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Right side and wrong side in crochet: how to tell them apart

The right side (RS) is the face that will show. In rounds, it is the face toward you as you work. In rows of single crochet the two sides look alike, so mark one; in taller stitches the stitch posts look different on the two faces.

US terms
A practice strip: 10 single crochets across and 5 rows.
A practice strip: 10 single crochets across and 5 rows.

In rounds

If you work in rounds without turning, the side facing you as you crochet is the right side. The stitches lean the same way all around, and the wrong side shows small horizontal bars.

In rows

When you turn at the end of every row, each side shows alternate rows from the front and from the back. Single crochet looks almost the same on both sides. A common rule: with the starting tail at the bottom left (bottom right if you crochet left-handed), the right side is facing you. Put a marker on that side and keep it there.

Patterns say which row is a right-side (RS) row. Color changes, bobbles and post stitches usually happen on right-side rows, so it matters for textured work.

Why it matters

Seams, borders and buttonholes line up only if every piece has its right side out. Bobbles and popcorns pop to the side away from you, which is why many patterns work them on wrong-side rows.

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