This invisible decrease technique is for Single Crochet amigurumi. It makes a tidy, virtually unidentifiable stitch that pulls two stitches from the previous row into one stitch on the current row. Keeping in mind that this technique only works when you single crochet in both loops and work with the right side facing outward. The technique detailed below is done from the right handed perspective.
First the video
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1
Step 1 Aim your hook in a downward direction then upward to pick up the front loop (loop that is on the outside or right side of your piece) on your hook. This can be kind of an awkward motion and you may need to slide your hook back to go down and then push it through a bit to go up.
Step 2
Step 2 Now with that loop you just picked up on your hook, slide your hook back so you can go down and then up to pick up the front loop of the next stitch in the same way.
Step 3
Step 3 Now you have 3 loops on your hook, the 1st and 2nd loops are the front loops of the two stitches you will be decreasing into one, and the one at the back of the hook, is what you started with.
Step 4
Step 4 Now yarn over and pull through the 1st and 2nd loop on your hook only. Do not pull through that third loop you started off with.
Step 5
Step 5 You will now have 2 loops on your hook, the yarn over that you just pulled through, and the one you started off with.
Step 6
Step 6 Now yarn over again and pull through both of the loops on your hook to complete the invisible decrease. Work this last step tightly and give your working yarn a good tug to minimize gaps as much as possible.
Step 7
All done! Two stitches from the previous row/round are now worked into one stitch which is tidy, not lumpy or weird looking.
If you are left handed or ambidextrous, and these instructions aren’t doing it for you, have a look at this video from Roxycraft, which should be a better point of reference as she is left handed so her demo will likely look more intuitive.
Hi this is not in reference to the video but I wondered if you could help I cannot figure out how to decrease an oval so that it dosnt turn back into a circle I’m trying to create my own doll pattern but this issue continues to plague me and I have scoured the Internet to no avail. The info out there only shows up to the first round.
Decrease unevenly. If you were making an oval you would increase not evenly throughout the shape, adding more increases at the ends and fewer in the middle so it isn’t perfectly round. Do the same with your decreases.
I’ve read that there is a slight visual difference for yarn over or yarn under [as it were], but if you do one or the other consistently, your finished stitches should look fine. Most instructors say to yarn over as you have a bit more control of the yarn … that’s what I find. As my wonderful CGOA crochet instructor says… “do whatever works best for you, just be consistent”.
Thanks for your very instructive videos. I wish I’d found the one on joining rows before making a tightly stitched single crochet brimmed hat recently … while it came out OK, it would look better had I not worked in a spiral. Next time.
Hello, Nice tutorial. I noticed you Yarn Over from front to back. Is this just for an invdec or do you always yo in that direction. I always yo from back to front so it looked strange to me. OK but strange. Thank you again!
Cathy McCra
I have debilitating repetetive stress injuries and essentially pretty much crochet with one hand because of it. My technique has been described by many as strange. I YO the same way all the time, but whether that’s because of my technique or because that is what’s standard I have no idea. My stitches look like everyone else’s so it either makes no difference or is the norm.
Just wanted to say thank you so much for all your brilliant youtube videos! They’re the best by far, so easy to follow and the results have been amazing – much neater than other guides I’ve followed. I hope you keep them up forever because they’re amazing, such a lifeline! Can’t believe I’ve been able to teach myself how to crochet and make amigurumi in a week thanks to all your help. 🙂
Yes, essentially “decrease” means take two stitches from the previous row and stitch them together into one stitch for this row. Some patterns would be written like:
SC x 4, INVDEC; repeat 5 times;
or Decrease every 4 stitches and repeat around (meaning do 4 single crochet then do a decrease then 4 single crochet then decrease, etc.)
If how it is written is confusing, you can always check with the author or post the instructions that are confusing for other folks to have a look at.
Thanks for the tutorial! I’ve been crocheting for over a year and now have finally figured out why my decreases look so bad. Love the website and keep up the good work! nerd crocheters unite 🙂
Hi this is not in reference to the video but I wondered if you could help I cannot figure out how to decrease an oval so that it dosnt turn back into a circle I’m trying to create my own doll pattern but this issue continues to plague me and I have scoured the Internet to no avail. The info out there only shows up to the first round.
Decrease unevenly. If you were making an oval you would increase not evenly throughout the shape, adding more increases at the ends and fewer in the middle so it isn’t perfectly round. Do the same with your decreases.
I’ve read that there is a slight visual difference for yarn over or yarn under [as it were], but if you do one or the other consistently, your finished stitches should look fine. Most instructors say to yarn over as you have a bit more control of the yarn … that’s what I find. As my wonderful CGOA crochet instructor says… “do whatever works best for you, just be consistent”.
Thanks for your very instructive videos. I wish I’d found the one on joining rows before making a tightly stitched single crochet brimmed hat recently … while it came out OK, it would look better had I not worked in a spiral. Next time.
Hello, Nice tutorial. I noticed you Yarn Over from front to back. Is this just for an invdec or do you always yo in that direction. I always yo from back to front so it looked strange to me. OK but strange. Thank you again!
Cathy McCra
I have debilitating repetetive stress injuries and essentially pretty much crochet with one hand because of it. My technique has been described by many as strange. I YO the same way all the time, but whether that’s because of my technique or because that is what’s standard I have no idea. My stitches look like everyone else’s so it either makes no difference or is the norm.
that genius! 🙂 🙂
Just wanted to say thank you so much for all your brilliant youtube videos! They’re the best by far, so easy to follow and the results have been amazing – much neater than other guides I’ve followed. I hope you keep them up forever because they’re amazing, such a lifeline! Can’t believe I’ve been able to teach myself how to crochet and make amigurumi in a week thanks to all your help. 🙂
Ok so if it says “decrease” on #4…. are you ONLY using the the invisible decrease once?
thanks!
Yes, essentially “decrease” means take two stitches from the previous row and stitch them together into one stitch for this row. Some patterns would be written like:
SC x 4, INVDEC; repeat 5 times;
or Decrease every 4 stitches and repeat around (meaning do 4 single crochet then do a decrease then 4 single crochet then decrease, etc.)
If how it is written is confusing, you can always check with the author or post the instructions that are confusing for other folks to have a look at.
Thanks for the tutorial! I’ve been crocheting for over a year and now have finally figured out why my decreases look so bad. Love the website and keep up the good work! nerd crocheters unite 🙂
Very informative tutorial.
Awesome, thanks! I’ve seen decreases done a number of ways and this certainly does look like the best method 🙂