We interrupt your rippling for a moment of International crochet clarification. (many comments on this lately...)
Crochet is one of those places where "American" and "British" get themselves in a bind.
It goes something like this:
US = UK
single crochet = double crochet
double crochet = treble crochet
treble crochet = double treble
Here's where I get confused. What is a US slip stitch in UK? I have no clue. I imagine it must be the same thing. Or half double crochet, is it called half treble? And what about chaining, is it still chaining? I think it is. And is there a British single crochet? What on earth is it? Ooo, maybe it's hdc! Chime in you over-the-ponders, inquiring minds want to know! (and if you're in New Zealand or Australia, which system is common to you?)
Anyway, that's why it's good to know where your pattern is coming from. It can all get very wonky if you don't.
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7 comments:
Holy guacamole, Dawn, thanks for asking!!! I hope someone has some answers, 'cause obviously I need some help in this department too! COME ON ripplers, HEEEEELP! :o)
--Deb
I saw this somewhere else. When you really think about it, the British system makes much more sense. The number is the number of times you wrap the yarn around the hook. So, an American single is a British double and and American slip is a British single. Can't remember what an American half-double is, although I knew at one point.
As an American living in Australia, I've had to learn these differences, and I've had to explain it to several visitors to our LYS. In Australia and New Zealand we follow the UK terms.
Basically everything takes a "step up", meaning a single in the US is a double in the UK, and double (US) = treble (UK), etc. But slip stitch and chain are the same in both; no change with them. And you're right about half double being a half treble. There isn't a stitch called a "single crochet". Hope this helps!
Oh my...I'm kinda glad that I didn't know about this before I started, I am so confused! ha =)
I'm in Australia and I'm pretty sure that because I'm using 200 ripple patterns and I used American online tutorials (I've not crocheted before) that I'm doing my ripple in the US way...which seems to be working for me, so I wont overthink it more than I have to! lol =P
Good to know though for my next project, whatever that may be...
South Africa uses British terminology for crochet and knitting as well; it's a bit confusing, but I did find a dictionary of foreign terms here http://www.patchworkcrochet.com/ which helped.
I learnt to crochet in Afrikaans, and still think it has the best terminology. A treble is a langbeen (long leg) and a double is a kortbeen (short leg).
In the UK a slipstich is what you use when joining rounds. What Americans call slipstich crochet we call singlem crochet.
There is no single crochet in British/Australian/New Zealand Crochet - it is our double crochet. The slip stitch is exactly the same. Our treble is your dc - our half treble is your hdc - our double treble is your treble. Our triple treble is your double treble.
I love crochet symbol patterns for this reason - but I am adept at changing back and forwards now, after many years of using both British and American patterns. It no longer fazes me!
I live in Australia by the way where British crochet terms are still in use.
It really isn't that hard to adapt, honest! You just accept that it just IS! Don't worry about what it is called, just follow the stitch that is required.
Yvette Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia
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