How to Crochet: Double Crochet Decrease
By Rachel Choi – 90 CommentsA 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
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.
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
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) […]
I am having trouble dctog over next 2 stiches 4 times. I can dctog with no problem but doing it 4 times in the next two stitches is a little difficult. I hope you can simplify this for me. I am doing a wave stitch that I want to make into a potholder.
Thank You,
Bernadette
Hi Bernadette, are you trying to do dc2tog 4 times or dc4tog? If you are doing dc2tog 4 times, then you are going to do what is pictured in this tutorial (one dc2tog). Once you are done one dc2tog, you will start at the beginning of the tutorial to repeat. But if you are trying to do a dc4tog (double crochet 4 stitches together), then you are going to (yarn over, insert hook into next stitch, yarn over, pull up a loop, yarn over, pull through 2 loops on hook) 4 times, then yarn over and pull through all 5 loops on your hook.
Thank you so much! Great pics, very helpful.
i am having trouble. i am double stitching a blanket and as i go it keeps getting curvy or wider and im not sure how to fix or accommidate as i go
Hi Cindy, here are some tips that I think will help your out: http://www.crochetspot.com/7-tips-to-establish-consistency-in-crochet/
Thanks so much! The pattern that I’m following made it so difficult to follow. You just saved me hours of frustration.
Hi:Rachael
Thank you so much for instructions I am a lefty I did not know to roll over my mouse
soooo helpful got it .
[…] These instructions include a double crochet decrease (dc2tog), instructions on completing this stitch, can be found here: How to Crochet: Double Crochet Decrease. […]
hiya rachel , im probs going to sound really dull now but im sooo confused, i only started crocheting two days ago and im on my 2nd hat. im now crocheting your slouchy beanie and im on round 15 – 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, When it says dc2tog does this mean double crochet 2 double crochets together in one double crochet hole and then double crochet normally in the next 5 dc and then repeat untill end of round. and this wil give me a decrease as ive done two together ? or is a decrease something else completely ?
Sorry to sound silly but crochet is sooo hard to understand x
hopefully hear from you soon ,
Sophie x
Hi Sophie, you are correct, other than the part where you do the dc2tog over 2 double crochet stitches. You do the steps exactly like it is shown here in this tutorial when it says dc2tog in the pattern. You are using 2 dc stitches on the previous row when you are doing your dc2tog. The dc2tog stands for double crochet 2 together, so you are take 2 dc and crocheting them together into 1 stitch.
Let me know if you need more help!
hey rachel , thanks so much for your quick reply , i figured out how to do it as above and it was easy felt so silly lol , but my next issue is , as im brand new at crochet i didnt do a gauge before i started crocheting my hat. did i need to do a gauge square first so that i knew how my size of my stitches should be as now ive got two rounds to go round 18 and 19 and my hat seams huge and doesnt seem to look like its going to fit my head snug. is this due to my gauge not even being done. I just started crocheting this patttern without the gauge and have been using 5.5 hook and my yard only says 100g ball ,approx. 320m/348yd :s im soo new to this sorry but im just not sure x
Sophie x
Yes gauge is very important when you want something to be the correct size. It should be done before starting the pattern so you know whether to adjust your hook size or tension. I’d recommend finishing the last rounds of the hat since you are almost done. But if it doesn’t fit, make the gauge before trying the hat again.
ok thanks rachel for all your help x ive finnished the hat now and its miles to big so i will not cut the yarn and just unravvel it to the begining and start over :)x
sophie x
Thank you so much for the great instructions. I have looked and looked for good instructions and i have now found them.
Thanks again,
Tracu
Great instructions! Nice and clear and easy to follow. Thanks so much.
I thought this was the correct way to do the DCD, now I am really, really stumped.
What is then the difference between this and a double crochet cluster? (DCC)
I had a pattern that called for both, and I was doing what you described for the cluster, thus I was so lost when it came to the decrease.
I may look that up and come back with an answer if I can find a good tut like you have Rachel.
Ok this is what I thought. It looks like the same steps.
This is a link from Dummies dot com, the makes of all the Something for Dummies books.
In this case it is Crocheting for Dummies.
Depending on the amount of stitches to cluster or decrease, these two terms are the same exact stitches.
http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-crochet-a-cluster-stitch.html
http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-decrease-double-crochet.html
Thank you Rachel for getting me to thinking about this. The funny thing about the pattern in question is that they called for on one row: A double crochet cluster in the next three stitches.
A few rows later they called for a double crochet decrease in the next three stitches.
That confused me, so I tried to do what I thought was right. Then gave it up and just did the same exact stitch.
If I can remember where the pattern was, I will let this page of readers and you know. It was not one from the web, so to get the entire pattern , someone will have to purchase it or already own it.
[…] 1: Ch 3, turn, (dc in next 8 sc, dc2tog) 8 times, dc in next sc, turn: 74 […]
Thanks SO much! I’ve been trying to figure out how to do it for days!! Your EPIC!
[…] sk 3 sc, 5 dc in next sc, ch 1, dc in last sc, turn: 7 dc and 2 ch-1 spaces Row 8: Ch 4, dc3tog over the first 3 dc, ch 3, dc3tog last 3 dc (starting in same stitch as last leg of first dc3tog of […]
[…] 4: Ch 2, sk first dc, dc in next 3 dc, dc2tog, turn: 5 […]
I have a pattern I’m working on that has a round that starts off by saying “beg dc2tog. (Dc2tog) twice. how do I do this? the previous round ended with join with sl st in first hdc. I did that now I dont know how to proceed with the above directions. How many dc2tog will I end up with 2 or 3?
Hi Gay, to do a dc2tog follow the instructions within this tutorial. Then repeat the instructions to make the second dc2tog. Let me know if get stuck in a certain step in the tutorial.
but my question is what do I do when it says “beg dc2tog (dc2tog)twice. This is the exact wording of the instructions for this particular round. Does beg dc2tog mean do a complete dc2tog in the stitch after the slip stitch then do 2 more? or something different
I think it means to begin the round with those stitches, as in those are the first stitches you are going to do on that round. You won’t do the stitches different.
Hello and good morning,
I am trying to make a hat for my infant son and I am stumpe by this, dc2tog over the next two stitches. and dc in the last two (one) stitches.. Can someone please explain..? Thank you and have a wonderful day 🙂
Kelly
Hi Kelly, the “dc2tog” are the steps that are in this tutorial. The “dc in the last two stitches” means to make one dc in each of the last 2 stitches that are on your row.
my pattern asks me to dc2tog over the next 2 sts does that mean I have to do 3 dc2tog?
Hi Alice, you only do 1 dc2tog. “over the next 2 sts” only refers to the 2 stitches you’re going to use to make the 1 dc2tog.
okay thanks so much!!
Thank you. I think I can now finish my beanie. I am so glad to know there is a place I can go to find out thes things. Thanks again.
Thank you that was most helpful.
🙂
This has been more than helpful!! The dc2tog over next two sts had me stumped…but now i can proceed without fear. Thank You!!
ok now can you show a 3dc decrease along with a 4 double crochet decrease do a blanket and it call for this.
Hi Robyn, I don’t have a tutorial for the dc3tog or dc4tog at the moment, but 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.
Thank you so much, Rachel! I was afraid that I’d have to abandon this pattern, but thanks to you I’m good.
Hi Rachel and friends, I would like to make an afghan with a very simple afghan stich. Any suggestions?
Hi Marina, you can use any stitch that you like. There are hundreds to choose from 🙂 How about the blanket stitch? It’s very simple, here’s a tutorial: How To Crochet: Blanket Stitch
You can also find other stitch patterns in the tutorial section on this site.
Good morning Rachel, thanks for your response I will give it a look and a try.
Thank you very much this was very helpful
[…] stitch replaces your traditional dc2tog when you want something that blends in more with the rest of your project. The invisible double […]
Thanks, Rachel!
I’ve been crocheting over 30 years and had to do a dc decrease over 5 stitches. I searched and searched for instructions, but nothing I found showed me how to dec anything more than 2 stitches together. MUCH appreciated and I always find your site amazing. Thanks so much for sharing your gift.
~Marie
Thank you for the left-handed photos. It makes things so much more clear.
What does it mean when the pattern states: dc2tog over next to sts…and dc2tog and dc in next 4 sts
Hi Pam, the “dc2tog over next two sts” means to make a dc2tog as show in this tutorial. Some patterns will say “over next two sts” because when you make a dc2tog you’re working into the next 2 stitches on the row. The “dc2tog and dc in next 4 sts” means to make a dc2tog, and then make a double crochet in each of the next 4 stitch.
[…] start a row off with a decrease. This is not a beginner technique, so it is suggested you learn the double crochet decrease and the chainless initial double crochet before trying […]
Thank you so much for the information. It was very helpful.
How do I make a dc dec at the beginning of a row when it has a chain 3 for the first dc?
Thank you so very much for the information! I was going crazy trying to figure out how to dc dec in “the next three chains.” I could only figure out how to do it for two chains. But, your instructions were so eash to follow, and now I can rip out and start my project! Thanks for the hint about running the mouse across the photos for us lefties!
I just want to say how much I’ve enjoyed your tutorial and most importantly the way you explained them is really great it helps a lot to be able to understand as well as being able to really do it. I am just a beginner I still have to remember the abbreviations. Thank you very much. All the best 🙂