dc, hdc, sc: Oh my!

If you've read a crochet or knitting pattern, you might notice it's a bit like alphabet soup. But the abbreviations make skimming a pattern gentle on the eyes, and they're easy to remember.

These terms are common to nearly every amigurumi pattern.

ch - chain stitch

dc - double crochet

dec - decrease

hdc - half double crochet

inc - increase

sc - single crochet

SL st - slip stitch

yo - yarn over

* - repeat the instructions that follow the asterisk as instructed
Five balls of yarn in shades of pink and red.