The picot symbol in crochet charts
A small closed loop on top of a stitch. Pure decoration, and the finishing touch on most doily edges.
- US name
- Picot
- UK name
- Picot — same stitch
- In the editor
- Picot
What it looks like in a chart
A small teardrop loop sitting on top of the stitch it belongs to. Craft Yarn Council’s standard version is the ch-3 picot — three chains closed back into a ring with a slip stitch — and some charts draw it literally as three chain ovals joined in a circle rather than as a single closed loop.
Where the loop sits matters. Drawn on top of a post, the picot is worked into that stitch. Drawn in the middle of a chain arc, it is worked partway along the chain, splitting the arc into two shorter ones.
How it is used
- Edging a doily, shawl or blanket with a row of tiny bumps.
- Adding texture along the top of a shell.
- Joining motifs — one motif’s picot slip-stitched into its neighbor’s.
Worth knowing
Picot is not on Craft Yarn Council’s master abbreviation list; it is a special abbreviation that each pattern defines. Because the chain count varies from designer to designer (three is most common, four and five appear too), always check the pattern’s own key for how many chains this particular picot takes.
The word "picot" is the same in US and UK patterns. Only the stitch used to close it changes name.
Common questions
What is the small loop symbol on a crochet chart?
A picot — a few chains closed back on themselves to make a decorative bump, most often three chains. Charts draw it as a small closed loop sitting on top of the stitch or chain arc it is worked into.
How many chains is a picot?
Three is the most common and is the version Craft Yarn Council standardized, but designers use four and five as well. Picot is a special abbreviation rather than a standard one, so the pattern key always defines it.