What does ms mean in crochet?

How to work it

The “ms” of a French pattern, short for maille serrée, is the single crochet: the shortest of the basic stitches, and the one that gives the densest fabric. It is the stitch of amigurumi, because it lets no stuffing through.

Insert the hook into the stitch the pattern points to, under both strands of the “V” on top unless the pattern says otherwise. Yarn over and pull the yarn back through the stitch. Two loops are now on the hook.

Yarn over once more and pull through both loops at once. One loop is left on the hook, and the stitch is finished. There is only one yarn over in the whole stitch, and it comes after the hook has entered the fabric.

To turn at the end of a row, most French patterns ask for one chain, written “1 ml”. That chain is a hinge only: it does not count as a stitch unless the pattern says so, and the next row starts in the very first stitch.

In a pattern

Tour 2 : 2 ms dans chaque maille (12)

Take the French round “Tour 2 : 2 ms dans chaque maille (12)”. “Tour 2” means the second round, worked in a spiral or in joined circles. “2 ms dans chaque maille” means two single crochets in each stitch of the previous round: you work two in the same stitch, then move on to the next one and do it again. The number in brackets is your check: the previous round had 6 stitches, each gives two, so you must have 12 at the end of the round.

US or UK?

Maille serrée is the French name. American patterns write the same stitch “sc”, for single crochet, and British patterns call it “dc”, for double crochet. So ms (French) equals sc (US) and dc (UK). The trap: a British “dc” is not the double crochet an American pattern means, which is written “tr” in a British pattern.

Common mistakes

• Working into the gap between two stitches, or under a single strand. The fabric then looks ragged and grows wider than planned. Look for the “V” on top of the stitch and put the hook under both of its strands.
• Pulling the first yarn over too high, which leaves a loose, tall loop. Every stitch should have about the same height. If some stand out, you are pulling the first loop up unevenly.
• Making only one single crochet where the pattern asks for two. “2 ms dans chaque maille” doubles the round. If the number in brackets is not reached at the end, count again.

A tip

Single crochet is small and hard to count from a distance. In rounds, put a marker in the first stitch and move it up at every round. After every twenty stitches, count aloud. If the number in brackets does not match, fix the round before you go on.

Frequently asked questions

Is ms the same as sc?

Yes: ms (French), sc (American) and dc (British) are the same stitch.

What is the difference between ms and mc?

ms is the maille serrée, the single crochet, a working stitch. mc is the maille coulée, the slip stitch, which adds almost no height.

Other ways to write it

• sc — English abbreviation

See also

• sp — space
• dc — double crochet
• v-st — V-stitch
• db — half double crochet

Go further

• Guide: reading a French pattern in English