Why Increases and Decreases Matter in Crochet
At its most basic, crochet creates a flat fabric. But to make anything with form, dimension, or fit, you need to shape that fabric. This is where increases and decreases become your essential tools. An increase is simply adding one or more stitches into a single stitch from the previous round or row, making your work wider. A decrease combines two or more stitches into one, making your work narrower. Think of them as the crochet equivalents of drawing a line that curves outward or inward.
Without these shaping techniques, you would be limited to making scarves, blankets, and simple rectangles. Mastering increases and decreases unlocks the entire world of three-dimensional crochet. They are the secret behind the adorable curves of amigurumi animals, the fitted silhouette of a sweater, the perfect dome of a beanie, and even the classic shape of a granny square. Every hat crown, every mitten thumb, every sleeve cap is formed through a deliberate pattern of adding and subtracting stitches.
Understanding the 'why' behind shaping is the first step to reading patterns intuitively and even designing your own creations. It transforms crochet from a purely linear craft into a form of sculpting with yarn. By controlling where and how often you increase or decrease, you direct the fabric to expand, contract, curve, or lie flat, giving you the power to turn a simple strand into virtually any object you can imagine.
How to Make a Basic Increase (Inc)
A basic increase, often abbreviated as 'inc' in patterns, is one of the simplest shaping techniques to learn. To execute it, you simply work two complete stitches into the same stitch from the previous round or row. For example, to make a single crochet increase, you would insert your hook into the designated stitch, yarn over and pull up a loop, then yarn over and pull through two loops to complete your first single crochet. Without moving on, you then insert your hook into that exact same stitch again and work a second single crochet. You have now created two stitches where there was once one.
It's crucial to count your stitches before and after increasing to ensure your work stays on track. If a pattern says you should have 12 stitches at the end of a round, and you perform 6 increases evenly spaced, you will end with 18 stitches. Patterns often instruct you to space increases evenly to create a smooth, non-lumpy shape. A common instruction might be "inc in every stitch" to double your stitch count, or "inc every other stitch" to increase by 50%.
The abbreviation you see will often specify the stitch type, like "2 sc in next st" or simply "inc" when the stitch type is already established. This technique works for any stitch—double crochet, half double crochet, etc. The principle remains identical: two stitches worked into one foundation stitch. Practicing this on a small swatch is the best way to see how increases naturally cause your fabric to fan out and expand.
How to Make a Basic Decrease (Dec)
A decrease reduces your stitch count by combining two stitches into one. The most common method for single crochet is often written as 'sc2tog' (single crochet two together). To work a standard sc2tog, you insert your hook into the next stitch, yarn over and pull up a loop (you will have two loops on your hook). Then, without yarning over, insert your hook into the *following* stitch, yarn over and pull up another loop. You should now have three loops on your hook. Finally, yarn over and pull through all three loops at once. This completes one single crochet that spans two base stitches, effectively decreasing your count by one.
For amigurumi and other projects where a seamless look is vital, the 'invisible decrease' is strongly preferred. Instead of inserting your hook under both loops of the stitch, you insert it only into the front loop of the next stitch, then into the front loop of the following stitch. Yarn over and pull through both front loops (two loops on hook), then yarn over and pull through the remaining two loops. This method creates a much tighter, less noticeable decrease that avoids a small bump or gap, keeping the fabric neat.
Patterns abbreviate decreases as 'dec', 'sc2tog', or 'invdec' for the invisible version. Knowing both techniques is important, as some patterns specify which to use. The invisible decrease requires a bit more practice but is a game-changer for professional-looking finished objects, especially in stuffed toys where stuffing can peek through the holes of a standard decrease.
Reading Increase and Decrease Patterns
Crochet patterns use a specific shorthand to communicate shaping instructions efficiently. When you see a line like "Rnd 3: *sc in next st, inc in next st*; repeat from * to * around (18 sts)," it is giving you a blueprint. The asterisks mark the beginning and end of a sequence you will repeat. This example means you will work one single crochet in the first stitch, then make an increase (2 sc) in the very next stitch. You then repeat that "sc, inc" pair all the way around the circle. The math confirms it: you have 6 repeats of a 2-stitch pattern, using 12 stitches from the previous round to create 18 new ones.
Another common instruction is "evenly space 6 inc." This means you need to distribute six increases around the round in a way that keeps the circle flat. You would divide your total stitch count by six to find the spacing. If you have 30 stitches, you would increase approximately every 5th stitch. Counting your stitches at the end of every round is non-negotiable when shaping. A missed increase or an accidental extra decrease will compound quickly, distorting your shape.
It's also important to understand how rounds are counted after shaping. The number in parentheses at the end of an instruction, like "(36 sts)", is your checkpoint. Always stop and count at that point. If your count is off, you likely made an error in the increase/decrease sequence or missed a repeat. Learning to parse this notation is the key to moving from simple projects to complex, beautifully shaped ones without frustration.
Common Shaping Patterns and What They Make
Specific sequences of increases and decreases create predictable and familiar shapes. The most classic is the flat circle. Starting from a magic ring, you begin with 6 sc. The standard formula is to increase by 6 stitches every round: Round 2 has an increase in every stitch (12 sts), Round 3 has an increase in every other stitch (18 sts), Round 4 has an increase in every third stitch (24 sts), and so on. This evenly distributed expansion is what keeps the circle lying flat instead of cupping or ruffling.
For spheres, like amigurumi heads and bodies, you use increases to create a dome, work even rounds for the cylindrical middle, then use mirrored decreases to close the dome. A simple sphere might start with 6 sc in a ring, increase to 12, then 18, then 24 until it's wide enough, work several rounds even, then decrease from 24 to 18 to 12 to 6, closing with a final decrease round. Hat crowns use a similar decrease pattern, often worked over sections, to draw the top of the hat closed.
Shaping isn't just for rounds. When working in rows to make a garment like a sweater, increases are used at the edges to shape armholes or create an A-line skirt, while decreases shape necklines and sleeve caps. Recognizing these common patterns—the flat circle, the sphere, the tapered tube—allows you to understand the architecture of a project before you even make your first stitch.
Common Questions About Shaping
Q: What if my stitch count is off after an increase round? A: Don't panic. First, double-check the pattern's math for the previous round. If you were off there, you might need to frog back. If the previous count was correct, carefully examine your current round. It's easy to accidentally work an increase into the wrong stitch or miss a repeat. Placing a stitch marker in the first stitch of each round is a lifesaver for keeping track.
Q: How do I know when to stop increasing for a flat circle? A: You continue the increase formula (adding the same number of increases each round) for as large a circle as you want. The circle will remain flat as long as the increases are evenly spaced. If it starts to ruffle, you are adding too many increases too quickly. If it starts to cup like a bowl, you aren't increasing enough per round.
Q: Can I substitute a standard sc2tog for an invisible decrease? A: In most cases, yes, but the finish will be different. The invisible decrease is less bulky and leaves no gap, which is critical for amigurumi to prevent stuffing show-through. For a dishcloth or blanket, a standard decrease is perfectly fine. Always consider the project's final look and function.
Q: Why does my project curl or pucker? A: Curling often means your tension is too tight, especially on increase rounds. Puckering can mean your increases are too crowded; the fabric has nowhere to go but bunch up. Try a larger hook for the foundation and increase rounds, or ensure you are spacing increases exactly as the pattern dictates. Consistent tension is key to smooth shaping.