Increasing and decreasing stitches are two of the most important techniques to learn once you are comfortable with basic crochet stitches. They allow you to change the shape of your work instead of simply creating straight rows.

An increase adds stitches to a row or round, while a decrease removes stitches. Together, these techniques let you create curves, angles, shaping, sleeves, hats, amigurumi, flowers, garments, and many other crochet designs.

The basic idea is simple, but the placement of increases and decreases matters. A single extra stitch can gradually change the shape of a project, while a missed stitch can cause it to become narrower.

What Is a Crochet Increase?

An increase means making two or more stitches in the same stitch or space.

For example, if you normally make one single crochet in each stitch, an increase would mean making two single crochets in the same stitch.

If you begin with 10 stitches and add one increase, you will normally have 11 stitches at the end of the row or round.

Increasing is used when you want the fabric to become wider or expand outward.

Common uses include:

• Shaping crochet hats
• Making circles and ovals
• Creating amigurumi
• Forming sleeves
• Shaping garments
• Making triangular shawls
• Creating decorative curves
• Expanding crochet baskets and bags

How to Make a Single Crochet Increase

A single crochet increase is one of the easiest increases to learn.

To make one:

1. Insert your hook into the indicated stitch.
2. Make one single crochet.
3. Insert the hook into the same stitch again.
4. Make another single crochet.

You have now made two stitches in one stitch.

The original stitch has therefore produced two stitches.

Example

If you start with:

10 stitches

and make one single crochet increase:

10 + 1 = 11 stitches

The important part is remembering that both stitches are worked into the same base stitch.

How to Make a Half Double Crochet Increase

A half double crochet increase works in the same basic way.

1. Yarn over.
2. Insert the hook into the designated stitch.
3. Yarn over and pull up a loop.
4. Yarn over and pull through all three loops.
5. Yarn over again.
6. Work another half double crochet into the same stitch.

You have created two half double crochet stitches from one stitch.

This technique is useful when shaping projects made primarily with half double crochet.

How to Make a Double Crochet Increase

A double crochet increase is also simply two double crochet stitches worked into the same stitch.

1. Yarn over.
2. Insert the hook into the stitch.
3. Yarn over and pull up a loop.
4. Yarn over and pull through two loops.
5. Yarn over and pull through the remaining two loops.
6. Make another double crochet in the same stitch.

The result is two double crochet stitches where there was originally one.

What Is a Crochet Decrease?

A decrease does the opposite of an increase.

Instead of turning one stitch into two stitches, you combine two stitches so that they become one.

For example, if you have 10 stitches and make one decrease using two neighboring stitches, you will normally finish with 9 stitches.

Decreases are useful for making a project narrower or creating shaped sections.

Common uses include:

• Hat crowns
• Amigurumi shapes
• Sweater shaping
• Sleeves
• Necklines
• Mittens
• Stuffed animals
• Decorative motifs

How to Make a Single Crochet Decrease

A common single crochet decrease is worked over two stitches.

1. Insert the hook into the first stitch.
2. Yarn over and pull up a loop.
3. Insert the hook into the next stitch.
4. Yarn over and pull up another loop.
5. You now have three loops on the hook.
6. Yarn over.
7. Pull through all three loops.

Two stitches have now become one stitch.

This technique is often written as sc2tog, meaning “single crochet two together.”

Invisible Single Crochet Decrease

When making amigurumi, an invisible decrease is often preferred because it creates a smoother appearance.

Instead of inserting the hook through the entire stitch, the hook is placed through specific loops of the two stitches being joined.

The exact technique can vary slightly depending on the pattern, but the goal is the same: reduce two stitches to one while leaving less visible bulk on the outside of the project.

This can be particularly useful when making stuffed animals or other projects where the surface needs to remain smooth.

Half Double Crochet Decrease

A half double crochet decrease combines two half double crochet stitches into one.

A common method is:

1. Yarn over.
2. Insert the hook into the first stitch.
3. Yarn over and pull up a loop.
4. Insert the hook into the second stitch.
5. Yarn over and pull up another loop.
6. Yarn over.
7. Pull through all loops on the hook.

The exact number of loops can vary depending on the decrease method and pattern instructions, so always follow the pattern when it specifies a particular technique.

Double Crochet Decrease

A double crochet decrease is generally made by partially working two double crochet stitches and then completing them together.

A common method is:

1. Yarn over.
2. Insert the hook into the first stitch.
3. Yarn over and pull up a loop.
4. Yarn over and pull through two loops.
5. Stop before completing the first double crochet.
6. Yarn over and insert the hook into the next stitch.
7. Yarn over and pull up a loop.
8. Yarn over and pull through two loops.
9. Yarn over and pull through the remaining loops.

This joins two stitch positions into one completed stitch.

Patterns may abbreviate this as dc2tog, meaning “double crochet two together.”

Increase and Decrease Abbreviations

Crochet patterns often use abbreviations instead of spelling out every instruction.

Common examples include:

Not every pattern uses exactly the same abbreviations, so check the pattern’s abbreviation guide when one is provided.

Where Should You Place Increases?

The location of an increase determines how the project expands.

If you put increases evenly around a circle, you can create a relatively smooth, flat shape.

If you place increases along two specific sides, you can create a triangle or other directional shape.

If you place increases only at particular points, you can create more complex shaping.

This is why crochet patterns often give very specific instructions about where increases should be made.

Simply knowing how to increase is not enough. You also need to know where and how frequently to increase.

Evenly Spaced Increases

Evenly spaced increases are commonly used for circular crochet projects.

Imagine you have 12 stitches and need to add 6 stitches during the next round.

Rather than placing all six increases beside each other, you can distribute them around the round.

This helps the fabric expand more evenly.

If increases are clustered in one area, the circle may become lopsided or develop visible points.

The exact spacing depends on the pattern and the shape you are trying to create.

What Happens When You Increase Too Quickly?

Adding too many stitches too close together can cause the fabric to become wavy or ruffled.

This is particularly noticeable when crocheting circles.

If the fabric begins forming a ruffle instead of remaining relatively flat, there may be too many increases for the yarn, hook, and stitch pattern being used.

The opposite can also happen.

If there are not enough increases, a circular piece may start curling upward and form a bowl-like shape.

This is why shaping requires a balance between stitch count and tension.

What Happens When You Decrease Too Quickly?

Too many decreases in a small area can create sharp angles or excessive puckering.

For example, if you are shaping the crown of a hat and remove many stitches in a single round, the top may close very quickly.

Sometimes that is exactly what the pattern requires. Other times, the shaping may look too abrupt.

The spacing and frequency of decreases determine how gradually the fabric becomes narrower.

Increasing at the Beginning or End of a Row

When shaping flat crochet pieces, increases are often placed near the beginning or end of rows.

For example, a pattern might instruct you to increase in the first stitch, work across the row, and then increase in the final stitch.

This gradually expands both edges.

The technique is especially useful for:

• Shawls
• Sleeves
• Garment panels
• Triangular pieces
• Decorative shapes

Keep track of which side you are working on because symmetrical shaping often depends on placing increases in specific locations.

Decreasing at the Beginning or End of a Row

Decreases can also be used near the edges of a flat project.

If you decrease at both ends of a row, the piece gradually becomes narrower.

This technique is commonly used when shaping shoulders, sleeves, necklines, and other garment sections.

The pattern may tell you to decrease once at each end, every second row, or according to another schedule.

Following the exact frequency is important because changing the decrease rate can alter the final shape.

Increase and Decrease Together

Some crochet projects require both techniques.

For example, a shape may become wider in one section and narrower in another.

A garment might increase around the bust or sleeve area and later decrease toward the waist or cuff.

A crochet animal may require increases to create the body and decreases to form the head or neck.

When both techniques are used, stitch counting becomes particularly important.

Write down your stitch count after important shaping rows if the pattern is complicated.

How to Avoid Losing Track of Stitch Counts

Increasing and decreasing can make stitch counting more difficult because the number of stitches changes from row to row.

A useful habit is to write down the expected number of stitches.

For example:

• Row 1: 20 stitches
• Row 2: 22 stitches
• Row 3: 24 stitches
• Row 4: 24 stitches
• Row 5: 22 stitches

This makes it much easier to identify where something went wrong.

Stitch markers can also help identify increase and decrease points, especially when working in rounds.

Common Increase and Decrease Mistakes

Making two stitches in the wrong place

An increase must usually be worked into a specific stitch or space.

If you accidentally work both stitches into neighboring stitches instead, you may not create the intended shape.

Forgetting the second stitch of an increase

It is easy to work one stitch and then move on.

Remember that an increase requires multiple stitches in the same base stitch.

Skipping too many stitches during a decrease

When working a decrease, make sure you are combining the correct number of stitches.

Losing track of the stitch count

A single missed increase or decrease can affect every row that follows.

Pulling the yarn too tightly

Tight decreases can create puckering, while inconsistent tension around increases can distort the shape.

Use Stitch Markers for Circular Projects

Stitch markers are especially useful when increasing or decreasing in rounds.

Mark the beginning of the round and, when necessary, mark the locations where increases or decreases should occur.

For example, if a pattern requires an increase every six stitches, markers can help you maintain the correct spacing.

As you become more comfortable, you may be able to work without them, but there is no disadvantage to using markers when they make the pattern easier to follow.

Practice With a Simple Shape

Before attempting complicated shaping, practice with a small swatch.

Start with a basic row of single crochet.

Make several rows while adding an increase at each end.

You should see the fabric gradually become wider.

Then try decreasing at each end. The fabric should gradually become narrower.

This simple exercise helps you understand what increases and decreases actually do to the fabric rather than simply memorizing pattern abbreviations.

How Increases and Decreases Affect Shape

The most useful concept to remember is that increases and decreases control the direction and rate of change in your crochet.

• More increases make fabric expand.
• More decreases make fabric contract.
• Evenly spaced increases create smoother expansion.
• Evenly spaced decreases create smoother narrowing.
• Concentrated increases can create points or curves.
• Concentrated decreases can create sharper shaping.

Once you understand this, crochet patterns become easier to visualize.

Instead of seeing instructions such as “increase twice in the next round” as random commands, you can recognize that the pattern is controlling the shape of the fabric.

Final Thoughts

Increasing and decreasing are essential crochet skills because they allow you to move beyond simple rectangles and create shaped projects.

An increase adds stitches, usually by working multiple stitches into the same stitch or space. A decrease combines stitches so that fewer stitches remain in the next row or round.

Start by mastering simple single crochet increases and decreases, then practice the same concepts with half double crochet and double crochet. Pay close attention to stitch counts and the placement of each increase or decrease.

With regular practice, you will not only be able to follow shaping instructions more confidently, but also begin to understand how crochet fabric changes shape and eventually modify simple patterns to create your own designs.