How to: Read a Crochet Chart

The basics on how to read a crochet chart.

[Crochethooksyoupauladaniele]

This is the best explanation of how to read a crochet chart I've ever seen! Great job.

[stephanieann]

@Sharon Walker - Reading your comment really broke my heart, so I've typed up, word for word, what is said in this video. I hope this helps!

[Music to the 7 second mark]
[1st slide; Granny Square Chart]
Charts are a visual representation of the stitches in a crochet pattern. They are used as an addition to, or in place of words to describe a pattern stitch. 

[2nd slide; Commonly Used Symbols]
Crochet has a system of symbols that have been adopted by The Craft Yarn Council and have become the industry standard. Each one of the symbols signifies one stitch in the pattern. Stitch symbols are arranged how they will appear within the finished work. 

[3rd slide; Granny Square]
For the most part, each symbol represents a stitch as it looks on the right side of the work.

[5th slide; Stitch Key]
Always refer to the pattern key for additional symbol definitions.

[5th slide]
So let's take a look at this basic chart. Charts worked in rows start at the bottom and are worked from the bottom up, in the direction that you would be crocheting.
The foundation row is read left to right.
The first row is read right to left.
And the second row is read left to right, and so on.

[6th slide]
The chart shows you the stitch you need to make, as well as where to put it. Rows and rounds are usually numbered so you can keep track. Some patterns will only mark the odd or the even rows. Charts can be in color or in black and white. Projects with multiple colors are often shown with multiple colored charts so you can see the color changes clearly. 

[7th slide]
Charts worked in rounds start in the center and are worked outwards counterclockwise. 

[8th slide]
So let's walk through a chart and practice reading it.

[9th slide]
First, there's a key that shows what symbols represent which stitch.

[10th slide]
So the first thing that we want to do is chain 5 and join it into a ring with a slip stitch.
For the first row, we want to chain three, and then you want one double crochet into the ring, chain one.
And the next thing that you want to do is to work two double crochets into the ring and chain one. Then you want to repeat those two double crochet, chain one 6 more times into the ring, and then you want to join with a slip stitch to the top of that chain three; so into the third chain.
And that's your first round.
So that's how you read a crochet chart, and we'll see you again at Bernat dot com.

[Seastar]

i, m a left handed crocheter. in liked how it showed me what direction to read to do the pattern. i follow right handed patterns and do not place work in front of a mirror.

[honeysukle]

Thank you infintely this was exactly what I was looking for.

[icherishcrochetandknit]

How would you know, for ex., if the stitch is stitched into the center of the circle or if it gets stitched into the top of the st?? That is what always gets me. Thank you.

[sharonwalker]

I would really like to benefit from the learning on the video but the closed captioning is so garbled it doesn't make sense! Would be nice if YouTube would consider the deaf world when closed captioning these things!