How to Decrease in Crochet (Single, Half Double, and Double Crochet)

Work a small swatch of single crochet, about ten to twelve stitches across and four or five rows tall. That gives you room to practice every decrease method below without ripping back your real project. Laura uses US terminology throughout, which is the standard most North American patterns use.

A decrease is two stitches combined into one. That is how you shape any crocheted piece that tapers - a beanie crown, the toe of a bootie, an amigurumi head. The hook moves are the same whether your row is flat or you are working in the round.

Insert your hook into the next stitch and pull up a loop, but do not finish the stitch. Move directly to the next stitch, insert your hook and pull up a second loop. You should have three loops sitting on your hook.

Yarn over and pull through all three loops in one motion. That is your traditional sc2tog. It works on every flat project and most patterns will reference this exact sequence when they say decrease one.

Here is the trick. Instead of inserting your hook under both loops of the next stitch, only catch the front loop. Then move straight to the next stitch and catch only its front loop too. Two front loops sit on your hook plus your working loop, no yarn pulled up yet.

Yarn over and pull through both of those front loops in one motion. You now have two loops on your hook. Yarn over again and pull through both, the same way you finish a regular single crochet. The decrease blends into the row so well you have to look hard to spot it.

Yarn over first, then insert your hook into the next stitch and pull up a loop. Yarn over a second time, insert into the following stitch and pull up another loop. You will have five loops on your hook total.

Yarn over once more and pull through all five loops to finish. That is the traditional hdc2tog. Like the sc version, it works but leaves a noticeable chunk at the top because there is so much yarn passing through one point.

The hook path is the same as the sc invisible version, just with a yarn over up front. Yarn over, then catch only the front loop of the next stitch. Move straight to the next stitch and catch only its front loop. Three loops are now sitting on your hook plus the yarn-over.

Yarn over and pull through the two front loops first. That leaves you with three loops on the hook, which is exactly where a normal half double crochet sits before its final pull-through. Yarn over and pull through all three to finish.

The traditional dc2tog is built like the hdc one but with extra pull-through steps. Yarn over, insert into the next stitch, pull up a loop, yarn over, pull through two. Repeat into the next stitch so you have three loops on your hook. Yarn over and pull through all three to finish.

For the invisible version, yarn over and go under the front loop only of the next stitch. Move straight over and go under the front loop only of the following stitch. Yarn over and pull through both front loops. Now finish the stitch normally with two yarn-over-pull-through-twos. The taller dc stitch hides the decrease almost completely.

Compare the two finishes side by side. The traditional decreases stand out as small lumps. The invisible decreases blend in. On a flat scarf or blanket where the row counts but the texture is forgiving, the traditional decrease is fine and faster to work. On a curved or fitted piece like a bootie, beanie crown, or any amigurumi, the invisible version keeps the curve smooth.

Laura shows a finished baby bootie where she used the invisible hdc decrease for the toe shaping. Compared to a swatch worked with the traditional decrease, the invisible version reads as a clean curve instead of a bubbled one. Once you have both moves in your hands, pair this with how to increase in crochet and you can shape any project a pattern asks you to make.