English abbreviation · Crochet
What does ss mean in crochet?
ss means slip stitch.
In French: maille coulée
How to work it
In a British crochet pattern, ss means slip stitch: the stitch an American pattern writes “sl st” and a French pattern “mc” or “maille coulée”. It adds almost no height: it joins a round, moves the hook along without building, or finishes an edge.
Insert the hook into the stitch, yarn over, and pull the loop through the stitch and through the loop on the hook in a single movement.
In knitting, the same two letters can mean something else: some patterns write “ss” for stocking stitch (more often “st st”), others for a slipped stitch, moved from one needle to the other without being knitted. The pattern’s list of abbreviations settles it.
In a pattern
Last rnd: ss in each st around, fasten off and weave in ends.
“Last rnd: ss in each st around, fasten off and weave in ends.” means one slip stitch in every stitch of the last round, which gives a neat, flat edge. Then you cut the yarn, pull it through the last loop to fasten off, and weave the tails into the work.
US or UK?
The stitch is identical in both conventions; only the abbreviation changes: ss in many British patterns, sl st in American ones. It is not one of the stitches whose height shifts between US and UK, so there is nothing to convert. Seeing ss is still a hint that the pattern may be British, and that its dc and tr are British too.
Common mistakes
- Working slip stitches too tight. The next round has to go into them: keep a looser tension, or use a hook one size up for this round.
- Reading ss in a knitting pattern as a crochet slip stitch. Check the pattern’s list of abbreviations first.
A tip
To join a round with ss, put the hook into the top of the first stitch of the round, not into the turning chain beside it: the seam stays straight from one round to the next.
Frequently asked questions
Is ss the same as sl st?
In crochet, yes: ss (British) and sl st (American) are the same slip stitch, mc in French.
What does ss mean in knitting?
Usually stocking stitch, sometimes a slipped stitch. The pattern’s list of abbreviations tells you which.
Try it with a row from your pattern
Here is a row that uses it. Replace it with a row from your pattern: every abbreviation the reader knows is underlined, and its meaning shows on hover.
Last rnd: ss in each st around, fasten off and weave in ends.