Maribel Designs 4 U

Crochet Stitch Abbreviations: The Complete US & UK Reference Chart (Free Download!)

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Your forever bookmark for crochet patterns in any language………..

You found a beautiful crochet pattern. The photos are stunning, the yarn looks perfect, and you are ready to make it.

Then you read the first line. “Sc in each st across.” Simple enough. But the next pattern you pick up says “Dc in each st across” — same stitch count, same hook size, completely different abbreviation.

Are they the same thing? Is one of them wrong? Are you missing something?

You’re not missing anything. You just ran into the most confusing thing about crochet patterns: US and UK terms use the same abbreviations to mean completely different stitches. A US single crochet (sc) is the same stitch as a UK double crochet (dc). They are identical — with different names.

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How to Wind and Insert a Bobbin (Step by Step!)

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Learn to Sew Series | Episode 3 | Maribel Designs 4 U

If you’ve ever sat down at your sewing machine, pressed the foot pedal, and ended up with a tangled mess underneath your fabric — I’ve been there! More often than not, the bobbin is the reason.

The bobbin is one of those things that sounds complicated but is actually really simple once you’ve done it a couple of times. And once you understand how it works, so many sewing problems start to make sense.

In this post (and the companion YouTube video!), we’re going to walk through everything step by step — how to wind your bobbin, how to insert it, and how to bring that thread up so you’re ready to sew. Let’s do it!

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How to Sew a Straight Line (and Turn a Clean Corner!)

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Learn to Sew Series | Episode 4 | Maribel Designs 4 U

If you’ve been following along with the Learn to Sew series, you’ve already done so much — you know the parts of your machine, you can thread it, and you’ve got your bobbin loaded and ready. That is real progress!

Today we’re finally doing the thing: actually sewing. And not just pressing the pedal and hoping for the best — by the end of this post (and the companion video!), you’ll know how to sew a clean straight line, lock your seams so they never unravel, avoid the most common beginner mistake, and turn a sharp corner like you’ve been doing it for years.

Let’s get into it!

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How to Thread a Sewing Machine — Step by Step!

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Learn to Sew Series | Episode 2 | Maribel Designs 4 U

Threading a sewing machine is one of those things that looks really intimidating the first time — all those hooks and channels and that tiny little needle eye — but I promise, once you’ve done it a few times it becomes total muscle memory.

In this post (and the companion YouTube video!), we’re going to go through every single step together. By the end, you’ll have a fully threaded machine and you’ll be ready to start sewing. Let’s do it!


💡 Quick Tip:
If you missed Episode 1 where we covered all the parts of a sewing machine, go check that out first — it’ll make the steps in this post a lot easier to follow!


What You’ll Learn in This Post

  • How to set up your sewing machine before threading
  • Every step of the top threading path, from spool to needle
  • How to thread the needle (and a trick that makes it so much easier!)
  • How to bring up the bobbin thread so you’re ready to sew
  • What to check if your thread keeps coming out while you sew
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How Crochet Changed My Life — My Personal Journey 💕

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By Maribel · Maribel Designs 4 U · My Story

I want to be completely honest with you — crochet did not come easily to me.

When I first picked up a hook, I was not one of those people who just got it right away. My tension was all over the place. My stitches were uneven. I frogged — that’s crochet talk for unraveling your work — more times than I can count. There were moments I put the hook down and genuinely thought, maybe this just isn’t for me.

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The Comfort Blush Berry Cupcake — Free Amigurumi Crochet Pattern 🧁

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Posted by Maribel Designs 4 U

If you’ve been following along here for a while, you know I have a soft spot for amigurumi that looks good enough to eat. So today I’m sharing one of my favorite designs yet — the Comfort Blush Berry Cupcake! 🧁🍓

This sweet little pattern features a ruffled icing edge, a classic round cake base, and an optional strawberry topper that honestly steals the show. It works up relatively quickly, makes the most adorable gift, and is a great project if you’ve got a few amigurumi basics under your belt.

Want to see it come to life step by step? I have the full video tutorial on YouTube — watch it here!

And if you’d like a beautifully formatted printable version of this pattern, you can grab the PDF for just $3 — perfect for printing out and keeping in your project binder.

👉 Get the Printable PDF

But the full pattern? Completely free, right here. Let’s get into it! 💕

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Know Your Machine: A Beginner’s Guide to the Parts of a Sewing Machine 🧵

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By Maribel · Maribel Designs 4 U · Parts of a sewing machine for beginners

Introduction

So you’ve got a sewing machine — maybe it’s been sitting in the corner of your room for a while, or maybe it just arrived and you’re staring at it wondering where to even begin. Friend, I’ve been there!

Before you sew your very first stitch, there’s one thing that will make everything easier: knowing your machine. I mean really knowing it — what each part is called, what it does, and why it matters.

In this post (and the companion YouTube video!), we’re going to walk through the key parts of a sewing machine together, nice and slow. By the end, that intimidating machine will feel a whole lot more like a friend.

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How to Read a Crochet Pattern — A Beginner’s Guide 🧶

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By Maribel · Maribel Designs 4 U · Tips & Tricks

So you found a crochet pattern you love. You open it up, excited to get started — and then you stare at it. Abbreviations, asterisks, brackets, numbers in parentheses… it looks like a foreign language.

If that sounds familiar, you are in exactly the right place. Reading a crochet pattern is a skill, and like any skill — it gets easier every single time you do it. By the end of this post you will know exactly how to look at a pattern and actually understand what it is telling you. Let’s break it all down!

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