Hallestam Crochet Atelier: Crochet Increases & Decreases — Shaping with Confidence

Welcome back to the Hallestam Crochet Atelier, where we continue building your crochet foundation with intention, clarity and elegance.

After mastering how to crochet single crochet in the previous lesson, you’re now ready to explore the techniques that give shape, dimension and structure to your work: crochet increases and decreases.

These two techniques transform your crochet from flat fabric into beautifully sculpted forms — essential whether you’re making amigurumi, bag bases, baskets, decorative motifs, or the sculptural details often found in Hallestam Design pieces.

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✨ Why Increases & Decreases Matter

Crochet increases and decreases are what allow you to create:

• circular shapes

• ovals and rounded bases

• three-dimensional objects

• smooth shaping in amigurumi

• corners, curves and contours

• structural strength in accessories

Understanding how to work controlled increases and decreases turns basic stitches into fully-formed creations.

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How to Crochet Increases and Decreases — Step-by-Step Guide

This guide will teach you how to crochet increases and decreases in a clean, consistent way. Once you understand the logic behind these movements, you’ll be able to sculpt any project with confidence.

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✨ Crochet Increase (inc)

A crochet increase simply means placing two stitches in the same stitch.

How to crochet an increase (single crochet):

1. Insert your hook into the stitch

2. Yarn over, pull up a loop

3. Yarn over, pull through both loops (1st sc made)

4. Insert your hook into the same stitch again

5. Work another single crochet

You’ve now made an increase (inc): two stitches where there was originally one.

Symbol:

• Often shown as “V” in diagrams

• Abbreviation: inc

When to use it:

• When expanding circles

• Creating width

• Forming rounded shapes

• Building base structures

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✨ Crochet Decrease (dec)

A decrease joins two stitches into one. In single crochet, this is often called sc2tog (single crochet two together).

How to crochet a decrease (sc2tog):

1. Insert the hook into the first stitch

2. Yarn over, pull up a loop

3. Insert hook into the next stitch

4. Yarn over, pull up a loop (3 loops on hook)

5. Yarn over, pull through all loops

You’ve now turned two stitches into one — a decrease.

Symbol:

• Often shown as an upside-down “V”

• Abbreviation: dec or sc2tog

When to use it:

• Narrowing shapes

• Sculpting curves

• Creating corners

• Forming amigurumi heads, bodies, limbs

• Shaping bag bases and gussets

This sample below illustrates how increases and decreases shape your crochet work, expanding and contracting row by row.

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Practice How to Crochet Increases and Decreases

This exercise helps you understand how increases and decreases affect width and shape when working flat in rows.

Practice Exercise: Shaping in Rows

Foundation:

Chain 11. Row 1: 10 sc across. Turn.

Increasing Rows (creating width)

Row 2: inc, 8 sc, inc (12). Turn. Row 3: inc, 10 sc, inc (14). Turn. Row 4: inc, 12 sc, inc (16). Turn.

You should notice the fabric gradually widening on both sides, creating a soft trapezoid shape.

Decreasing Rows (bringing the shape back in)

Row 5: dec, 12 sc, dec (14). Turn. Row 6: dec, 10 sc, dec (12). Turn. Row 7: dec, 8 sc, dec (10). Turn.

Your piece should now return to its original width, forming a gentle hourglass-like shape.

This exercise helps you feel how symmetrical increases and decreases create controlled shaping — a core skill for garments, panels, and structured crochet designs.

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✨ Practice Exercise: Soft-Shaped Circle

1. Round 1: 6 sc in a Magic Ring

2. Round 2: inc in each stitch around (12)

3. Round 3: 1 sc, inc repeat (18)

4. Round 4: 2 sc, inc repeat (24)

You should see a smooth, flat circle forming — this is the power of consistent increases.

Then practice decreases:

5. Round 5: 2 sc, dec repeat (18)

6. Round 6: 1 sc, dec repeat (12)

7. Round 7: dec around (6)

Your circle should taper into a softly domed shape — the foundation for amigurumi or structured details.

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✨ Tips for Perfect Shaping

✔ Place stitch markers to avoid drifting ✔ Keep tension even — uneven tension causes bumps ✔ Work slowly to avoid twisting stitches when decreasing ✔ For amigurumi, use tight tension for a clean finish ✔ For bags, use a firm hook size for crisp structure

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✨ What Comes Next

With increases and decreases mastered, you’re ready to move into more refined shaping and construction.

A new chapter of the Atelier is released every 7 days — check back next week for the next lesson — Reading Crochet Patterns — From Instructions to Intuition.

With love,

Hallestam Design