How to Crochet: Double Crochet Decrease

By Rachel Choi – 90 Comments

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!

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90 Comments

  1. Cathy says:

    Hi Rachel, I am in the middle of making a slouchy hat…I need to do the dc dec in 32 stitches around… I get confused at step 12. If I do all the stitches (32) I have a lot of loops on my hook! (they keep falling off the end…am doing this right? do I need a longer hook?

    • Rachel Choi says:

      Hi Cathy, are you sure the pattern wants you to make a decrease using all the 32 stitches? It seems like a lot! It might want you to use multiple decreases within the 32 stitches. Might want to double check the pattern you are using to make sure 🙂

  2. Annette says:

    Hi Rachel, thanks so much for your post, it was very easy to follow and made sense. Thanks

  3. mickie cottle says:

    the pattern iam using is YO, insert hk in nx st, YO & pull up a lp, YO and draw thru 2 lps on hook, (skip next ch, YO insert hook in NEXT st, YO and pull up a loop, YO and draw thru 2 lps on hook) twice, YO and draw through all 4 lps on hk. have made many things, this one has me stumped appreciate your help

    • Rachel Choi says:

      Hello! The stitch you described is very similar to the decrease that is shown in this tutorial. The only difference is that you’re working 3 double crochet portions instead of just the 2 shown here (step 12 in the tutorial explains how to do more than 2) and you’re skipping a stitch between each dc.

      Your “YO, insert hk in nx st, YO & pull up a lp, YO and draw thru 2 lps on hook” is steps 1 – 6 in this tutorial.
      between steps 6 and 7, you’ll “skip next ch”
      then your “YO insert hook in NEXT st, YO and pull up a loop, YO and draw thru 2 lps on hook” is steps 7 – 12 in this tutorial.

  4. Joanna says:

    Can’t you just skip chains to decrease? i.e. “Chain 5, skip 2 ch, Ch next 5”? Thanks

  5. Joanna says:

    My pattern said decrease twice, or decrease 2 times in a row?? Can you explain?

    • Rachel Choi says:

      Depending on your pattern there may be a certain decrease they want you to use. If it is the double crochet decrease, you can perform the decrease as show in this tutorial, two times. Try contacting the designer of the pattern for clarification. If it is a pattern here on Crochet Spot, you can leave a comment/question on that pattern’s page.

  6. Holly says:

    Hi.
    MY pattern is very clear and easy to follow, but for some reason I’m not seeing this..
    Here is the wording: ch 2, * hdc 3, hdc dec, repeat from * all around…
    In other patterns she says 2 hdc tog which is clear, but I don’t understand ‘hdc dec’ as far as how many in one or skip or what? Can you please help?
    Thank you ever so much!
    Holly

  7. Gina Nicholson says:

    I need help with a crochet diaper cover. When dc2tog Ct on first row is 20 . On next row it says to dc2 tog 18 I get less than 18. What am I doing wrong?

  8. Stephne Elmore says:

    I am trying to crochet a dress. Round 2 has 96 stitches
    Round 3: ch 3, dc in next 2dc, dc2tog over next 2 dc, *dc in next 3 dc, dc2tog over next 2dc, rep from * around dl St in top of beg ch 3 to join – 96 dc.
    How can I do dc tog without decreasing any stitches.
    Please let me know, thanks.

    • Rachel Choi says:

      dc2tog will definitely decrease the number of stitches, and since I don’t see any increases in the round the stitch count for the round should decrease. Maybe there is a typo in the stitch count or the instructions. Try contacting the designer of the pattern if you can.

  9. Grace Lee says:

    Hi, so I want to crochet a hat and one of the stitches is unfinished hooked double crochet and I’m confused as to what this means… is it the same as dc(#)tog?

    • Rachel Choi says:

      Hello! Sorry, I am not familiar with the wording of that stitch. Try taking a look at the beginning of the crochet pattern. Sometimes there is information for the special stitches there.

      • Grace Lee says:

        There is no information on how to do this stitch at the beginning of the pattern, and I when I put the stitch into google search I get results for dc(#)tog so I guess I will use that and see how it turns out!

  10. Amy Price says:

    Hello! I have been crocheting a long time but I am stumped for some reason! I have a pattern that says to double crochet decrease in next 5 stitches. I understand that. On the next row it says to double crochet decrease in EACH of next 5 stitches. Is that different? I am not sure if it means the same thing even though it states EACH. Thanks so much for your help!

    • Rachel Choi says:

      Hi Amy! It is probably the same. Try double checking with the designer of the pattern. If it’s a pattern on Crochet Spot, let me know which one and I can take a closer look.

  11. Mimi Philpott says:

    Hi! I’m having some trouble deciphering some diections and hoping you might be able to help.
    Row 4 – ch 1, sc in first 2 sts, *ch 1, skip next stitch, sc in next st. Repeat
    Row 5 – ch 3, dc2tog working over next sc and 1st ch 1 space, ch 1, *dc2tog working over same ch 1 space as last dc2tog and next ch 1 space.

    My confusion is on row 5. Am I supposed to dc2tog in the first sc or skip to the 2nd since I have a ch 3? What exactly is working over mean? Do I skip the sc and dc2tog in only the ch 1 spaces?

    I hope you can help clear up some of my confusion! Thank you

  12. Diane says:

    I am a beginning crocheter. I understand decreasing stitches. What confuses me is each subsequent row. Where I have a decrease, does that become one stitch when I am stitching the next row or do I still treat it as multiple stitches ?

  13. Erin says:

    I’m working a pattern that says dc2tog skipping 2 chns in between dcs. am I supposed to skip 2 chns between the dc2tog stitches or before and after the dc2tog? No matter what I do there are stitches left at the end of the row. Also, the 2nd row reads dc2tog skipping 1 st between dcs. Again, which stitch do I skip?

    • Rachel Choi says:

      Hi Erin! From what it sounds like I think it wants you to skip while making the dc2tog. But I’m not 100% sure. You would need to contact the designer of the pattern for clarification if you can. If it’s a pattern here on Crochet Spot, let me know which one it is and I can take a closer look at it.

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