Exploring the World of Crochetese

Or How to know your WIP from your TOAD, and options for when your UFO is relegated to Area 51.

Crocheting isn’t just a craft; it’s a lively community full of personality and humor, with its own quirky language that captures the joys, frustrations, and inside jokes of the crochet world. This unique crochet lingo developed over years of swapping stories, tips, and laughs—whether in cozy in-person circles or online groups—and it's only grown more colorful with the rise of social media. Hashtags like #frogging and #yarnchicken have spread far and wide, making crochet slang a global shorthand for all things hooky. These playful terms, from “Cro-Jo” to “battling yarn barf,” bring crafters together in a shared experience, offering a fun and relatable way to celebrate the ups and downs of creating with yarn. (Merriam-Webster - Crochet)

Crochetese 101 | Essential Crochet Terms

1. Notion
   Notions are additional crochet tools and accessories, from stitch markers to tape measures, which make projects easier and more enjoyable.

2. Swatch, Hank, Skein, and Cake
   Crocheters know that before diving into a project, a swatch helps test gauge (full disclosure, I grew-up in the Wild West of Crocheting and virtually never swatch (cue sound of chew hitting the inside of a spittoon). Then there are yarn put-ups (how yarn is packaged): hanks - loose or twisted, I believe in the UK these are referred to as skeins; skeins /skān/ - pull or bullet - cylindrical in shape, cakes - the result of winding yarn with a ball winder or can be purchased as such; and balls - regular, donut or bagel (both known as center pull balls).

3. Dye Lot
   Yarn dye lots are essential when color matching, as slight variations can affect the look of a project. Pro-tip: check dye lots when purchasing yarn for a project; you want all your skeins to have the same number.

4. Stitch Names

   (We’ll save this one for a whole other time.)

Crochetese 201 | Essential Crochet Slang Terms

1. Cro-Jo
   Every crocheter needs a bit of "cro-jo"—or crochet mojo—to get through challenging projects. This term reflects the drive and creative energy that keeps crocheters hooked on their projects.

2. Frog / Frog Pond
   Frogging is the process of ripping out stitches when a mistake has been made, or the pattern needs reworking. Named for the "rip-it, rip-it" sound that resembles a frog’s croak, it’s an inevitable part of crochet life. Some even say projects head to the "frog pond" when it’s time for a big redo.

3. CAL (Crochet-Along) / MAL (Make-Along)
   CALs and MALs are group events where crocheters come together to work on the same or different projects in sync. CALs/MALs build community as participants share progress, troubleshoot, and cheer each other on.

4. WIP (Work in Progress)
   Some crocheters often have several WIPs—partially completed projects ranging from scarves to intricate blankets that they are actively working on—reflecting the ever-creative and sometimes distractible nature of the craft.

5. PhD (Project Half Done)
   Playfully called a "PhD," these projects are actually half-done or they sit somewhere between a WIP and a UFO. Many crafters joke about “working on their PhD”.

6. UFO (Unfinished Object) and Area 51
   UFOs are projects put on pause, often stored in a drawer or bag until the right moment arises to pick it back up. Some call this mysterious holding area "Area 51"—where abandoned projects lie in wait.

7. TOAD (Trashed Object Abandoned in Disgust)
   Every crocheter knows the frustration of a project gone wrong. TOADs are those works you just don’t want to finish, whether due to design issues or personal preference.

8. HOTH (Hot Off the Hook)
   When you complete a project and proudly show it off, it’s "HOTH" or Hot Off the Hook! Often shared on social media, it’s a point of pride that marks the end of a crochet journey.

9. Yarn Chicken
   The suspense of “yarn chicken” occurs when a crocheter nears the end of a project, unsure if there’s enough yarn left to finish. It’s a fun, nerve-wracking game, especially when another skein of the same dye lot isn’t available.

10. Yarn Barf
    A well-known frustration, yarn barf is the tangled mess that sometimes emerges from a center-pull skein. Crocheters often have a love-hate relationship with this phenomenon.

11. Stash, SABLE, and Yarnscape
    A crocheter’s yarn collection is their "stash," and for some, it becomes a SABLE (Stash Acquired Beyond Life Expectancy) or a LOY (Lifetime of Yarn) either is an indicator that it might be a good time to work at whittling it down. In its most organized form, a stash can become a "yarnscape"—an artistic display of one’s yarn and treasured works.

12. Yarn Bombing
    Yarn bombing transforms public spaces with colorful yarn decorations. From street art to installations on statues, yarn bombing brings creativity into urban landscapes, connecting crochet to larger artistic and community movements.

CONCLUSION

As crochet forums, blogs, and social media groups have grown, so has the vibrant world of crochet slang. Online hubs like Ravelry and Yarn Over Hook, along with Instagram and Facebook, bring crocheters together to share their WIPs, post freshly finished HOTH projects, or seek encouragement when facing a big frogging session. Hashtags like #frogging and #yarnchicken have turned crochet slang into a universal language, where each term—whether it’s an FO (Finished Object), yarn barf, or even a nail-biting game of yarn chicken—reflects the creativity, humor, and camaraderie of this inclusive community. With new slang always emerging, crochet lingo is a fun, evolving shorthand that brings people together across the globe. So next time you’re working on a WIP or pondering a TOAD, remember you’re part of a worldwide crochet family that understands every stitch and every word.

Looking for ways to share your pride in the Crochet Community? Drop by my shop and discover ways to say it loud, “I Crochet and I’m Proud!“ (For items other than garments, scroll to the bar at the bottom of the page.)