How to Read Crochet Pattern Symbols (2024)

Part of learning to read crochet patterns is learning what all those symbols mean. Parentheses, asterisks, brackets, oh my! All of these can be used in the same pattern, and while it might seem confusing at first, they actually make the patterns much easier to read. Here's what all those crochet pattern symbols mean!

Parentheses

Parentheses can be used in a couple of different ways in crochet patterns! Let's take a look at a sample row of crochet:

Rnd 2: Ch 1, dc in next 3 sts, (dc, ch 1, dc) in next st, dc 3; join. (8 sts)

Here we see two sets of parentheses - in the middle of the instructions, and again at the end. Each of these is used differently!

Let's begin at the ending. At the end of the instructions, parentheses are usually used to show the stitch count! In the first example above, we make 8 dc stitches in that round, so that's indicated at the end of the line. Sometimes this is also italicized, but not always. And sometimes it's italicized but not in parentheses! And then sometimes there's a dash or equals sign, followed by a number. But if the instructions have ended - you've joined or turned - and you have a number after that, it's going to be the stitch count for that row or round.

Inside the instructions, parentheses can be used to:

show that a set of stitches is all worked into one stitch,
to indicate instructions for multiple sizes
for additional instructions not usually included in the pattern (an aside to clarify a point to the reader, like this),
to indicate a repeat.

In the example above, the part that reads "(dc, ch 1, dc) in next st" is telling you that everything happening inside the parentheses is happening in that next stitch. This is far and away the most common use of parentheses inside the row or round instructions.

Now, what about the second case - let's take a look at another sample row:

Row 5: Ch 1, sc 7(8, 9), sc2tog, sc 2; turn. (10 (11, 12) sts)

There are two sets of parentheses here again! The one at the end is showing the final stitch count again, but you'll notice multiple numbers inside both sets. This is because this imaginary pattern has 3 sizes! The number for the smallest size is always listed first, and they are always listed in order. So if I were making a size small, I'd work the row like this:

Row 5: Ch 1, sc 7, sc2tog, sc 2; turn. (10 sts)

If I were making the largest size, I'd work it like this:

Asterisks, Plus Signs and Crosses

First, let's take a look at what these symbols looklike! The asterisk is the most familiarand looks like a little star: *

The plus sign is what you see on calculators and kid's homework: +

And the cross isn't actually on most keyboardsbut requires a special code to write. On my Windows based computer, it's Alt 0134: † And sometimes instead of this cross, you'll see this one: ‡ - but that's a little rarer.

Of all the above, the asterisk is most common by a mile, but they are all used the same way - to indicate a repeat in the row or round. Let's take a look at a sample row using this symbol:

Row 15: Ch 2, hdc in the next 3 sts, *2 hdc in the next st, hdc in the next 3 sts, hdc2tog; rep from * across, turn.

Now, what if the above were a blanket? Without using the asterisk, the pattern would have to read:

Row 15: Ch 2, hdc in the next 3 sts, 2 hdc in the next st, hdc in the next 3 sts, hdc2tog, 2 hdc in the next st, hdc in the next 3 sts, hdc2tog, 2 hdc in the next st, hdc in the next 3 sts, hdc2tog, 2 hdc in the next st, hdc in the next 3 sts, hdc2tog, 2 hdc in the next st, hdc in the next 3 sts, hdc2tog, 2 hdc in the next st, hdc in the next 3 sts, hdc2tog, 2 hdc in the next st, hdc in the next 3 sts, hdc2tog, 2 hdc in the next st, hdc in the next 3 sts, hdc2tog; turn.

Heck, that's probably not even enough repeats unless you're making something tiny! So you can see how the asterisk is a big help. We can take that section that gets repeated over and over again, and only write it once! So when you see an asterisk like above, you just keep repeating everything after the asterisk until you get to the end of the row - that's what the section after the semicolon tells you to do. Sometimes, you might see something like this:

Row 32: Ch 1, sc in the next 3 sts, *2 sc in the next st, 3 sc in the next st, sc2tog; rep from * until 3 sts remain, sc in the last 3 sts, turn.

This is just a little complicated, but still pretty easy. Repeat everything after the asterisk until you have only 3 sts left in the previous row, then finish as instructed. Let's get a little more complex.

Row 6: Ch 2, dc in the next st, *sc in the next 3 sts, (dc, ch 1, dc) in the next st, hdc in the next st,** dc in the next 2 sts; rep from * across, finishing last rep at **, turn.

What's that ** all about? Well, it lets us know that the last time we start at *, we're going to finish at **. All the other times, we work from * to ; but that last repeat will end at with an hdc in the last stitch of the row. Make sense? Let's look at one more.

Row 8: Ch 1, sc in the 1st st, hdc 3, *sc 2,† hdc 3,** sc 3, hdc 3; rep from * until 7 sts remain, then repeat from * to **, then repeat from * to †, turn.

Okay, so that's a super weird line, but you get the idea. The asterisks and cross here help the designer tell you where to go, so the lines of instructions stay clear and concise! Of course, sometimes you only repeat a set of stitches a few times, not across the whole row or round. That's where brackets come in handy!

Brackets

Brackets are the little half boxes you probably don't use a whole lot, and they always come in pairs - [ and ]

Brackets are usually used inside a line of instruction to set aside a group of stitches that will be worked multiple times. Here's a simple example:

Row 9: Ch 1, sc in the next 3 sts, [2 sc in the next st, sc in the next 3 sts] 4 times, sc in the last 3 sts; turn.

So you repeat the instructions within the brackets 4 times, and then go on to the rest of the instructions. It's useful when you want to have a repeat that's in the middle of a row or round, but doesn't necessarily go all the way to the end.Could this line have been written using asterisks instead? Sure, it would look like this:

Row 9: Ch 1, sc in the next 3 sts, *2 sc in the next st, sc in the next 3 sts; rep from * until 3 sts remain, sc in the last 3 sts; turn.

A little bit longer, and you're left watching for those last 3 sts instead of counting your 4 repeats. Either way is correct, and it's ultimately a matter of personal preference of the designer. When they come in super handy is when you need to use both!

Occasionally, brackets are also used to indicate a group of instructions worked in one stitch, like the first example for parentheses above - but it's very unusual! Context clues will give you the info needed - look for "x times" vs. "in the next st."

And if you are really getting complicated, brackets can be used when you have different sizing instructions that need to be given inside a line of instruction and within parentheses! I can't recall the last time I saw this, but it's out there somewhere...

Curlicue Brackets

Now we're really getting into it! Curlicue Brackets are usually on the same keyboard buttons as the standard brackets, but you have to hit Shift first: { and } - fancy!

These are used when you need to put a repeat inside an already-bracketed repeat! What? Okay, here's an example:

Row 10: Ch 2, hdc in the next st, 3 hdc in the next st, [dc in the next 3 sts, {ch 1, dc in the next st} 3 times, dc in the next 3 sts] 5 times, hdc in the next 3 sts, dc in the last st; turn.

So, if you're crocheting this row, you'll repeat the part within [ and ] 5 times, and each of those times, you'll repeat the part within { and } 3 times.If you were to write it out without these symbols, it would look like this:

Row 10: Ch 2, hdc in the next st, 3 hdc in the next st, dc in the next 3 sts, ch 1, dc in the next st, ch 1, dc in the next st, ch 1, dc in the next st, dc in the next 3 sts, dc in the next 3 sts, ch 1, dc in the next st, ch 1, dc in the next st, ch 1, dc in the next st, dc in the next 3 sts, dc in the next 3 sts, ch 1, dc in the next st, ch 1, dc in the next st, ch 1, dc in the next st, dc in the next 3 sts, dc in the next 3 sts, ch 1, dc in the next st, ch 1, dc in the next st, ch 1, dc in the next st, dc in the next 3 sts, dc in the next 3 sts, ch 1, dc in the next st, ch 1, dc in the next st, ch 1, dc in the next st, dc in the next 3 sts, hdc in the next 3 sts, dc in the last st; turn.

I think you can see why we use the symbols! Curlicue brackets are generally only used inside regular brackets - in combination with another symbol. And occasionally, instead of curlicue brackets, the designer will use parentheses (again, you can look at the context clues for "x times" vs "in the next st"). Indeed, ALL these symbols can be used together!

Combo Time!

What does it look like when you use asterisks and parentheses together?

Rnd 4: Ch 1, sc in the 1st st, 2 sc in the next st, *sc in the next st, 2 sc in the next st, (sc, ch 1, sc) in the next st,** sc in the next st; rep from * to end, finishing last rep at **; join.

The asterisks tell us what section of instructions to repeat as we work our round, and the part inside the parentheses is telling us that those stitches are all worked in one stitch, within that repeat. Easy enough, let's keep going!

Row 7: Ch 1, hdc in the next 2 sts, *hdc in the next st, [ch 1, skip the next st, (2 hdc, ch 1, 2 hdc) in the next st] 3 times, hdc in the next 6 sts,** 2 hdc in the next st;
rep from * across, finishing last rep at **, turn. (5000 sts)

Let's break it down. You know the asterisks give you your pattern repeat - which you only repeat until the ** when you do it for the last time. Inside that repeat, there is another repeat - each time you start again at the asterisk, you will be working the section within the brackets 3 times. Within that bracket, you've got a set of instructions in parentheses that are all worked into one stitch! The parentheses at the end tell us that when we're all done with Row 7, we'll have 5000 stitchesin that row (please note these instructions are not real, and just made up for examples!).

Whew!I know that seems like a lot! But as you progress in your crochet, you'll find yourself reading crochet pattern symbols with ease - and even appreciating how much easier they make it to understand what's happening in a pattern. There are always exceptions to the above - every designer has their own writing style. But that's part of the adventure of crochet!

I hope this article helps you, and that you enjoy your crochet even more for it - and it'll stay right here so you can reference it whenever you need to! If you have any questions that you feel I haven't addressed here, please let me know in the comments, and together we can make this article as helpful as possible! Be sure to add it to your bookmarks and pin the image below!

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