Chain space in crochet, often abbreviated ch-sp, refers to the gap or opening created by a chain stitch within a stitch pattern, distinct from the chain stitch itself, and patterns frequently instruct you to work into this space rather than into a specific stitch. I see this distinction trip up beginners regularly, since inserting into a space versus a stitch genuinely changes where your hook goes. This guide clarifies the difference and how patterns reference it.
Chain Space vs. Chain Stitch
A chain stitch is an individual worked stitch, countable and inserted into directly like any other stitch. A chain space is the open gap that a chain, or group of chains, creates in the fabric, and working “into the space” means inserting your hook through that open gap rather than into any specific stitch loop.
How Patterns Reference Chain Spaces
A pattern line reading “3 dc in next ch-sp” means work three double crochet stitches into the open gap left by a previous chain, not into an individual chain stitch itself. This distinction matters most in patterns like granny squares, where the corner chain-2 or chain-3 spaces are where all the following round’s stitches get worked, rather than into the actual chain stitches themselves.
Why This Distinction Matters
Working into the wrong location, a stitch instead of a space or vice versa, changes your finished stitch count and can distort the pattern’s intended shape, especially in openwork and lace patterns that rely heavily on chain spaces for their structure.
Frequently asked questions
What does ch-sp mean in a pattern?
Ch-sp stands for chain space, the open gap created by a chain or group of chains, distinct from an individual chain stitch, and patterns often instruct you to work directly into this space.
How do I know if I’m supposed to work into a stitch or a space?
The pattern will explicitly say “in next st” for a stitch or “in next ch-sp” for a space, so reading the exact wording carefully clarifies which one is intended.
Want more abbreviations explained?
See the full symbol and abbreviation reference guide.
See the abbreviations guide