How to Crochet: Double Crochet Decrease
A double crochet decrease is the same thing as double crocheting a number of stitches together; for example, dc2tog. You may also see a double crochet decrease abbreviated as “2-dc dec” in a crochet pattern. However, you can do decrease on more than just 2 stitches at a time.
In a nut shell, here what you have to do: (Yo, insert hook, yo, draw lp through, yo, draw through 2 lps on hook) in each of the sts indicated, yo, draw through all lps on hook.
If that doesn’t makes sense that’s okay! Here is a picture tutorial of what to do. This tutorial is for both right and left handed people. For left handed pictures, roll your mouse over the image and it will change for you.
First I’m going to start out with a small swatch of double crochets. (You don’t have to. Just use a piece of work you want to practice your decreases on)
Step 1: Yarn over (wrap the yarn around your hook)
Step 2: Insert your hook into the first stitch that you want to work the decrease on.
Step 3: Yarn over (wrap the yarn around your hook)
Step 4: Pull the strand of yarn through 1 loop on your hook. You should now have 3 loops on your hook.
Step 5: Yarn over (wrap the yarn around your hook)
Step 6: Pull the strand of yarn through 2 loops on your hook. You should now have 2 loops on your hook. Notice that this is an unfinished double crochet stitch. Instead of finishing the stitch you will be making another partial double crochet in the next stitch(s) by following the instructions below.
Step 7: Yarn over (wrap the yarn around your hook)
Step 8: Insert your hook into the next stitch.
Step 9: Yarn over (wrap the yarn around your hook)
Step 10: Pull the strand of yarn through 1 loop on your hook.
Step 11: Yarn over (wrap the yarn around your hook)
Step 12: Pull the strand of yarn through 2 loops on your hook. You have just complete another partial double crochet. You should now have 3 loops on your hook. If you would like to work your double crochet decrease over more than 2 stitches, repeat steps 7 – 12 for as many stitches as desired or indicated in a pattern (this will add one more loop onto your hook each time). Then proceed to the last 2 steps.
Step 13: Yarn over (wrap the yarn around your hook)
Step 14: Pull the strand of yarn through all the loops on your hook.
Congrats! You just completed your double crochet decrease!!!
Was this helpful? Do you still need more help? Leave a comment to let me know!
TY Rachel. always wondered how to do that.
Rachel,
THANK YOU!! It took me a couple of tries but I finally got it! YEA!
You made it so much easier then the sites I have looked through.
Thanks for responding so quickly! You are a GEM!!
[...] 8 – 14: ch 3, dc in each dc around, sl st in 3rd ch of ch-3 at beg of rnd: 84 dc Round 15: ch 3, (dc2tog, dc in next 5 dc) around, sl st in 3rd ch of ch-3 at beg of rnd: 72 dc Round 16: ch 3, (dc2tog, dc [...]
Thanks for the great how to.It was very helpfull I am making a ripple blanket for my daughter after not croheting for years and the pics helped me to remember thanks agian for the help
[...] Stitches and Skills Needed: Double crochet 2 together / double crochet decrease (dc2tog) Change colors in [...]
Rachel…
I have been trying to work it out for days and i get it first time i look at your diagrams !!! thankyou so much…. such a quick response too, your a star x
Hi Rachel,
In a pattern I’ve worked on, there was a decrease of two DC in the beginning of a row and I wondered if I did it right:
I began by chaining three stitches at the turn of the rows. Than I decreased as you showed above in the tutoral for two stitches and went on by DC-ing the row. The last two DC I did the same.
In the pattern it was stated that the number of stitches had to be ‘52 DC’ when I began and when I did the decreases, I had to have 8 times 2 DC-decreases and there should be 20 stitches left. How do I count them? Should I count the stitches when I look at the top (where I insert the needle) or should I count the DC I see at that time?
Thanx for answering
Greetz,
Marrianne
Ow I forgot to mention something: I didn’t count 20 stitches when I did this pattern this way, so to obtain 20 DC in the end (I counted the stitches on top) so I began the decreases by chaining 2 and decrease 3 DC in the beginning and then the next row I did do the decrease I mentioned.
I hope you can folow what I mean
Again greetz!
Marrianne
If I’m reading what you’re saying correctly,
Each dc decrease uses 2 dc on the previous row.
So each set of 2 dc decreases would uses 4 dc on the previous row.
If you do 2 dc decreases, 8 times, it uses 32 dc on the previous row.
And 52 – 32 = 20 stitches left.
This makes me believe that you’re suppose to count all the dc that are not in the decreases (so you’re not counting the decreases). Looking at the dc themselves may be easier to count them compared to looking at the place you insert your hook. If you want to count using the top of the row (where you insert your hook) I believe there should be 36 stitches total, because you are doing 16 decreases.
I was almost tearing my hair out trying to get this one, until I read your instructions. THANK YOU SO MUCH – it’s clear as a bell now. I have a dc3 together so that was alarming to me. I feel as though Ive learned a volume, just by mastering this one item. THANKS AGAIN!!
[...] Special Stitches: Dc2tog (double crochet 2 together, counts as one dc – How to Crochet: Double Crochet Decrease) [...]