What countries use the British terms and what countries the American?

[sonnets_and_stitches]

Obviously the United States uses American, and the UK the British, but what about Canada? Australia? India? Other lands? I'm really interested to see which countries use which predominately.

 

~ Joy

[Shell]

We use the British terms, as with knitting. A knitting needle size 8 here (not 8mm which is obvious) is a British 8 which is different again to the American. So it gets a bit confusing sometimes I use US terms myself as standard as much of what I do is from online but I can work a British terms pattern just as easily.

[grinning chook]

I'm in Australia and the hooks I buy are in 'mm' the yarn I buy is in 'ply' and the patterns I use are what I am finding on the net, so mainly american I think.

 

I have printed out both ways and just follow whichever one is need for the pattern, after all the stitches are the same they are just named differently.

[yarnyviolet]

Most European countries use mm for hook size. Way back when Canada used UK terms but a few decades ago they switched to American. I prefer the mm (millimetre) as different hook brands have different mm sizes for each letter size.

 

Rachel

[Shell]

after all the stitches are the same they are just named differently.

yep! this makes me laugh so hard when i read "i don't know if i can do this pattern" or "HELP! it's in British terms!". It's not like you're learning arabic, simply remembering the stitch refered to is one you know, just not by the same name. designers flounting "i even translated this pattern which takes me time" is like.. translate? you swapped a few stitch names.. and programs will do that for you. sorry those 3 mins make you feel like you went to sooooo much effort. i have seen so many people on this site intimidated to "try a british pattern" as it's going to be "so hard to translate". do they never stop to wonder how it is we brits/aussies so easily work their US patterns? i think if you open your mind you make your life easier. no matter what it is, if you walk into something saying "I can't do this" then of course it is going to be an uphill battle

[Shell]

Most European countries use mm for hook size. Way back when Canada used UK terms but a few decades ago they switched to American. I prefer the mm (millimetre) as different hook brands have different mm sizes for each letter size.

 

Rachel

Rachel I am in full agreement here. millimetre is not going to change. but I used a Boye hook the other day, 3.25mm and says size 0. then just days later I get the latest Talking Crochet with Carol Alexander and it has a hook size guide. There a US-0 hook is a totally different size!! It would be really cool if for nothing else, the US could come over to mm sizes for their hooks/knitting needles. I wish more pattern writers would use mm hooks too but then I guess as they never know if that K hook is one size or another it's a bit hard for them.