Increase and decrease stitches can seem a little intimidating when you are first learning how to crochet, but they really don’t need to be. If you can make a half double crochet stitch (abbreviated “hdc”), then you can make a half double crochet increase or decrease.
So when might you use one of these stitches? They are super useful when you want to add some sort of shaping to your piece. Maybe you are working a beanie from the top down and you start with a small number of stitches, but then you need to increase the number of stitches in each round to shape the crown of the beanie. Or maybe you are crocheting a sweater and you want to decrease the number of stitches around the waist to bring the garment in to make it more “fitted” and less “boxy tee.”
Sometimes, they can even be used as a design feature. For example, the Rustic Summer Asymmetrical Shawl and Rustic Summer Tee both use a half double crochet decrease stitch with a chain 1 between each stitch to create the open weave look.
So let’s learn how to make them. Keep reading for a step by step photo tutorial of each stitch, or scroll to the bottom to watch a video showing how both stitches are made!
Half Double Crochet Increase (hdc inc)
The half double crochet increase (often abbreviated “hdc inc” or “2 hdc”) is used whenever you are working with hdc stitches and you want to increase the number of stitches in the row or round you are working on. This will make the row larger than the row before it.
Once you’ve mastered the hdc, making a half double crochet increase is super easy. Why? All you are going to do is work 2 hdc stitches in the same stitch – that’s it! You have now made two half double crochets where there once was one, thereby increasing the stitch count of the row or round you are working on. Told you it was simple!
Half Double Crochet Decrease (hdc2tog)
As you would likely expect from the name, the half double crochet decrease stitch (abbreviated “hdc dec” or “hdc2tog” – meaning 2 half double crochets worked together) is the opposite of the half double crochet increase. You use it when you want to decrease the number of stitches you have in a row or round. This will make your row smaller than the row before it.
Believe it or not, there are actually two ways to make a half double crochet decrease. They are basically interchangeable in most patterns, unless the pattern specifies otherwise. The one exception to this is if the back of the decrease stitch will be on the right side of the work (such as in something with turned rows or rounds). Then you will likely want to use Version 2 below to make a more discrete decrease. It will make more sense once you see them.
Hdc2tog: Version 1
To make this decrease, yarn over (A), insert your hook into your stitch (B), and pull up a loop (C) (you will have 3 loops on your hook).
Yarn over (D), insert your hook into the next st (E), and pull up another loop (F) (you will now have 5 loops on your hook).
Yarn over (G) and pull through all of the loops on the hook (H). And you are done!
Hdc2tog: Version 2
For version 2, you will start exactly the same way as version 1.
Yarn over (I), insert your hook into your stitch (J), and pull up a loop (K) (you will have 3 loops on your hook).
Without yarning over, insert your hook into the next st (L), and pull up another loop (M) (you will now have 4 loops on your hook).
Yarn over and pull through all of the loops on the hook (N). And you are done!
So What’s the Difference Between Versions 1 and 2?
It’s a small difference, but in Version 1, you are essentially making half of a hdc in both the first and second part of the decrease. In Version 2, you are making half of a hdc in the first part, but finishing it with a single crochet in the second part since you don’t do a second yarn over before inserting your hook in the second stitch. Doing it this way also takes some bulk out of the stitch.
This doesn’t make much of a difference to the look of the front of the stitch, but it does to the back. In Version 1, that second yarn over creates a diagonal hash across the back of the stitch. In Version 2, it doesn’t. So, depending on the look you are going for, one variation may have some benefit over the other. In some patterns, it is even used as a design feature (such as the Rustic Summer Asymmetrical Shawl which uses the first version, making a pretty “wrong” side of the work).
Video Tutorial:
Prefer to learn by watching? Check out the video below!
RIGHT HANDED TUTORIAL:
LEFT HANDED TUTORIAL:
So now that you know how to increase and decrease half double crochet stitches, what project are you tackling next? Need some inspiration? Check out the Rustic Summer Asymmetrical Shawl or Rustic Summer Tee to practice your hdc2tog stitches!
Happy stitching!
