Welcome!! I am so excited you are joining us for the second part of Hookin’…the legal way! If you missed part 1 of the series, click HERE.  Today, we have Sara from My Merry Messy Life showing us how to increase and decrease stitches.

These amazing shops are sponsoring Hookin’…the legal way. Check out their Etsy shops (Living In Amethyst and Two Girls Patterns) for some seriously amazing patterns and make sure to check back at the end where one lucky reader will be winning patterns from their shops! I know right!? I made this skirt and these slippers using these ladies’ patterns! So cute!!

Take it away, Sara!!:)

Hi there! I’m Sara and today I’m visiting you from over at My Merry Messy Life where I share my own free crochet patterns and share my passion for green living, motherhood, and children. The lovely Katie, your blogstress (I just made up a word!), has graciously asked me to write about increasing and decreasing in crochet today!

Increasing the Round
First, let’s start with increasing. This is a crochet technique that is used to make the width of your project wider. A project is made longer by adding more rows, but it is made wider by adding increasing stitches. An increasing stitch is simply two of the same stitch in one space. So, for example, I have chosen to use working in the round (see my post on that here) as my example for you, because it is one of the most common projects in which there are increasing stitches. Working in the round is one of the most important techniques to master in crochet as you can make hats, flowers, dolls, clothes and more. See my website for lots of hat and flower patterns!

Photo #1 – Chain 3, slip stitch to form a ring. Chain 2, 11 double crochet in the ring (for a total of 12 double crochet)

Photo #2 – This is an increasing round where we work 2 double crochet stitches into each space.

Photo #3 – Shows the completed round 2 which is an increasing round.

Photo #4 – This is another increasing round, but different from round 2. Chain 2, double crochet in the same space (so it looks like 2 double crochets have been worked). Now work just 1 double crochet in the next stitch. 2 double crochets in the next. 1 in the next. Repeat the 2, 1 pattern all the way around.

Photo #5 – Shows the almost finished round 3.

If you continued this circle, you would typically add one increasing stitch (2 of the same stitch, in this case, a double crochet) one time less each round. So, round 4 would be: 2 DC, 1DC, 1DC. Round 5: 2 DC, 1DC, 1DC, 1DC

Single Crochet Decrease

Now let’s move on to decreasing. Decreasing is important to learn in order to make things like ear flaps on a winter hat and clothing. There are different techniques for both single, half double and double crochet, and I have a photo tutorial for each of them for you! In each example, we’re going to make a triangle together. So, come follow along!

Photo #1 – Chain 12. In the 2nd chain from the hook, work a single crochet. Work 1 single crochet in each stitch all the way down.
Row 2 – Chain 1. (We’re going to begin a decreasing stitch. You’re going to start the single crochet but not complete it the same way.) So, insert your hook into the first space and pull up a loop. There should be two loops on your hook

Photos #2 to #3 – Leave the two loops on the hook and insert the hook into the next space and pull up a loop. There are now 3 loops on your hook.

Photo #4 – Yarn over, and pull through the first two loops. There are two loops remaining.

Photo #5 – Yarn over, and pull through the last two loops. Finished! See how there is only one space now for two stitches?

If you continue, the rest of row 2 will be to single crochet in the next 6 stitches, then work another decrease in the last two. (8 total stitches)

Row 3: Chain 1. Work a decrease in the next 2 stitches, work a single crochet in the next 4 stitches, then work a decrease with the last two stitches. (6 total stitches)

Row 4: Chain 1. Work a decrease in the next 2 stitches, work 1 single crochet in the next stitch, work a decrease in the last two stitches. (4 total stitches)

Row 5: Chain 1. Work a decrease in the next 2 stitches, work 1 single crochet in the last stitch. (2 total stitches)

Row 6: Chain 1. Work a decrease in the last 2 stitches to complete!

Half Double Crochet Decrease

Photo #1 – Chain 12. In the 2nd chain from the hook, work a half double crochet. Work 1 half double crochet in each stitch all the way down. (10 half double crochet total)
Row 2 – Chain 1. (We’re going to begin a decreasing stitch. You’re going to start the half double crochet but not complete it the same way.) So, yarn over and insert your hook into the first space and pull up a loop. There should be 3 loops on your hook

Photo #2 – Leave the 3 loops on the hook, yarn over and insert the hook into the next space.

Photo #3 –  Now pull up a loop. There are now 5 loops on the hook.

Photo #4 – Yarn over, and pull through the first 3 loops. There are 3 loops remaining.

Photo #5 – Yarn over, and pull through the last 3 loops.

If you continue, the rest of row 2 will be to half double crochet in the next 6 stitches, then work another decrease in the last two. (8 total stitches)

Row 3: Chain 1. Work a decrease in the next 2 stitches, work a half double crochet in the next 4 stitches, then work a decrease with the last two stitches. (6 total stitches)

Row 4: Chain 1. Work a decrease in the next 2 stitches, work 1 half double crochet in the next stitch, work a decrease in the last two stitches. (4 total stitches)

Row 5: Chain 1. Work a decrease in the next 2 stitches, work 1 half double crochet in the last stitch. (2 total stitches)

Row 6: Chain 1. Work a decrease in the last 2 stitches to complete!

Double Crochet Decrease

Photo #1 – Chain 13. In the 3rd chain from the hook, work a double crochet. Work 1 double crochet in each stitch all the way down. (10 double crochet total)

Row 2 – Chain 2. (We’re going to begin a decreasing stitch. You’re going to start the double crochet but not complete it the same way.) So, yarn over and insert your hook into the first space and pull up a loop. There should be 3 loops on your hook

Photo #2 – Yarn over and pull that loop through the 3 loops. There are now two loops remaining.

Photo #3 –  Yarn over, and insert the hook into the next space and pull up a loop. There are now 4 loops on the hook.

Photo #4 – Yarn over, and pull through the first 2 loops. There are 3 loops remaining.

Photo #5 – Yarn over, and pull through the last 3 loops.

If you continue, the rest of row 2 will be to double crochet in the next 6 stitches, then work another decrease in the last two. (8 total stitches)

Row 3: Chain 1. Work a decrease in the next 2 stitches, work a double crochet in the next 4 stitches, then work a decrease with the last two stitches. (6 total stitches)

Row 4: Chain 1. Work a decrease in the next 2 stitches, work 1 double in the next stitch, work a decrease in the last two stitches. (4 total stitches)

Row 5: Chain 1. Work a decrease in the next 2 stitches, work 1 double crochet in the last stitch. (2 total stitches)
Row 6: Chain 1. Work a decrease in the last 2 stitches to complete!

Merry Crocheting!

 Be sure to stop back next week where Lauren from Tutus and Tea Parties will show us how to change colors and finish off a project.