I recently realized that my video on “learn your a, b, p’s” has been disconnected. Here is the bulk of the information that was taught in that lesson.

How to Write Crochet Repeats

How to use the asterisks (stars), brackets and parentheses. The A, B, P’s.

Frequently, in crochet patterns, we are working the same stitch, or series of stitches.  These repeated stitches or series of stitches are called Stitch Patterns.  There is a variety of ways a designer can relate this information to the maker. We can write it out with words, we can use numbers, and we can use special punctuation like asterisks *, brackets [ ], and parentheses ( ).  Each of these are used in slightly different ways in crochet language.

            BASIC RULES:

            Asterisk is used to designate the beginning of a section that will be repeated after it is worked when the section is read by the maker.  The words “repeat from * to ___” are used to tell the maker to go back to the beginning asterisk and follow the instructions again. If the “repeat from * ___ times” involves a number, remember that the maker has already worked the stitches the first time it was read through.  More to come, below, on this.

            Brackets are used to contain a series of stitches. Brackets are followed by the total number of times that series is to be worked, or a designated stopping point.

            Parentheses are usually used in crochet to contain a series of stitches that are all worked into a specified stitch or space.  Following the closed parenthesis “)” will be the specific stitch or space where those contained sts are to be worked.  Some designers use parentheses interchangeably with brackets and follow it with instructions on how many times to work the contained information.  If you use it that way, the same rule applies as for the brackets. You tell them the total number of times the contained information is to be worked, or an ending point.

MORE EXPLANATION:

Let’s think of an imaginary blanket or scarf idea.  We’re going to work a row of single crochet all the way across.  In proper crochet writing form, we’ve already told the maker we are turning at the end of each row, so I’ll omit that. I will also omit the beginning chain for simplicity.

In the simplest form, a designer can say

            sc to end.         or         sc across.         Or        sc in each st across.

The designer could also number all the stitches: sc 26. Or sc in next 26 sts. But, my rule-of-thumb is that if you’re giving the reader specific numbers, it better mean something important.  Why make them count if they’re just working sc in all sts?

As another side note: I’m following the crochet shorthand where 2 sc means to put two single crochet stitches in the next stitch while sc 2 means to work one single crochet stitch in each of the next 2 stitches.

If only one stitch is repeated, it’s easier to simply use words or numbers to tell the maker how far you are working it.

It would be exceedingly superfluous to write: * sc, rep from * across. Or [sc] across. Don’t do that.  Rep = repeat

TWO STITCHES:

Let’s look at two stitches that are worked across the row:

How to write it:

            [dc, sc] across.    OR    [dc, sc] to end      OR    [dc in next st, sc in next st] across

Let’s number our pattern:

Using brackets, we would write [dc, sc] 5 times.  Always follow the brackets with the total number of times it is to be worked.

These (above) are the easiest ways to write it and what I would suggest.  Possible options with asterisks include:

* dc, sc; rep from * across.     OR       * dc, sc; rep from * to end.

We can equally interchange “across” or “to end” when we’re working all stitches of the row.

When we number the times they work these stitches, always remember that they work the stitches following the asterisk the first time they read it. 

Here we write:  * dc, sc; rep from * 4 times.  

They will end up working it a TOTAL of 5 times.  We are assuming they work it when they read after the asterisk.  That is why we are telling them to “repeat from asterisk”.  You can’t repeat something unless you have already done it.  Understand?   If you said “rep from * 5 times” then they will end up working it a total of 6 times.

Please note how I’m using the semicolon at the end of the series that will be repeated.  In the simple forms of using the asterisk, this indicates an ending point of the repeatable series.

In more complex usage of the asterisk you can both begin and end the repeatable section with an asterisk. 

In this case, we will write:       * dc, sc;* rep from * to * to end.       

OR                               * dc, sc;* rep from * to * 4 times.

With only a two-stitch repeat, this is not the best way to write it. 

So, let’s get more exciting.

Here we are working a pattern of dc in each of next 3 sts, sc in next st.  It can also be written simply as dc 3, sc.  If using brackets we write [dc 3, sc] 3 times.

If we want to use the asterisk:

* dc 3, sc; rep from * two times         OR       * dc 3, sc; rep from * to end

If we want to start and end our series with asterisks: * dc 3, sc;* rep from * to * two times.

But, again, if this is the only repeating series in the row, having the ending asterisk is kind of superfluous.  I would not recommend using the ending asterisk in this case.

The ending asterisk that requires “rep from * to * __” is best used when other stitches will be worked before this section is repeated or in between repeating areas.  Before we get too crazy, let’s talk about parentheses.

PARENTHESES

Let’s take a break from asterisks and show how parentheses are used.  Here we’re making a shell or fan. (I’m not going to get into that argument, it’s a generic term.)

I’m showing the “sc in ea st” row just to show where the next row is located.  Let’s shade them.

The row in question is working one single crochet, then we are skipping two single crochet, then we are working (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in the next single crochet, then we skip two single crochet and single crochet in the next stitch.  See how, even in this textual example, I can’t resist putting those stitches inside parentheses?  That’s how you do it.  The more efficient crochet way to write it is: sc, sk 2 sts, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in next st, sk 2 sts, sc in next st. 

Yet one more way to reduce the amount of text would be to name that collected group of stitches as something in your Special Stitches section.  Let’s call it a shell.  In our special stitches we will write:

Shell: (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) worked in indicated stitch

Then we can write the line as: sc, sk 2 sts, shell in next st, sk 2 sts, sc.

            DO NOT WRITE: in the next stitch work 2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc, skip 2 sts, sc in next st.  Because now I don’t know exactly what was worked in the “next” stitch at the beginning.  What this wrote could result in the maker working:

Putting all of the stitches that are worked into one space inside the parentheses tells the maker to put all of them in that specific stitch.  If not, then they are to move on from there.  When I wrote “in the next stitch work 2 dc,” and then ended that with a comma, that inherently tells the reader that they’re done with using the next stitch.  After the comma is moving on to the next stitch after that.

Let’s show one more stitch pattern, the Suzette stitch where we work both a double crochet and a single crochet into one stitch, then skip the next stitch.

Here, again, I’m not writing the sc row.  The suzette pattern is written as (dc, sc) in next st, skip next stitch.  We put both the dc and the sc inside the parentheses, then follow with the location for where those stitches are both worked. Our repeat must also include the skip 1 st.

As a repeated pattern we can write the following options:  

*(dc, sc) in next st, sk next st; rep from * across.

OR                   *(dc, sc) in next st, sk next st;* rep from * to * across.

OR                   *(dc, sc) in next st, sk next st; rep from * 5 times.

Using both brackets and parentheses we can write the following:

OR                   [(dc, sc) in next st, sk next st] across.

OR                   [(dc, sc) in next st, sk next st] 6 times.           

Note here we follow the brackets with the TOTAL number of times it is worked. Also, this is an important example of why I encourage you to only use parentheses for grouping sts and not using them for repeats like brackets.  Writing “((dc, sc) in next st, sk 1 st) across” looks weird.

Now let’s bring back our shell stitch and put it in the earlier pattern.

If this was our entire line, I might write it with brackets. 

            [Dc 3, sc] 3 times, sk 2 sts, shell in next st, sk 2 sts, sc in next st, [dc 3, sc] 3 times.

Now, notice that I used the same set of stitches inside the brackets at the beginning and end of the line.

I could have shifted the second usage of brackets to start immediately after skipping the stitches after the shell. If I did that, and kept everything the same, I would still have that sc at the end of the row, the grouping will look like this:

Then I would write:

[dc 3, sc] 3 times, sk 2 sts, shell in next st, sk 2 sts, [sc, dc 3] 3 times, sc.

Compare the underlined section in the last two writings of this line.  If this was a piece like a shawl where the sides are mirrored, all I would need to do is leave off the sc at the very end.

We can also write this pattern with the * to * surrounding the dc 3, sc. 

*dc 3, sc;* rep from * to * twice, sk 2 sts, shell in next st, sk 2 sts, sc in next st, rep from * to * 3 times.

I introduce the * to * section at the beginning and the maker works it once.  Then I tell them immediately to repeat those sts two more times.  Next, I work my different stitches in the middle.  After those non-rep sts, I tell them to go back to the * to * and now work it 3 times. This style of writing works well for anywhere you have columns of sts that repeat but something different happening in between.  Blanket with columns, perhaps increases on a raglan garment, patterns with motifs at different spacings.

BIG RULE OF ASTERISKS:  You can only create an asterisk repeatable section once per line. 

            DO NOT: *dc 3, sc; rep from * 3 times, dc 25, *sc 2, dc 4; rep from * 4 times.

I tried to create a second repeatable series of sts after I’d already used the asterisk to write dc 3, sc.  Don’t do this!  It’s confusing.  After the “sc 2, dc 4” when you say “rep from *” which * are you talking about?  The first one or the second one?  If you really had a row like this, I’d recommend using brackets in each case.

            YES: [dc 3, sc] 4 times, dc 25, [sc 2, dc 4] 5 times.

Also, there’s no need to REWRITE the same asterisk series later in the same line.  That’s why you’re telling them to go back to the first asterisk to repeat the sts. 

DO NOT: *dc 3, sc, hdc 2*, rep from * to * 3 times, sc 24, *dc 3, sc, hdc 2*, rep from * to * 3 times.

YES: *dc 3, sc, hdc 2*, rep from * to * 3 times, sc 24, rep from * to * 4 times

REALLY WEIRD STUFF:

The really weird cases of asterisks involve double asterisks.  Say you have a really long series of repeating stitches but the very last time they’re working those stitches they won’t finish the repeat, they’ll just stop part-way?  You can indicate that with a double asterisk **. Lots of times, this is happening on squares or blankets that start in the middle of one of these ‘sides’. 

Let’s see if you can follow me (I also describe this in my blog post on how many repeats in a square.

Ch 2 (counts as a st), dc 3, sc 2, *(2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in ch-sp, sc 2, dc 3, [sk 2 sts, shell] 4 times, sk 2 sts, dc 3, sc 2; rep from * around.

If I leave it like that, I’m telling them TWICE to work the “dc 3, sc 2” that happened at the beginning of the round.  Instead, I can insert the double asterisk as such:

Ch 2 (counts as a st), dc 3, sc 2, *(2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in ch-sp, sc 2, dc 3, [sk 2 sts, shell] 4 times, sk 2 sts, **dc 3, sc 2; rep from * around stopping last rep at **.

You can also use the double asterisk if you’re ending the row or round with a unique join or stitches that may need to mirror the beginning stitches.  Ripple patterns can use this technique, or rounds that don’t end in a regular sl st join, but use maybe a “dc to last st (dc acts as ch-2 in following round)” kind of closing.

When you have to create multiple repeating series of stitches, I have seen people start the next series with the double asterisk, and I’ve even seen a triple asterisk series.  This means in ONE LINE OF THE PATTERN, the designer has created rep from * to *,  rep from ** to **, and rep from *** to ***.   That gets to be a bit much.  I’d much rather start using brackets for some of these series, or another way to write it.  These are rather rare in their usage.  I’m not saying I recommend it, but if you absolutely must create a different “repeat from _ to _ “ series of stitches, this is one way to do it.

If you can think of ANY other questions about the usage of asterisks, parentheses, or brackets that I haven’t covered here, you are FREE to email me at Emily.tony08@gmail.com.

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