How to Read Crochet Charts and Symbols for Beginners

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Written crochet instructions tell you what to do step by step. Charts show you what the fabric should look like when you're done. For many crocheters, seeing the stitches laid out in a visual diagram makes patterns click in a way that lines of text never did. A chart is essentially a map of your project — each stitch has a symbol, each symbol sits in its position relative to the others, and the whole thing shows you at a glance what you're building.

Crochet charts feel intimidating at first because they use symbols instead of words, and those symbols look like hieroglyphics before you learn what each one means. But the symbol system is logical and consistent worldwide. Once you learn the symbols for the basic stitches, you can read charts published in Japanese, Russian, Spanish, or any other language — the symbols don't change. This guide covers everything you need to start reading crochet charts, from the basic stitch symbols to the conventions for rows, rounds, repeats, and colorwork.

Beginner's tutorial on how to read crochet charts and symbols including basic stitch symbols and diagram layouts

Why Learn to Read Charts

Charts offer several advantages over written instructions, especially for visual learners:

Universal language: A chart uses the same symbols regardless of whether the pattern was written in English, Japanese, or any other language. If you can read the symbols, you can make the pattern.
Visual preview: A chart shows you what the finished fabric should look like. You can see how stitches align across rows, where increases and decreases happen, and how the pattern repeats. This helps you catch errors early — if your fabric doesn't look like the chart, something is wrong.
Easier pattern repeats: Complex stitch patterns with multiple repeats are often clearer in chart form than in written form. The repeat section is visually outlined, and you can see exactly where it begins and ends.
Confirmation tool: Even if you prefer written patterns, being able to glance at the accompanying chart confirms you're on the right track.

Many patterns include both written instructions and a chart. For beginners, using both together — reading the written instruction and checking the chart to see what it should look like — accelerates pattern-reading fluency. The free crochet patterns for beginners collection includes several patterns with both formats.

How Crochet Charts Work: The Basic Conventions

Crochet charts follow consistent conventions that make them readable once you understand the system.

Reading direction for rows (flat work):

Row 1 (the foundation row) is read from right to left (for right-handed crocheters; left-handed crocheters read from left to right).
Row 2 is read from left to right — the opposite direction, because you turned your work.
Rows alternate direction: odd-numbered rows read right to left, even-numbered rows read left to right.
Row numbers are usually marked at the beginning of each row along the side of the chart.
The foundation chain sits at the bottom of the chart.

Reading direction for rounds (circular work):

Rounds are read counterclockwise around the chart (for right-handed crocheters).
Round numbers are typically marked near the beginning of each round.
The center of the circle is Round 1, and each subsequent round radiates outward.
Joined rounds show a slip stitch at the end connecting back to the beginning. Continuous rounds usually don't show a join.

Stitch placement on the chart:

Each symbol sits directly above the stitch it's worked into (for rows) or in the visual position it occupies in the fabric (for rounds).
Symbols that sit on top of each other vertically are worked into the same stitch from the previous row.
Symbols separated horizontally are worked into different stitches.
Chain stitches that create spaces are shown between stitch symbols, indicating the gap they create.

The Basic Stitch Symbols

Crochet symbols are standardized by the Craft Yarn Council. Each stitch has a symbol that visually suggests the stitch's structure. Here are the symbols you'll encounter most often:

Chain (ch): An oval or elongated oval. Looks like a single chain stitch lying horizontally or at an angle. Multiple chains in a row look like a line of ovals.
Slip stitch (sl st): A filled dot or small filled oval. Usually used for joins at the end of rounds or for moving yarn across stitches.
Single crochet (sc): A plus sign (+) or a short cross (×). The simplest stitch symbol. In some charts, it appears as a short vertical line with one crossbar.
Half double crochet (hdc): A T shape — a vertical line with one crossbar across the top. The single crossbar represents the one yarn over before insertion.
Double crochet (dc): A T shape with one crossbar angled or two crossbars — a vertical line with one or two horizontal marks. The crossbar(s) represent the yarn over(s). In standard US charts, a double crochet is shown as a vertical line with one angled crossbar.
Treble crochet (tr): A vertical line with two crossbars (angled or straight). Each crossbar represents a yarn over before the initial insertion.
Double treble (dtr): A vertical line with three crossbars.

The number of crossbars on a stitch symbol generally corresponds to the number of yarn overs before inserting the hook. Single crochet has no initial yarn over, so it has no crossbar (just a plus or X). Half double has one yarn over, so one crossbar. Double has one yarn over (shown with an angled crossbar in many chart systems). Treble has two crossbars. And so on.

Special Stitch and Technique Symbols

Beyond the basic stitches, charts use additional symbols to indicate special techniques:

Increase: Two or more stitch symbols emerging from the same base stitch. Visually, they look like a V where both branches sit on the same foundation. In written form, this is "2 sc in same st" or "inc."
Decrease: Two stitch symbols converging into one at the top. Visually, they look like an upside-down V or a triangle where the tops of two stitches meet. In written form, this is "sc2tog" or "dec."
Shell: Multiple stitch symbols (usually 3-5) all emerging from the same base stitch, creating a fan shape. Often followed by a skipped stitch or chain space.
Cluster: Multiple stitch symbols joined at the top but based in different stitches (or the same stitch, depending on the pattern). The symbols share a common top line or converge to a point.
Front post stitch: The basic stitch symbol with a curved line or hook shape at the bottom, indicating that the stitch wraps around the post from the front.
Back post stitch: The basic stitch symbol with a curved line or hook shape at the bottom going the opposite direction, indicating wrapping from the back.
Picot: A small loop shown as three small ovals (chains) forming a tiny circle at the top of a stitch, often with a dot (slip stitch) closing it.
Bobble or popcorn: Multiple stitch symbols grouped together with a shared top, often with an oval or curved shape around them to indicate the textured protrusion.

How to Read a Chart Step by Step

Here's a practical walkthrough of reading your first chart:

Step 1: Identify the starting point. For flat work, find the foundation chain at the bottom of the chart. For circular work, find the center ring. The starting point is usually marked with an arrow or the number "1."

Step 2: Check the legend. Every chart should have a legend or key that defines what each symbol means. If the chart is from a Japanese or Russian pattern, the legend may be the only English translation available. Compare the symbols in the chart to the legend until you're confident you know what each one represents.

Step 3: Read Row 1. Starting at the foundation chain, find the first stitch after any skipped chains. Read the symbols from right to left (for right-handed crocheters), working each stitch as indicated. The symbols show you exactly which stitch to work into — a symbol sitting directly above a chain means you work into that chain. A symbol above another stitch means you work into that stitch.

Step 4: Turn and read Row 2. After completing Row 1, turn your work. Row 2 reads from left to right (the opposite direction). The turning chain is usually shown as chain symbols at the beginning of the row. Follow the symbols across, working into the stitches of Row 1.

Step 5: Continue alternating direction. Odd rows read right to left. Even rows read left to right. This alternation matches the physical turning of your fabric.

Step 6: Identify the repeat section. Many charts outline the pattern repeat with a colored box, brackets, or a bracket with a multiplier. The repeat is the section of the chart you work multiple times across the row. Stitches outside the repeat box are worked once at the beginning and end of the row to balance the pattern.

Step 7: Count stitches after each row. Compare your stitch count to the chart. The number of symbols in the row should match the number of stitches you've made (accounting for any symbols that represent multiple stitches or combined stitches).

Common Chart Reading Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

"I forgot which direction to read."

Check the row number. Odd rows read right to left. Even rows read left to right. If you're working in rounds, it's always counterclockwise (for right-handed crocheters). Write small arrows at the beginning of each row on the chart if you need a visual reminder.

"I lost my place in the chart."

Use a sticky note, a magnet board with a straight edge, or a digital highlighter to mark your current row. Cover the rows above your current position (the rows you haven't worked yet) so your eyes don't accidentally jump ahead.

"The symbols don't match what I'm seeing in my fabric."

You may be reading the chart in the wrong direction, or you may be miscounting which stitch to work into. Check that the stitch you're working into corresponds to the stitch directly below the symbol on the chart. Each symbol sits above the stitch it's worked into.

"The chart doesn't show turning chains."

Some charts include turning chains as chain symbols at the beginning of each row. Others omit them and assume you know to make them. Check the chart notes or the written instructions to confirm whether turning chains are included in the chart or need to be added from the written instructions.

Patterns vs. Charts: Which Should You Use?

Neither format is superior. They serve different thinking styles and different project types.

Written patterns are better for:

Beginners who are still learning stitch abbreviations
Simple rectangular projects with repetitive rows
Projects with extensive shaping instructions that are clearer in words
Crocheters who prefer verbal/sequential instructions

Charts are better for:

Visual learners who understand by seeing
Lace patterns where stitch placement relative to other stitches matters
Motif patterns (doilies, mandalas, granny squares) where the overall shape is clearer visually
Patterns in languages you don't read — the symbols work across languages
Complex stitch patterns with multiple repeats — the repeat is visually obvious

Most experienced crocheters use both. They read the written instructions for the overall guidance and consult the chart to verify stitch placement and see how the pattern should look. The classic granny square is often presented in chart form because the structure is visually intuitive. The free crochet circle pattern works well as a chart because circular symmetry is easier to verify visually than from row-by-row text.

How to Convert a Written Pattern into a Chart

As you advance, you may want to chart out a written pattern to better visualize it. The process is straightforward but detail-oriented:

Read through the entire written pattern to understand the stitch structure and repeats.
Draw a grid or use charting software. Each square or position on the grid represents one stitch position.
Map Row 1 by placing the correct symbol in each position, working from right to left.
Map Row 2 directly above Row 1, working from left to right. Each stitch symbol should sit above the stitch it's worked into.
Identify the repeat section and mark it with brackets or a box.
Verify that the stitch counts in your chart match the written pattern's stitch counts.

Charting a pattern yourself is the best way to learn how charts work. Start with a simple dishcloth or scarf pattern — something with no shaping and a clear repeat. The textured farmhouse dishcloth uses simple stitch patterns that can be easily charted. Chart it by hand on graph paper, then compare your chart to the written instructions. This exercise will teach you more about chart reading than any article.