How to Decrease in Crochet (Beginner’s Guide)

Learn the easiest way how to decrease crochet. Once you have mastered the beginner crochet stitches, you will want to expand your skills, and one of the ways to do that is to shape your fabric. You may want to have well-fitting clothing items, or you may want to make amigurumi or similar toys. Creating clothing out of rectangles is possible, but if you want a stylish garment, you will need to know how to crochet decrease.

What Is A Decrease In Crochet?

When you decrease, you are reducing the number of stitches in the row or round of crochet. This, of course, makes it smaller. Your row or round will become shorter. The usual method of decreasing is to crochet two stitches together.

This tutorial will show you how to crochet decrease:

1. Single crochet decrease (sc2tog)
2. Half double crochet decrease (hdc2tog)
3. Double crochet decrease (dc2tog)

Why Use Crochet Decreases

Crochet decreases are used to shape projects and reduce stitch counts. They are commonly used for garment shaping, hat crowns, amigurumi toys, sleeves, necklines, and fitted accessories. Without decreases, most crochet projects would remain simple rectangles.

How to Decrease Crochet (Step by Step)

Whichever stitch you are working on, you start making the stitch, but don’t complete it by working that final pull-through of the hook. Before the final step, you start making the next stitch, then complete them together at the same time.

As long as you understand the principle of the crochet decrease, you will be able to decrease in any stitch. The simplest way to decrease crochet is to skip a stitch. This works particularly well in finer yarns.

Single crochet decrease is often abbreviated as sc2tog. This means single crochet 2 together. Your pattern may say sc dec or sc decrease.

1. Start First Incomplete Stitch

• Work to where you want the decrease to be.
• Insert the hook into the 1^st stitch.
• Yarn over and pull yarn through. (2 loops on hook)

2. Second Incomplete Stitch

• Do not complete the stitch as you would normally do.
• Insert the hook into the next stitch.
• Yarn over and pull loop through. (3loops on hook)

3. Complete Decrease

• Yarn over and pull through all 3 loops, thus finishing both single crochets at once. You will now have 2 single crochet stitches joined together at the top to make just 1 stitch.

Types of Crochet Decreases

Here is a comparision of the 4 types of crochet decrease

Decrease	Abbreviation	Best For
Single Crochet Decrease	sc2tog	Amigurumi, toys
Half Double Crochet Decrease	hdc2tog	Hats, garments
Double Crochet Decrease	dc2tog	Blankets, shawls, garments
Invisible Decrease	inv dec	Amigurumi

Half Double Crochet Decrease (hdc2tog)

Half double crochet 2 together is often written as hdc2tog. The principle is the same: whichever stitch you are working on, you will turn 2 stitches into 1.

1. Work to where the decrease needs to be.
2. Yarn over hook. Insert hook into 1^st stitch.
3. Yarn over and pull yarn through. (3 loops on hook)

4. Yarn over. Insert the hook into the next stitch.
5. Yarn over and pull yarn through. (5 loops on hook)

6. Yarn over and pull through all 5 loops, finishing both hdc at once.

How to Decrease Double Crochet

Decreasing a double crochet stitch is usually written as dc2tog. Your pattern may also say dc dec.

Once again, working in the same manner, work the stitch to the last pull-through, then don’t complete it. Work the second stitch and complete both at the same time. How to do double crochet 2 together:

1. Work to where the decrease needs to be.
2. Yarn over hook.
3. Insert hook into the first stitch.
4. Yarn over and pull yarn through. (3 loops on hook)

5. Yarn over, Pull yarn through 2 loops. (2 loops left on hook)

6. Yarn over. Insert the hook into the next stitch.
7. Yarn over and pull through. (4 loops on hook)

8. Yarn over, pull through 2 loops. (3 loops left)

9. Yarn over, pull through all 3 loops, finishing both double crochet stitches at once.

The method remains the same for whichever stitch you are working on, even treble or double treble. Work the first stitch to the last pull-through, then pull through all the leftover loops at once. Each decrease will form a cluster of 2 stitches. If you have already worked with cluster stitches, this will be really easy for you!

When To Decrease Crochet

Beginning vs End of Rows

Depending on your pattern, you may be asked to decrease at the beginning and/or end of a row or to decrease across the entire row.

If your pattern says decrease once at the beginning of the row, work your turning chain, work two stitches together, then work to the end of the row. If it tells you to decrease at the end of the row, work to the last 3 stitches, work 2 together, then just crochet one final stitch at the end of the row.

Crochet Amigurumi

If you are making an amigurumi, you may be instructed to decrease across the entire row.  In this case, you will turn every 2 stitches in one stitch, thus halving the stitch count.

Decreasing for Shaping

What about shaping the underarm of sleeves and armholes in crochet?The pattern will tell you to slip stitch as many stitches as you need to create that indent for the underarms. Then you will leave the last few stitches unworked at the end of the row to create that at the end of that row.

I have used a contrasting color for illustration. If you are working in one color, those slip stitches will be invisible!

• You will crochet until you have (say) 3 stitches left, then work your turning chain and turn for the next row, continuing with the indent left for fitting the sleeve.

The pattern will probably say something like ‘leave rem sts unworked’, telling you to turn and continue before reaching the end of the row.

How to Crochet an Invisible Decrease

If you want your crochet decreases to be smooth and invisible, with no lumps and bumps, you will need to know how to work into the front loop only of your stitches. When you make slow increases at the beginning and end of rows, your decreases will not show up too much. If you are working many crochet increases at once, your work can get a bit bumpy across the row.

How to Decrease Crochet with Front Loop Only (FLO):

Usually, you insert your hook through both loops at the top of the stitch from the previous row. To work FLO, you insert your hook into only the front half of the stitch.

Let’s assume you are working in single crochet.

1. When you reach the place where you want to decrease, insert your hook into the front loop of the first stitch.
2. Insert the hook into the front loop of the next st. You will be inserting into both front loops before pulling the yarn through. (3 loops on hook)
3. YO, draw through the first 2 loops. (2 loops left on hook)
4. YO, draw through both loops on the hook. (1 loop remains) Your invisible decrease is done.

How to Decrease More Than 1 Stitch

Sometimes you may need to decrease more rapidly and more than one stitch at a time. In this case, your pattern will say dc3tog, or sc3tog, whichever stitch you happen to be working. To do this, you will form a 3 stitch cluster. The principle is still the same, grouping unfinished stitches together, but you will now work over 3 stitches instead of 2.

Crochet Decrease FAQs

Crochet Decrease – In Conclusion

Once you understand the basic principle of combining stitches together, you can decrease almost any crochet stitch. Practice with simple sc2tog decreases first, then move on to invisible decreases and more advanced shaping techniques as your confidence grows.