How to Decrease in Crochet: Mastering the Art of Shaping Your Projects

You know that moment when you're crocheting along happily, and suddenly your pattern tells you to decrease? If you're anything like I was when I started, you probably felt a little knot form in your stomach. Decreasing seemed like this mysterious technique that would somehow ruin everything I'd worked so hard to create. But here's what I've learned after years of turning yarn into everything from amigurumi octopi to fitted sweaters: decreasing is just controlled subtraction, and once you understand the logic behind it, it becomes as natural as breathing.

The Philosophy Behind Decreasing

When I teach crochet workshops, I always start the decreasing lesson by asking people to think about what we're actually doing when we crochet. We're building fabric, stitch by stitch, row by row. Decreasing is simply the art of making that fabric narrower in a controlled way. It's like being an architect who needs to taper a building – you can't just lop off the sides and hope for the best.

The beauty of decreasing lies in its simplicity. You're essentially combining two stitches into one, creating a gentle slope rather than an abrupt edge. This is what gives crocheted garments their shape, what turns a tube into a hat crown, what transforms a flat circle into a three-dimensional creature.

Single Crochet Decrease: Your Foundation Technique

Let me walk you through the single crochet decrease, which I consider the workhorse of shaping techniques. Most crocheters learn this one first, and for good reason – it's versatile and relatively invisible when done correctly.

Start by inserting your hook into the first stitch, yarn over, and pull through. Now, instead of completing that single crochet, leave those two loops on your hook and insert into the next stitch. Yarn over, pull through again. You should now have three loops on your hook. Yarn over one more time and pull through all three loops.

What you've done is merged two stitches into one. The magic happens because you've maintained the height of a single crochet while reducing your stitch count by one. I remember the first time this clicked for me – I was making a beanie for my nephew, and suddenly the crown started taking shape exactly as I'd imagined. It felt like unlocking a secret code.

The Invisible Decrease: A Game-Changer for Amigurumi

Now, if you're into making stuffed animals or any kind of three-dimensional crochet, let me introduce you to my favorite decrease: the invisible decrease. This technique changed my amigurumi game completely. Traditional decreases can leave little gaps or bumps, but the invisible decrease lives up to its name.

Instead of going under both loops of each stitch, you'll work through the front loops only. Insert your hook through the front loop of the first stitch, then through the front loop of the next stitch. Now you have two loops on your hook from picking up those front loops. Yarn over and pull through both loops, then yarn over again and pull through the remaining two loops on your hook.

The result? A decrease so smooth it practically disappears into your fabric. I discovered this technique while trying to make a gift for a friend's baby – those little gaps in traditional decreases just weren't cutting it for something that would be loved and chewed on by a tiny human.

Decreasing in Different Stitch Patterns

Here's where things get interesting. Once you move beyond single crochet, decreasing takes on new dimensions. Double crochet decreases follow the same principle but with more height to manage. You'll work each double crochet up to the last yarn over (leaving two loops on your hook), then move to the next stitch and repeat. Once you have three loops on your hook, yarn over and pull through all three.

Half double crochet decreases split the difference – they're taller than single crochet but not as dramatic as double crochet. I find these particularly useful for garments where you need a gentler shaping curve.

Treble crochet decreases? They exist too, though I'll admit I use them less frequently. The principle remains the same: work each stitch partially, accumulate loops, then finish them all together.

Strategic Decrease Placement

This is where the real artistry comes in. Where you place your decreases can dramatically affect the look of your finished piece. Decreasing at the beginning and end of rows creates different angles than decreasing in the middle. When I'm making a cardigan, for example, I might decrease one stitch in from each edge to create a cleaner line for seaming.

For circular projects like hats, evenly spacing decreases creates those beautiful spiral lines you see in well-made beanies. I usually divide my total stitches by the number of decreases needed and place them at regular intervals. It's like creating rhythm in your work.

Common Decrease Patterns and Their Effects

Let me share something that took me years to fully appreciate: decrease patterns are like signatures in your work. A K2tog (okay, that's knitting terminology, but the concept translates) creates a right-leaning decrease, while its mirror creates a left-leaning one. In crochet, we can achieve similar effects by varying which stitch we insert our hook into first.

When making a raglan sweater, I use paired decreases – one leaning left, one leaning right – to create those distinctive diagonal lines. It's these small details that elevate a handmade piece from "obviously homemade" to "professionally crafted."

Troubleshooting Decrease Issues

Let's talk about what can go wrong, because heaven knows I've made every mistake in the book. Holes appearing where you decrease? You're probably pulling too tightly or not maintaining consistent tension. The fix is counterintuitive – loosen up a bit. Let the yarn flow through your fingers rather than strangling it.

Puckering fabric? This usually means you're decreasing too rapidly. If a pattern seems to be asking for dramatic shaping, double-check your stitch count. I once spent hours on a sweater yoke only to realize I'd misread the pattern and was decreasing twice as fast as intended. The fabric looked like a gathered curtain.

Uneven edges? This often comes from inconsistent decrease placement. Mark your decrease points with stitch markers until the rhythm becomes second nature. I still use markers on complex projects – there's no shame in using tools that ensure success.

Advanced Decrease Techniques

Once you've mastered the basics, there's a whole world of specialized decreases to explore. The centered double decrease (removing two stitches at once while maintaining a center stitch) creates beautiful symmetrical shaping. I use this for the crown of berets or anywhere I want a pronounced decorative element.

Graduated decreases – where you decrease more frequently as you progress – create exponential shaping. Think of the tip of a gnome hat or the nose of a crocheted fox. These require planning and often some math, but the results are worth it.

The Mindset of Successful Decreasing

Here's something nobody told me when I started: decreasing is as much about confidence as technique. Every time you decrease, you're making a decision about the shape and structure of your piece. Own those decisions. That slight wobble in your decrease line? It's not a flaw – it's evidence of a human hand at work.

I've noticed that students who embrace decreasing as a creative tool rather than a necessary evil produce more interesting work. They experiment with asymmetrical decreases, play with the visual effects of different techniques, and generally have more fun with their projects.

Practical Applications

Let me paint you a picture of how decreasing shows up in real projects. That market bag you've been meaning to make? The bottom shaping comes from strategic decreases. The sleeves on your favorite crocheted cardigan? Decreased from armpit to wrist to follow the natural taper of your arm. Even something as simple as a dishcloth can benefit from decreased corners for a more polished look.

I recently made a temperature blanket (you know, where each row represents the day's temperature in color) and used decreases to create a gentle wave effect along one edge. It wasn't in any pattern – just me playing with the possibility of shaping what's traditionally a rectangular project.

Final Thoughts on the Decrease Journey

After all these years of crocheting, decreasing has become second nature to me. But I still remember the satisfaction of that first successful decrease, the moment when I realized I could control the shape of my fabric with such a simple technique.

The truth is, decreasing is one of those fundamental skills that opens up entire categories of projects. Without it, we'd be limited to rectangles and tubes. With it, we can create anything our imagination conjures up. So next time your pattern calls for a decrease, don't see it as an obstacle. See it as an opportunity to shape something beautiful, one stitch at a time.

Remember, every expert crocheter was once a beginner who didn't give up. Your decreases might not be perfect at first – mine certainly weren't. But with practice and patience, you'll find yourself decreasing without even thinking about it, your hands automatically knowing just what to do. And that's when the real magic happens – when technique becomes instinct, and you're free to focus on the joy of creation.

Authoritative Sources:

Barden, Betty. The Encyclopedia of Crochet Techniques. Search Press, 2016.

Eckman, Edie. The Crochet Answer Book. Storey Publishing, 2015.

Hubert, Margaret. The Complete Photo Guide to Crochet. Creative Publishing International, 2018.

Omdahl, Kristin. Crochet So Fine: Exquisite Designs with Fine Yarns. Interweave Press, 2010.

Silverman, Sharon Hernes. Crochet Pillows with Tunisian and Traditional Techniques. Stackpole Books, 2011.