Note: These tutorials use UK crochet terms for stitches. Where necessary, the US terms for stitches will be given in brackets the first time they’re mentioned, then the UK terms will be used from then on.

Increasing and Decreasing in Crochet

When you need to make part of a piece wider or narrower, a pattern will ask you to increase or decrease a stitch. In this tutorial, I will show you how to increase and decrease with double crochet (US single crochet), and how to adapt them for other stitches.

How to Increase:

Work one double crochet into the next stitch. (Learn how to make a double crochet stitch here.)

A double crochet stitch, worked into a gap in some rows of crochet, on a crochet hook; the gap is labelled "2nd double will be worked in this same hole"

Now work another double crochet into the SAME stitch.

Hands working a crochet hook into a stitch of crochet to pull some yarn through it
Two double crochet stitches in the same hole to increase

Done!

This one is easy to adapt to other stitches - just work two of the stitch you want into the same hole.

How to Decrease:

Put your hook through the next stitch, loop the yarn over the hook and pull it through the stitch. You should have two loops on your hook.

Hands working a crochet hook into a stitch of crochet to pull some yarn through it
Two loops of yarn and some rows of crochet on a crochet hook. The next stitch to be worked in is labelled "Hook will go through this hole next"

Now put your hook through THE STITCH AFTER THAT, loop the yarn over the hook and pull it through the stitch. You should have three loops on your hook.

Hands working a crochet hook into a stitch of crochet to pull some yarn through it
Three loops of yarn and some rows of crochet on a crochet hook

Loop the yarn over your hook and pull it through all three loops.

Hands holding a crochet hook with some rows of crochet; three loops on the hook with some yarn wrapped around it
Hands using a crochet hook to pull yarn through three loops to make a decreasing double crochet stitch
A completed decreasing double crochet stitch

Done!

To decrease with half treble crochet (US half double crochet), loop the yarn over your hook BEFORE putting it through the next stitch in the first stage. You should have three loops on your hook after the first stage and four loops after the second. In the third stage, pull the yarn through all four loops.

To decrease with treble crochet (US double crochet), work as you would for a half treble decrease, but in the third stage, pull the yarn through ONLY THREE loops; you should have two loops on your hook. Then loop the yarn over your hook and pull it through both remaining loops.

You can learn how to make the double, half treble and treble crochet here.

Once you’ve got the hang of this, why not try your hand at some more interesting techniques?

Got a question? Get in touch at koalamea.crafts@gmail.com.