MATERIALS & TOOLS
Amigurumi
The Japanese art of cute crochet toys:
‘ami’ means crocheted and ‘nuigurumi’
means stuffed doll.Ball band
The wrapper around a ball, skein or hank
of yarn that includes useful information
on that yarn.Ball end of yarn
The end of the yarn that runs from the
stitch on your hook back to the ball of yarn
being used.Ball winder
A device for winding yarn hanks into balls
to be used for crochet. A winder is often
used with a swift.Blocking
Shaping a piece of crochet once it’s
finished by pinning it out flat while it’s
damp and letting it dry.Cable
A motif created by crossing crochet
stitches over each other. Designs can look
like twisted ropes, hence the name.Chain
The loops that you create by passing one
loop of yarn through another, using a
crochet hook.Chain space
The space created by working a chain
length between stitches.Cluster
A group of stitches worked into the same
stitch or chain space.Colourwork
Using more than one colour in your
crochet, such as stripes, tapestry crochet
and more.Decreases
Reducing the number of stitches on a row,
in order to shape your crochet or create
an effect.Double crochet
One of the most used crochet stitches. It’s
small and dense.Double treble crochet
A lacy crochet stitch, taller than a treble
crochet stitch.Ease
A term used to describe how snugly or
loosely a garment will fit – positive ease
makes a garment baggy, while negative
ease makes a garment form fitting.Edging
Adding crochet stitches around the edge
of a fabric (this could be a crocheted or
other type of fabric).Fasten off
The method of securing the final stitch in a
row or round, so that the stitches do not
come undone.Foundation chain
The base of chain stitches that the first
row is worked into.Foundation row
The first row of stitches worked into the
foundation chain. It can also refer to the
technique of crocheting the first row of
stitches without a foundation chain.Frogging
Undoing the stitches in a piece of crochet,
either to correct a mistake or to use the
yarn for another project. (So-called
because you ‘rip it, rip it’!)Granny square
A traditional motif worked in the round,
with different colours used for each round.
Usually uses groups of treble crochet
stitches, often in threes.Half treble
A regularly used crochet stitch, it’s taller
than double crochet but shorter than
treble crochet.Hank
A coil of yarn (often with delicate fibres)
that must be wound into a ball before you
can crochet with it. Also called a skein.Hook size
The size of your hook, according to
traditional US and UK sizing systems or
the measurement in millimetres of the
circumference of a hook. The size,
combined with the weight of the yarn,
dictates how dense or loose the finished
crocheted fabric will be.Increases
Increasing the number of stitches on a
row, in order to shape a garment or form a
stitch pattern.Magic loop
A method of creating a foundation ring for
working in the round. It creates a very tight
centre with no visible hole.Making up
Sewing together different parts of an item,
such as the sleeves and body of a sweater.
Also called joining or seaming.Mesh
A crochet technique that uses stitches and
chain lengths to create a fabric that looks
like a ‘net’.Motif
Small crocheted shapes, usually worked in
the round. They can be sewn together to
create a larger item or used to decorate
fabric. Also applies to granny squares.Notions
Accessories and equipment, ranging from
the essential to the frivolous, including
stitch markers, bag handles and buttons.Picot
A small, decorative loop created at the
edge of the crochet fabric.Pilling
The ‘bobbled’ effect seen on crocheted
garments caused by everyday wear.GLOSSARY
A guide to basic terms, from slipknots to surface crochet