Single crochet
scSingle crochet
The short, dense workhorse stitch. Called double crochet in UK terms.
Also written: s c
How to work it
Insert your hook into the next stitch, yarn over, and pull up a loop (two loops on the hook). Yarn over again and pull through both loops. This is the shortest of the tall stitches and the backbone of amigurumi. In UK terms the very same stitch is called a double crochet (dc), which is the classic US and UK mix-up to watch for.
US and UK
This stitch is also called Double crochet (UK). Always check which term set a pattern uses before you start, since the same name can mean a different stitch across the two.
Common confusions
What does sc mean?
In crochet patterns, sc means Single crochet. The short, dense workhorse stitch. Called double crochet in UK terms.
Is sc the same as UK double crochet?
Yes. The stitch is identical; only the name moves. A US single crochet (sc) is written double crochet (dc) in UK patterns. This is the single most common US and UK mix-up, and the reason a pattern can produce the wrong fabric even when you follow every word correctly.
Why are my single crochet edges slanting?
You are gaining or losing a stitch at the ends of rows, usually by working into the turning chain when you should not, or missing the last stitch. Count every row for the first few rows of a piece. A slant that grows steadily is always a count problem, not a tension one.
In other languages
| Language | Term | Abbreviation |
|---|---|---|
| English | Single crochet | sc |
| Español | Punto bajo | pb |
| Deutsch | Feste Masche | fM |
| Français | Maille serrée | ms |
| Italiano | Maglia bassa | no standard code |
| 日本語 | 細編み | no standard code |
Guides that use this stitch
- Crochet Stitches: A Beginner's Guide
- How to Read a Crochet Pattern
- How to Crochet a Magic Ring
- Amigurumi for Beginners
- Crochet Abbreviations (US and UK)
- How to Crochet for Beginners
- Types of Crochet Stitches
- How Much Yarn Do I Need for a Blanket?
- How to Choose a Row Counter: Paper, Clicker, or App?
- How to Measure Gauge and Make a Gauge Swatch
- US vs UK Crochet Terms: The Full Conversion
- How Much Yarn Do I Need?
- Amigurumi Terms and Abbreviations
- How to Change Colors in Crochet
- How to Chain (ch)
- How to Slip Stitch (sl st)
- How to Single Crochet (sc)
- How to Half Double Crochet (hdc)
- How to Crochet Increase (inc)
- How to Single Crochet Decrease (sc2tog)
Related stitches
Keep your place while you work this stitch. Worsted counts your rows and rounds and remembers your spot in the pattern, for crochet and knitting.
Get Worsted