What does sc mean in crochet?

How to work it

Single crochet is the shortest of the basic stitches, and the one that gives the densest fabric. Insert the hook into the stitch the pattern points to, going under both loops of the “V” on top unless the pattern says otherwise.

Yarn over and pull the yarn back through the stitch. You now have two loops on the hook, and the stitch is still open.

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 patterns ask for one chain, written “ch 1”. 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

Rnd 3: *sc in next st, inc in next st; rep from * around (18)

Take the row “Rnd 3: *sc in next st, inc in next st; rep from * around (18)”. “Rnd 3” means the third round, worked in a spiral or in joined circles. Everything between the asterisks is a group. “sc in next st” is one single crochet in the next stitch. “inc in next st” is two single crochets in the next stitch. “rep from * around” means you repeat the group until you are back at the start. The number in brackets is the check: the previous round had 12 stitches, six groups use two of them each and produce three, so you finish with 18.

US or UK?

Single crochet is the American name. A British pattern calls the very same stitch “dc”, for double crochet. So “sc” and “dc” on this site are a pair: sc (US) equals dc (UK). If a pattern uses both “dc” and “htr”, it is British, and its “dc” is the stitch on this page.

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.
• Counting the turning chain as a stitch when the pattern does not. The row then gains one stitch every time you turn, and the edge slowly leans out. Compare your count to the number in brackets at the end of every row.

A tip

Single crochet is small and hard to count from a distance. After every twenty stitches, slide a stitch marker into the one you have just made, or count the marker gaps out loud. If the number in brackets does not match, fix the row before you go on.

Other ways to write it

• ms — French abbreviation

See also

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

Go further

• Guide: how to read a crochet or knitting pattern
• Convert a pattern US ↔ UK