How do you spell crocheting is a slightly different question than spelling the base word crochet, since adding the “-ing” ending trips up people who are unsure whether a letter doubles or drops along the way. The direct answer is C-R-O-C-H-E-T-I-N-G, with no dropped or doubled letters at the junction. This word is often misspelled even more than the base word crochet itself, usually with an extra letter squeezed in near the ending. This guide gives you the exact spelling, explains why the ending attaches cleanly, and covers the grammar questions that follow.
Direct Answer
Crocheting is spelled C-R-O-C-H-E-T-I-N-G, ten letters total. The silent T from crochet stays in the spelling, and “-ing” attaches directly afterward with no dropped or doubled letters, unlike words such as “running” that double their final consonant first.
Background and Context
Because crochet already ends in a consonant with no short vowel directly before it, English spelling rules do not require doubling before adding “-ing,” which is why crocheting stays a straightforward ten-letter word rather than picking up an extra consonant. Compare this to “knitting,” which does double its final T specifically because it ends in a single vowel followed by a single consonant, a different spelling pattern entirely.
The word functions as a gerund once the “-ing” is added, letting it work as a noun in a sentence, as in crocheting is my favorite way to relax. This same gerund pattern exists across most English verbs, but crochet’s French-derived silent T is what makes people second-guess the spelling in the first place.
Frequently asked questions
What language does the word crochet come from?
Crochet comes from French, where it means small hook. The “-ing” ending added to form crocheting follows standard English grammar rules, even though the base word itself keeps its French spelling.
Is crocheted or crochet correct as the past tense?
Crocheted is correct for the past tense, with a single T before adding “-ed,” the same clean-attachment pattern seen in crocheting. Crochet alone stays present tense or works as a noun.
Why do people add an extra letter when spelling crocheting?
The mistake usually comes from applying the doubling rule seen in words like knitting or sitting, which do double their final consonant before “-ing.” Crochet does not follow that pattern since it does not end in the specific short-vowel-plus-consonant combination that triggers doubling.
Curious about the base word too?
Crochet on its own follows a slightly different spelling logic than crocheting does.
See how to spell crochet
