15 different detailed Ways on How to Decrease in Crochet
Decreasing crochet stitches can be quite confusing for new crocheters. Increasing crochet stitches just involves doing multiple stitches in the same stitch. You can read more about increases in crochet stitches here.
On the other hand, decreases can include a simple decrease, an invisible decrease or even a cluster of stitches. I will go through each of them individually below.
Table of Contents Show
What is a decrease in crochet?
A decrease in crochet involves bringing 2 stitches together to become a single stitch. This makes the crochet project narrower and also smaller at the same time.
What is the point of decreasing in crochet?
The effect of decreasing crochet stitches are usually when you want to make a wider crochet project narrower. For a simple flat circle example, it is the middle part that starts to narrow until it reaches the bottom.
For an amigurumi example, the part where a doll's head narrows into the neck or an animal's head narrows into the neck and body are where the decreasing crochet stitches are placed.
Are there different methods of decreasing while crocheting?
There are different ways of decreasing in crochet, they could be single crochet decrease, half double crochet decrease, double crochet decrease and treble crochet decrease. There is even a cluster stitch version of all of them, which I will go through in further detail.
What is single crochet decrease in crochet?
Let us start with the easiest basic single crochet first. A single crochet decrease involves reducing 2 sc stitches into a single 1 stitch.
What is the abbreviation of single crochet decrease?
Some clarification on common terminology first before moving onto the steps. Here I tried to cover as many of the commonly used terminology as possible so that in the future if you see it, it won't be too confusing.
Is single crochet 2 together the same as a decrease?
A decrease in single crochet is the same as single crochet 2 together. Apart from bringing the 2 stitches together, there are no additional special techniques involved. The abbreviation for single crochet 2 together is sc2tog. As for me, I usually write in my patterns sc2tog1, i.e. single crochet 2 together into 1 stitch.
What does 2sc Dec mean in crochet?
I do not see this abbreviations often but thought to include here for clarity. As single crochet increase abbreviation often includes the short form 'inc', likewise, decrease can be written in the form of 'dec'. In this case, 2sc dec refers to decrease of 2 single crochet stitches, or sc2tog - they mean the same thing!
Is sc2tog the same as DEC?
Like I mentioned above, sc2tog is the same as a dec, but remember there are other forms of decrease as well, like hdc, dc, tr and so on. If it is just written as dec, it is assumed as a single crochet form of decrease.
What is Inv Dec?
This is a special techniques involved in decreasing crochet stitches called the invisible decrease and often used for amigurumi to reduce gaps in between the stitches. I will talk more about it below after going through a basic sc decrease first.
How do you do a decrease crochet?
Let us go through the most basic steps involved in doing a single crochet decrease.
1. Insert hook into desired stitch, where want to start the single crochet decrease.
2. Yarn over.
3. Draw yarn through stitch, you should get 2 loops on the hook.
4. Insert hook into next stitch, then yarn over again.
5. Draw yarn through stitch to get 3 loops on the hook.
6. Finally, yarn over for the last time, and pull yarn through all 3 loops on the hook to get back 1 loop on the hook only.
You have just taken away 1 stitch from your crochet project! From the initial 2 stitches, you have brought it down to just 1 stitch and hence the decrease.
Does a decrease count as one or two stitches?
A decrease counts an one stitch after it is completed, meaning 2 stitches become 1. Another reason why my patterns are written as sc2tog1, so that you know 2 stitches become 1. It can get a bit confusi
How do you decrease in the middle of a row in crochet?
There are a few ways to decrease your crochet stitches. If you do it uniformly throughout the row, you will get a shorter row than the preceding one. If you choose to only decrease it in the middle of the row, keeping the rest of the row in regular single crochet stitches, then the horizontal row will start to curve inwards like a convex shape. An example short pattern is below:
Chain 11.
Row 1: Sc2, sc2tog3, sc2 - 7st
(Alternatively, Row 1: Sc2, sc2tog in next 3st, sc2 - 7st
Or, Row 1: Sc2, dec in next 3st, sc2 - 7st)
So you see in the above example, you have reduced the middle 6 stitches to just 3 stitches or basically halved it by bringing 2 stitches together to 1. The total stitch count also went down from the initial chain 11, which will normally become a row of sc10 if it was just single crochet throughout, but instead went down further to 7 stitches because of the middle 3 decreases.
How do you decrease at the beginning of a row in crochet?
Decreasing crochet stitches at the start and at the end of rows is also another way to eventually crochet a triangle. I mentioned about this when talking about increases in crochet. When you increase crochet at the ends, you can create a triangle from a shorter start and slightly increase to the long base of a triangle.
On the flip side, for decreases, you could start with a longer chain and slowly decrease both ends to reduced the subsequent row lengths until you eventually reach the tip of the triangle. For a detailed breakdown of the different ways I use both decreases and increases to make mini flat triangles, check out this post on 'How do you Crochet Different Shapes in Amigurumi?'.
How do you decrease when crocheting in the round?
The decreases in the round often start from a larger circle when you intend to reduce its size. Once you start reducing the size of the circle by decreasing the single crochet stitches, the flat 2D circle starts to approach a more spherical 3D appearance. For a pattern example, see below:
Round 1: Magic ring sc6 - 6st
Round 2: 2sc6 - 12st
Round 3: (Sc1, 2sc1) x 6 - 18st
Round 4: (Sc2, 2sc1) x 6 - 24st (<--- increasing till this point)
Round 5: Sc24 - 24st (<--- keeping the same stitch count)
Round 6: (Sc2, sc2tog1) x 6 - 18st (<--- start of the decreases)
Round 7: (Sc1, sc2tog1) x 6 - 12st (<--- see how the decreases are similar proportion to the increases?)
Round 8: Sc2tog6 - 6st (<--- decrease all around the round)
Close up in front loops only.
So you see, only after you have increased the round until Round 4 which is the largest round in this example, while Round 5 is kept at same stitch count, the decrease only starts in Round 6 onwards.
Also see how the decreases are similar proportion to the increases and the repeats are similar (just replacing 2sc1 with sc2tog1), so you should end up with a nice ball or sphere.
What is an invisible decrease?
An invisible decrease still refers to a single crochet decrease but using a technique that makes the decrease 'invisible'. First I will go through the steps on how it is done, and then I will talk about why is it the preferred techniques for decreases in crochet.
How do you do a invisible decrease in single crochet?
The steps involved are as follows:
1. Insert hook into front loop only of the desired stitch.
2. Tilt the crochet hook slightly anti-clockwise and again insert hook into front loop only of the next stitch.
3. Yarn over and draw yarn through the 2 front loops, should have 2 loops on hook.
4. Yarn over for a final time.
5. Draw yarn through the last 2 loops on the hook, to complete the single crochet decrease.
What is the difference between a decrease and an invisible decrease?
Most commonly this technique is used in crocheting amigurumi because the decreases are less obvious when done this way and the gaps in between the decreases are a lot smaller. This translates to fewer gaps in the final amigurumi project and the stuffing will appear less obvious. All these help with making the amigurumi appear neater! To get more suggestion on getting the amigurumi appear neater, check out this article on '7 Useful Ways on How to Make Amigurumi Neater?'.
Also, remember to grab my free 45-paged cheat sheet on how to crochet for beginners step by step with pictures PDF download below. It is basically a beginner printable crochet stitch guide with free printable crochet instructions for complete beginners!
Free Beginners Step-by-step Guide
Grab these 45-pages of cheat sheets that will help you with crochet stitches, magic rings, increases and decreases, FLO and BLO. Click on image on left for access!
What is a 3 single crochet decrease?
Just like how you can have a larger increase in stitches like 3sc or 3 single crochet in 1 stitch, you can have the reverse. Meaning single crochet 3 together, or decrease down to 1 stitch from 3 stitches. This is also called a 3 single crochet decrease or single crochet 3 together!
What is the abbreviation of 3 single crochet decrease?
The abbreviation for 3 single crochet decrease is much like that for a regular decrease.
What does sc3tog mean in crochet?
So sc3tog refers to single crochet 3 stitches together, so it is technically more than a simple decrease. It is also called a 3 single crochet decrease. For my own patterns, I tend to write sc3tog1.
What is 3 sc dec in crochet?
Decrease in stitches that are more than 2 single crochet together are not commonly written this way but I've decided to include it because there are some patterns written this way. 3 sc dec is technically the same as sc3tog.
How do you do a 3 single crochet decrease?
Let's go through the steps involved in making a 3 single crochet decrease.
1. Insert hook into desired stitch.
2. Yarn over, pull loop through stitch, should have 2 loops on hook.
3. Insert hook into the next stitch.
4. Yarn over, pull loop through stitch again, should have 3 loops on hook.
5. Insert hook into the next stitch for the last time.
6. Yarn over, pull loop through stitch for last time, should have 4 loops on hook.
7. Final yarn over and draw yarn through all the 4 loops on the hook.
You have decreased 3 stitches down to just 1 stitch, forming a 3 single crochet decrease!
How to do a 3 single crochet decrease in a row?
Much like the example for the decrease above for the sc2tog, working a bigger decrease (sc3tog) in a row can create a convex or even a crescent shape, even more curved than the example for the decrease above. See more below:
Chain 10.
Row 1: Sc9 - 9st
Row 2: Sc3tog3 - 3st
Bigger decrease in the number of stitches, from 9 stitches to 3 stitches!
How to do a 3 single crochet decrease in a round?
A 3 single crochet decrease in a round narrows a sphere far quicker than just a sc2tog decrease, if done uniformly around the round. Just like the example below:
Round 1: Magic ring sc6 - 6st
Round 2: 2sc6 - 12st
Round 3: (Sc1, 2sc1) x 6 - 18st
Round 4: Sc3tog6 - 6st
Also consider if you do a 3sc decrease (or sc3tog) asymmetrically, meaning in a round, you do the cluster stitch on one side and the other side you leave regular single crochet stitches, you will end up with a 'cap-like' appearance.
What is a double crochet decrease?
A decrease in double crochet is crocheting 2 double crochet stitches together to form 1 single double crochet. Much like single crochet above but the steps involved are slightly more complex.
What is the abbreviation of double crochet decrease?
There are different ways crochet patterns write their decreases, so here I included 2 different versions that are commonly used.
What does DC Dec mean in crochet?
Dc dec simply means double crochet decrease and it is quite easy to infer from the short-forms. This is not commonly written, while the next version which is dc2tog is what is most commonly used instead.
Is dc2tog a decrease?
Dc2tog refers to a decrease in double crochet stitches, or 2 double crochet stitches together. For my patterns, I usually use dc2tog1 to represent a 2 dc decrease into 1 stitch only.
How do you decrease in double crochet?
Now that we have gone through the abbreviations, let us go through the steps involved.
1. Yarn over the hook before inserting the hook.
2. Insert your hook into the desired stitch.
3. Yarn over again, pull yarn through the stitch.
4. Yarn over, draw through 2 (of 3) loops, should have 2 loops on the hook.
5. Yarn over again, insert hook into next stitch.
6. Yarn over, pull yarn through the stitch, should have 4 loops on the hook.
7. Yarn over, draw through 2 (of 4) loops, should have 3 loops left on the hook.
8. Yarn over for last time.
9. Draw yarn through all 3 loops on the hook.
How do you decrease double crochet in the middle of a row?
Decreasing the double crochet in the middle of the row would mean you have one side of the rectangular crochet project that is longer and the other side that is shorter, forming a curved rectangular piece. See the example below:
Chain 11.
Row 1: Sc1 into 2nd chain from hook, (ch3, dc1), dc1, dc2tog3, dc2 - 7st
(Alternatively, Row 1: Sc1 into 2nd chain from hook, (ch3, dc1), dc2tog in next 3st, dc2 - 7st
Or, Row 1: Sc1 into 2nd chain from hook, (ch3, dc1), dc dec in next 3st, dc2 - 7st)
How to decrease double crochet at beginning of row?
If you choose to decrease the double crochet at the beginning and ends of the row, and you progressively repeat this same process for a few rows, you will get a triangle. Remember to include the preceding chain of 3 before the first double crochet decrease. Here is just a short example.
Chain 11.
Row 1: Sc1 into 2nd chain from hook, (ch3, dc2tog1), dc6, dc2tog1 - 8st
How to decrease double crochet in the round?
This may or may not be commonly used in amigurumi but I have used this technique for reducing rounds to create a neck continuation from an animal head, but it was done asymmetrically.
Here is an example of a uniform decrease in a circle:
Round 1: Magic ring sc6 - 6st
Round 2: (Ch3, 2dc1 in 1st st), 2dc5 - 12st
Round 3: (Ch3, dc1 in 1st st), 2dc1, (dc1, 2dc1) x 5 - 18st
Round 4: (Ch3, dc1 in 1st st), dc1, 2dc1, (dc2, 2dc1) x 5 - 24st
Round 5: (Ch3, dc1 in 1st st), dc23 – 24st
Round 6: (Ch3, dc1 in 1st st), dc1, dc2tog1, (dc2, dc2tog1) x 5 - 18st
Round 7: (Ch3, dc1 in 1st st), dc2tog1, (dc1, dc2tog1) x 5 - 12st
Round 8: Sc2tog6 - 6st
I made a bigger version of this pattern to make a spaceship saucer.
What is a double crochet cluster?
I decided to mention this briefly for clarity. This is NOT the same as double crochet decrease but the steps are really quite similar. I thought to include it here because I was confused about this for a really long time and to be honest, I might forget and confuse them again!
Do note that a double crochet cluster is NOT a form of decrease (because that is what this post is all about).
What is the abbreviation of double crochet cluster?
Let us start with abbreviations first and then move onto the steps.
What is a 2 double crochet cluster?
A 2 double crochet cluster is when you work 2 double crochet into the same stitch but then join it up together at the top, so it is also not technically a double crochet increase either.
What does 2DC CL mean in crochet?
The abbreviation for 2 double crochet cluster is 2dc cl, so do not confuse this with dc2tog or dc dec.
How do you do a double crochet cluster?
1. Yarn over the hook before inserting the hook.
2. Insert your hook into the desired stitch.
3. Yarn over again, pull yarn through the stitch.
4. Yarn over, draw through 2 (of 3) loops, should have 2 loops on the hook.
5. Yarn over again, insert hook into SAME stitch. (<--- this is the part that is different from dc2tog)
6. Yarn over, pull yarn through the stitch, should have 4 loops on the hook.
7. Yarn over, draw through 2 (of 4) loops, should have 3 loops left on the hook.
8. Yarn over for last time.
9. Draw yarn through all 3 loops on the hook.
See how all the steps are the same as the double crochet decrease above except for 2 differences:
1) Step 5 in this case involves working back into the same stitch while for dc decrease above, you should be working into the next stitch.
2) Which also means that the method above will result in a decrease (i.e. 1 less stitch) whereas for dc cluster there is no change in the stitch count.
Hope this clarifies, this is also for my own reference in the future in case I forget again!
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What is a half double decrease?
To be honest, I generally don't use this decrease often but it's in here for completeness. It is somewhere in between a single crochet decrease and a double crochet decrease.
What is the abbreviation of half double crochet decrease?
Here are the abbreviations first before the steps involved.
What does HDC Dec mean in crochet?
Hdc Dec refers to half double crochet decrease or working 2 half double crochet stitches together. This short form is not used as often as the next one.
What does hdc2tog mean?
Hdc2tog is the more common abbreviation for a half double crochet decrease.
How do you decrease in half double crochet?
The steps involved are below:
1. Yarn over before inserting hook.
2. Insert hook into desired stitch, yarn over and draw up a loop, should get 3 loops on hook.
3. Then yarn over again, insert hook into the next stitch.
4. Yarn over and draw up a loop again, should have 5 loops on hook.
5. Yarn over for a final time, then pull the yarn through all 5 loops on the hook, to get final hdc2tog.
Just a side note, like how I mentioned not to confuse a double crochet decrease with a double crochet cluster, likewise, do not confuse hdc2tog with a puff stitch too. The steps are really quite similar!
How do you decrease half double crochet in the middle of a row?
Work a hdc2tog more like the sc2tog above, you could do it without any preceding chain like you would do for a double crochet decrease. See the example below:
Chain 11.
Row 1: Hdc2, hdc2tog3, hdc2 - 7st
(Alternatively, Row 1: Hdc2, hdc2tog in next 3st, hdc2 - 7st
Or, Row 1: Hdc2, hdc dec in next 3st, hdc2 - 7st)
How to decrease half double crochet at beginning of row?
This is similar to what I would do for sc2tog without the chain in front. Here the decreases in hdc are at both ends.
Chain 11.
Row 1: Hdc10 - 10st
Row 2: Hdc2tog1, hdc6, hdc2tog1 - 8st
It can similarly create a triangle effect with progressive rows like what I mentioned for sc2tog above.
How to decrease half double crochet in the round?
When working in rounds, it is slightly different from rows. I would recommend to put the preceding chain of 2 just before working hdc stitches because it would make the circle more uniform.
Follow the same pattern as for double crochet decrease above, except change chain of 3 to chain of 2, and dc2tog to hdc2tog.
What is a treble crochet decrease?
The tallest of the crochet examples in this post and the last decrease. A treble crochet decrease involves crocheting 2 treble crochet stitches together.
What is the abbreviation of treble crochet decrease?
Here are the 2 common short forms for treble crochet decrease. Frankly I don't use this stitch often for my amigurumi patterns.
What does tr2tog mean in crochet?
Tr2tog simply refers to working 2 treble crochet stitches together or a 2 treble crochet decrease.
What does DEC tr mean in crochet?
Another uncommon way to abbreviate is dec tr, which also refers to 2 treble crochet decrease.
How do you crochet two trebles together?
The steps are a lot longer than the other stitches above:
1. Yarn over 2 times before inserting hook.
2. Insert hook into desired stitch, yarn over, pull up a loop, should have 4 loops on hook.
3. Yarn over and pull through 2 (of 4) loops, should have 3 loops left on hook.
4. Repeat again, yarn over and pull through 2 (of 3) loops, should have 2 loops left on hook.
5. Then repeat again, yarn over 2 times before inserting hook.
6. Insert hook into next stitch, yarn over, pull up a loop, should have 5 loops on hook.
7. Yarn over and pull through 2 (of 5) loops, should have 4 loops left on hook.
8. Yarn over again and draw through 2 (of 4) loops, should have 3 loops left on hook.
9. Final yarn over and draw through the last 3 loops on the hook.
How do you decrease a treble in crochet in the middle of row?
Follow steps 1-10 above and in addition to that, remember to include the preceding chain of 4 before starting the treble crochet decrease. Similar to the dc decrease above, working this decrease in the middle will make th rectangle piece curve, with the decreased side shorter and the other original side longer.
How to decrease treble crochet at beginning of row?
Likewise for the dc decrease above at both ends, progressively doing the treble crochet decrease at the ends will eventually create a triangular appearance, albeit with taller stitches.
How to decrease treble crochet in the round?
Follow the same pattern as for double crochet decrease above, except change chain of 3 to chain of 4, and dc2tog to tr2tog. Then follow the steps for tr2tog above.
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Conclusion for crochet decreases
Throughout this post, I have gone through sc2tog, dc2tog, hdc2tog and tr2tog and the steps involved in each one, also together with the different scenarios - in rows and rounds. Remember not to confuse any of them with cluster stitches (which I always do!) and try experimenting with these stitches in your amigurumi!
Also, remember to grab my free 45-paged cheat sheet on how to crochet for beginners step by step with pictures PDF download below. It is basically a beginner printable crochet stitch guide with free printable crochet instructions for complete beginners!
Free Beginners Step-by-step Guide
Grab these 45-pages of cheat sheets that will help you with crochet stitches, magic rings, increases and decreases, FLO and BLO. Click on image on left for access!
