So, you just downloaded a pattern and it looks like computer code from a sci-fi movie and you don’t read sci-fi – so get you sorted. 

The first thing you need to understand is there are different kinds of Crochet Shorthand also called Crochet Format. I put that on a different page … You don’t need to know all of them now, but review them later. 

We’re going to start with some rules. 

Rule 1: READ THE ABBREVIATIONS

Always read the abbreviations – New Designers come up with some strange stuff, but if you read the abbreviations, usually, you can figure out any patterns.

Rule 2: Commas

A comma means Move To The Next Space. 

This: sc 1, inc, sc 1 – means you do each of those in a different space. 

We’ll cover this as we come to it.

Rule 3: Breaking Rule 2. 

sc # means: single crochet once that amount of times.

sc means: sc 1, move to the next space and sc 1, move to the next space and sc 1.

If you only followed Rule 2 it would read:  sc 1, sc 1, sc 1.  But that’s rather cumbersome and would get confusing if it was sc 24. So remember sc # means sc once in each space # times.

It will make more sense when we get to the pattern – just hold on!

Rule 4: [ ] or () or * * means repeat what is in the [ ] or ( ) or * *

We’ll go over it as we go. Just put it to the side of your mind. 

Also, typically only really old designers use * *

Rule 5: x

x meads times. So [sc 4, dec] x4 means repeat that 4 times.
Don’t worry – you’re not supposed to understand it now – it will make sense when we get to round 3. Just stick it in the back of your head for later.

Rule 6: Magic Circle 

* The stupid magic circle is nothing but a slipknot – that’s it. 

* A magic circle is NOT the end all be all of crocheting. 

Don’t even bother learning it until you’ve learned everything else – just Chain 2 and put your stitches in the first chain.

* When a pattern calls for a Magic Circle – that means magic circle, magic loop, magic ring, chain 2 method or any other kind of loop you use to put the stitches in. You need some kind of Yarn Ring to put the stitches.  Just make a hole and commit to it.

Rule 7: The number on the far right is the number of stitches you should have when you finish the round. If you get to the end of the round and the number to the far right reads 12, you should have 12 stitches.

Rule 8: Google it. 

Let me give you a little bit of Gen X advice – Figure It Out!
We were latchkey kids who grew up with the Dewey Decimal System, Encyclopedia and Phone Books. 

We figured it out. You have Google. Google It!

Rule 9: Don’t Overthink It!

Second chain from hook, literally means look at the hook, it’s not the first chain behind the hook, it’s the second chain behind the hook.

NOTE: If you single crochet 6 in a magic circle and in round 2 you end up with 14, go to the Crocheting While Neurodivergent page.

This is How to Read a Pattern. If you need to learn How To Crochet, start with Learn to Crochet in a Day. 

Let’s get down to reading a pattern using standard crochet shorthand.

We’re going to learn using: How to Crochet a Ball. 

Abbreviations for this project: 

sc = single crochet

inc = increase

dec = decrease

If you don’t know how to do those stitches – see Learn to Crochet in a Day and learn how to do them first.  

Starting with the first round:  

Round 1: 6 sc in mc

Refer to Rule 6! If you know how to do a magic whatever, go ahead. If not, chain 2 and make 6 sc in the first chain. 

Remember this is How to Read a Pattern, not How to Crochet. If you need to learn to crochet please go to Learn to Crochet in a Day. 

Round 2: inc x6                         12

inc  means make 2 single crochets in the same space. 

x6  means do that 6 times.

If you were to write this long hand – it would read: make 2 single crochets in the first space, make 2 single crochets in the second space, make 2 single crochets in the third space, and so on – but that’s a little much.

inc x6 just means do 2 sc in each of the 6 spaces. 

The number at the far right indicates the number of sc you should have. If you make 2 single crochets in each of the 6 spaces, you’ll have 12 single crochets.

Round 3: [sc 1, inc] x6              18

We are using Rule 2 and 4 – Comma means move to the next space. [ ] means repeat everything in the [ ]

x6 means you are going to repeat what is in the [ ]  6 times. 

You are just repeating a sc in a space and then a inc in the next space 6 times.

Let’s break it down a bit more – if this was written in longhand it would read: in the first space single crochet once, in the next space make 2 single crochets, in the next space single crochet once, in the next space make 2 single crochets, and so on. 

If you repeat that pattern 6 times you’ll have 18 single crochets at the end of the round.

Round 4: [sc 2, inc] x6
This is a lot like round 3, but it’s where the comma rule falls apart.

sc 2 means in the first space, make a sc, then move to the next space and make a sc. 

I know it feels like it should be written [sc 1, sc 1, inc] x6 but that would be cumbersome so someone in history condensed it to sc 2. 

Just remember Rule 2 AND remember sc 2 means sc 1, sc 1. And sc 3 means sc 1, sc 1, sc 1. 

Whatever the number is after the sc, that’s how many sc you will do in the same amount of spaces.

So let’s review before you move on. 

[sc 2, inc] x6 means make a sc, then move to the next space and make another sc, then move to the next space and inc and then do all that again until you’ve done it 6 times.

Overthinking Newbie Designer Alert!

Some newbie designers will write sc x3 or 3 sc. Neither of those are correct, but unfortunately there is no licensing for writing crochet patterns. (:

Round 5: [sc 3, inc] x6            30

Remember round 4? Same idea sc 3 means Single crochet once in the next 3 spaces and then inc in the next space and repeat that 6 times. 

Round 6 – 9: sc 30   (4 rounds)

This one is pretty simple – you are going to do one sc in each of the next 30 space and you’re going to do that for the next 4 rounds.

Now you may be thinking WAIT! 6 from 9 is 3 – isn’t that 3 rounds. Nope, it’s 4 rounds, because you’re going to do those 30 sc in rounds 6 and 7 and 8 and 9 – that’s 4 rounds. 

Getting easier – right? Now let’s take some away. 

Round 10: [sc 3, dec] x6          24

We need to make the ball round – right? So, before we were increasing, now we’re decreasing.

You are going to sc once in the next 3 spaces, but then you are going to decrease. There are a few ways to decrease, but I know by now you have watched all the videos in Learn to Crochet in a Day and you know how to decrease – so I digress.

Round 11: [sc 2, dec] x6           18

I’m willing to bet, if you were able to do round 10, you can do round 11. If you couldn’t do round 10, you shouldn’t be reading round 11, go back and do round 10. 

Round 12: [sc 1, dec] x6           12

If you’ve gotten this far – you don’t need an explanation.

Round 13: dec x6             6

This is literally the opposite of round 2. 

You just decrease in the remaining 12 stitches and you should end up with 6 stitches when you’re done. 

fo. This is a pain to explain. So you have 6 stitches and a hole. 

You really can’t dec any more or you’ll make a nipple. 

So you cut a long tail, thread the tail into an embroidery needle and sew a loop into each of the remaining 6 spaces, once you have those loops in the spaces, you Pull the yarn and close the hole.