Japanese knitting and crochet, explained in plain English

Guides

• How to Read a Japanese Knitting Chart: A Beginner's Symbol Guide

  Read a Japanese knitting chart without Japanese: which way to read, what the boxes mean, and the symbols for knit, purl, yarn over and decreases.

• Japanese Crochet Symbols Explained: The 6 Marks You'll See in Every Chart

  A Japanese crochet chart uses a handful of symbols. Learn the six basic marks with their Japanese names and US/UK terms, plus how to read the chart.

• Japanese Knitting Needle Sizes Converted to US/UK/mm (Printable Chart)

  Japanese needle numbers (号) run from 0号 = 2.1 mm to 15号 = 6.6 mm. See the full chart, the nearest US and old UK size, and which sizes have no match.

• Japanese Crochet Hook Sizes: A Straightforward Conversion Table

  Japanese hook sizes (2/0, 5/0, 7.5/0) in mm and US letters, plus lace hooks 0 to 14 and jumbo hooks, with a note on which sizes have no US match.

• How to Buy Japanese Craft Books From Outside Japan: Amazon.co.jp vs. ZenMarket vs. Buyee

  Three ways to buy Japanese knitting and crochet books from abroad, compared with fees, shipping, payment, and customs notes. Prices checked November 2026.

• Kitchener Stitch, the Japanese Way: How Meriyasu-hagi (メリヤスはぎ) Compares to the English Method

  Meriyasu-hagi (メリヤスはぎ) is the Japanese name for Kitchener stitch. See how Japanese lessons name, sort and draw it, compared with English tutorials.

• Mattress Stitch (Sukui-toji, すくいとじ): How Japanese Knitting Lessons Teach the Invisible Seam

  Sukui-toji (すくいとじ) is the Japanese name for mattress stitch. See how Japanese lessons name and vary it, and how it compares with CYC's steps.

• わ・目・段: The Three Japanese Characters Every Amigurumi Crocheter Should Learn First

  Learn わ (ring), 目 (stitch) and 段 (round) first, then the few extra words, 増し目, 減らし目, 続けて, that unlock Japanese amigurumi patterns.

• Keito Dama, Knit Marche, and Amirisu: A Field Guide to Japan's Knitting Magazines

  Which Japanese knitting magazines exist, who publishes them, how often they come out, what's in them, and how to get a copy from outside Japan.

• Is It Legal to Translate a Japanese Knitting Pattern? What Japanese Copyright Sources Actually Say

  Translating a Japanese knitting pattern, sharing it, or selling what you make: what Japan's Copyright Act, one court case and publishers' terms say.

• Choosing Japanese Yarn Without Reading Japanese: Label Terms From Hamanaka, Daruma, and Diamond Decoded

  Decode Japanese yarn labels: fiber, weight, length, needle number, gauge, color, lot and care symbols, using real Hamanaka, Daruma and Diamond pages.