# How Do You Read a Crochet Chart?

https://rowandround.app/guides/crochet/how-to-read-a-crochet-chart · Crochet; published 2026-11-01, updated 2026-11-01 · Kallos Labs

> A crochet chart is a picture of the written instructions, with one symbol per stitch. Check the key, find the start, then read rows from the bottom up or rounds from the centre out.

A crochet chart is a picture of your stitches, with one symbol for each stitch. To read one, check the key, find where the chart starts, then follow it in the direction your work goes. Rows read from the bottom up, and rounds read from the centre out.

If you can read a [written crochet pattern](https://rowandround.app/guides/crochet/how-to-read-a-crochet-pattern), you already know everything a chart says. It just shows the same instructions as a drawing, so the shape of the work is easier to see.

## What does the key tell you?

The key tells you what every symbol means, so read it before you read the chart. [Lion Brand](https://www.lionbrand.com/community/blog/how-to-read-a-crochet-pattern/) describes a crochet chart as a visual map of your stitches, and the legend as the part that makes the map readable.

Check the key on every new pattern, because symbol shapes can vary slightly between designers. Most symbols look like the stitch they stand for:

| Symbol | Usually means |
|---|---|
| Small oval | Chain (ch) |
| X or plus sign | Single crochet (sc) |
| T with no crossbar | Half double crochet (hdc) |
| T with one crossbar | Double crochet (dc) |

The X, plus sign and T shapes come from [Lion Brand](https://www.lionbrand.com/community/blog/how-to-read-a-crochet-pattern/). Taller stitches such as treble crochet follow the same idea, and the key lists them. A symbol you don't know is worth looking up in the key, or in the written stitch guide if the pattern has one.

## How do you read a chart worked in rows?

Start at the lower right and read upward, one row at a time. [Lion Brand](https://www.lionbrand.com/community/blog/reading-charts-an-introduction/) explains that the first row and all odd rows read from right to left, and the second row and all even rows read from left to right.

That back and forth matches how you work. In rows, you work across, then turn your work to come back, as the [Craft Yarn Council](https://www.craftyarncouncil.com/standards/how-to-read-crochet-pattern) describes for flat pieces such as an afghan. You read the chart the way your hook moves.

For crochet, look for the starting point at the number 1, which stands for the first row. If you read knitting charts, this will feel familiar, and our guide to reading a [knitting chart](https://rowandround.app/guides/charts-colourwork/how-to-read-a-knitting-chart) covers the same bottom-up idea.

## How do you read a chart worked in rounds?

Start at the centre and read outward. [Lion Brand](https://www.lionbrand.com/community/blog/how-to-read-a-crochet-pattern/) says charts built for working in the round, like a granny square or a doily, are typically read from the center outward.

The centre is usually a ring of chains or a [magic ring](https://rowandround.app/guides/crochet/what-is-a-magic-ring-in-crochet), and each round grows from the one before. Two things are worth checking in the pattern notes:

- Do you join at the end of each round? The Craft Yarn Council describes joining as working a slip stitch in the top of the next stitch.
- Are you working in a spiral? In a spiral, like most amigurumi, there is often no join instruction at all, as [Lion Brand](https://www.lionbrand.com/community/blog/how-to-read-a-crochet-pattern/) notes.

The pattern notes should say whether you work in rows or continuous rounds, so read them before the chart.

## What do arrows, no-stitch boxes and loop symbols mean?

Three small marks cause most of the head-scratching.

- An arrow points to the beginning of a row or round when it isn't obvious, according to [Lion Brand's crochet chart page](https://www.lionbrand.com/em-cgi/btag/pages/how-to-crochet-chart).
- A grey "no stitch" box is a stitch an earlier decrease has already used up. Skip that box and keep going across the chart.
- A front or back loop symbol sits under the stitch symbol. It tells you to work in the single front or back strand of the stitch below.

If a mark isn't in the key, look at the written pattern before you guess.

## How do you keep your place on a chart?

Mark each row as you finish it. Lion Brand suggests ticking each row off in the margin, or moving a sticky note up to cover the rows you've worked, which helps you avoid working the wrong row.

It's easy to lose count of how many rows you've done on the piece itself. If that happens, [count your crochet rows](https://rowandround.app/guides/crochet/how-to-count-rows-in-crochet) on the fabric and compare the number with the chart.

## Should you use the chart or the written pattern?

Use whichever you read faster, and check one against the other. Lion Brand's point is that a chart is just a picture of the written instructions, so the two don't disagree about what to stitch. The chart shows the shape and the position of each stitch at a glance. The written pattern gives the counts in words, such as the abbreviations ch, sl st, sc, hdc, dc and tr that the Craft Yarn Council lists.

A good habit is to read the whole chart once before you start, then work with the chart in front of you and the written text beside it. When a symbol surprises you, the text usually settles it in a few seconds.

## Try it

Pick a small swatch chart and read it before you pick up the hook. Say the stitches out loud in order: "ch, sc, sc, dc". When the spoken stitches match the written pattern, you have the symbols down.

In Row & Round, the [highlighter bar](https://rowandround.app/features/highlighter-bar) sits on your current row or round, so your place on the pattern is always marked. Browse more in [crochet guides](https://rowandround.app/guides/crochet). Row & Round is coming soon to iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch.

## Bottom line

Check the key, find the start, then read rows from the bottom up and rounds from the centre out. A chart says the same thing as the written pattern, so use whichever is clearer and flip to the other when a symbol is unclear. Mark each row as you finish it.

## Questions

### Which way do you read a crochet chart?

A chart worked in rows starts at the lower right and reads bottom up. The first row and every odd row read right to left, and even rows read left to right. A chart worked in the round starts at the centre and reads outward.

### Do crochet chart symbols look the same in every pattern?

Not always. Symbols usually look like the stitch they stand for, but shapes can vary slightly between designers, so check the key every time.

### What do I do with a grey 'no stitch' box?

Skip it and keep going. It marks a stitch that an earlier decrease already used up.

### Can I use the written pattern instead of the chart?

Yes. A chart is a picture of the written instructions, so the two say the same thing. Flip between them when a symbol is unclear.


## Sources

- [Lion Brand: Read Any Crochet Pattern in 5 Minutes and Practice as You Go](https://www.lionbrand.com/community/blog/how-to-read-a-crochet-pattern/)
- [Lion Brand: Reading Charts, An Introduction](https://www.lionbrand.com/community/blog/reading-charts-an-introduction/)
- [Lion Brand: How to Crochet, Crocheting with a Chart](https://www.lionbrand.com/em-cgi/btag/pages/how-to-crochet-chart)
- [Craft Yarn Council: How to Read a Crochet Pattern](https://www.craftyarncouncil.com/standards/how-to-read-crochet-pattern)