Antique and Vintage Basic Crochet Terms
(Note: The information and table below has been compiled by Judith Combs and reproduced from the Antique Pattern Library under license - please read the terms of use set out here.)
The terms for crochet stitches varied from publication to publication, starting in the 1840’s, and didn’t become standardized until well into the 20th century. Sometime in the 1880’s, crochet terms for the basic stitches became more standardized in Britain, and although some American publishers began to use what we now recognize as U.S. crochet terminologies, British terms were still used in many U.S. publications until after World War I. Here is a list of different stitch terms from some of the publications in the library.
U.K. modern terms |
chain st (ch) |
slip st (sl st) |
double crochet (dc) |
half treble (htc) |
treble crochet (tc) |
double treble crochet (dtc) |
triple treble crochet (ttc) |
|
U. S. modern terms |
chain st (ch) |
slip st (sl st) |
single crochet (sc) |
half double crochet (hdc) |
double crochet (dc) |
triple crochet (tc) |
double triple crochet (dtc) |
|
1844 Miss Lambert, My Crochet Sampler, London |
chain |
plain single crochet |
plain double crochet |
|
treble |
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See p 14-21 of the book – plain stitch variations |
1850 Ladies Guide in Needlework, Philadelphia |
chain |
|
double crotchet stitch |
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c. 1845-1870 Mlle Riego Crochet Books , London |
chain |
single stitch |
plain stitch |
|
treble stitch |
long stitch |
extra long stitch |
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1850’s Royal Crochet Worker , London |
chain |
plain |
double |
|
treble |
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1859 Mrs. Pullan, Lady’s Manual of Fancy-Work, New York |
chain (ch) |
slip stitch (sl) |
single crochet (sc) |
short double crochet (sdc) |
double crochet (dc) |
treble crochet (tc) |
long treble (ltc) |
also a “short treble”, and a “half long treble” |
Godey’s Lady’s Book c. 1850-1870 New York |
ch |
sc |
dc |
|
tc |
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Not consistent from pattern to pattern. |
1870 Mrs. Beeton’s Book of Needlework, London |
chain |
slip stitch |
double stitch |
long double |
treble |
long treble |
double long treble |
many stitch variations, see p 185-194 |
1880 New York Tribune Knitting and Crochet |
chain |
single crochet or sc |
double crochet or dc |
|
treble stitch or tc |
long stitch or long treble |
extra long stitch |
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1886 Th. de Dillmont, Encyclopedia of Needlework, France |
chain stitch |
single crochet |
double crochet |
treble crochet |
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1891 Home Work, Toronto |
chain, ch |
slip stitch, sl st |
single crochet, sc |
half treble or short treble |
treble crochet |
long treble |
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c.1900-1917 Priscilla Publishing Company, Boston |
Some books use the equivalent of modern U.S. terms, some use modern U.K. terms – there is a stitch guide in the front of each book. |
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c. 1911-1920 Flora Klickmann books |
Modern U.K. terms |
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c. 1900-1920 Needlecraft, Augusta, Maine |
similar to modern U.K. terms – see stitch guide PDF |
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