Invisible Decrease
If you’ve been making amigurumi, you may be lamenting the gap or bump that forms when you decrease. The standard methods of decreasing are to sc2tog, which can leave a bit of a bump and a small gap, or to skip a stitch, which leaves an obvious gap. There has to be a better way… and there is! The invisible decrease really is as good as its name claims – it’s almost impossible to see, even if you know what you’re looking for. (See my blog post for a comparison of these three methods.)
The invisible decrease method will probably take a few attempts to master, but, just like the magic ring, it’s one of those techniques that’s so good, you’ll wonder how you ever crocheted without it!
Invisible Decrease for right-handers
Before we begin:
Insert the hook into the front loop of the first stitch (2 loops on hook). DO NOT YARN OVER:
Insert the hook into the front loop of the next stitch. To do this, you’ll need to swing the hook down first so you can insert the hook under the front loop. (3 loops on hook):
Swing hook down…
…then up through the front loop of the next stitch
Yarn over and draw through the first two loops on the hook. (2 loops on hook):
Yarn over and draw through both loops on the hook. Invisible decrease completed:
Now let’s play a game: spot the decrease…
Good, huh? Give it a go with your next ami – I promise you won’t regret it…
Invisible Decrease for left-handers
Before we begin:
Insert the hook into the front loop of the first stitch (2 loops on hook). DO NOT YARN OVER:
Insert the hook into the front loop of the next stitch. To do this, you’ll need to swing the hook down first so you can insert the hook under the front loop. (3 loops on hook):
Swing hook down…
…then up through the front loop of the next stitch
Yarn over and draw through the first two loops on the hook. (2 loops on hook):
Yarn over and draw through both loops on the hook. Invisible decrease completed:
Now let’s play a game: spot the decrease…
Good, huh? Give it a go with your next ami – I promise you won’t regret it…
42 Comments »
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Josefin Said,
February 13, 2009 @ 10:07 am
Oh, this was easy! I mean, hello! Where have my brain been all this time?!
Thank you for a good tut June, I will do this next time I make an amigurumi!
Sonia Said,
February 13, 2009 @ 11:32 am
This is my favorite “aha!” thank you thank you for this great tutorial
) no more strange loops in my yarny friends (does that word exists? I don´t think so, but I don´t speak English very well, and I like to invent words)
)
Cheers!
Sonia
Škrabalica Said,
February 13, 2009 @ 11:46 am
I recently made some hearts using both usual metods, and I wasn’t pleased with results. Then I start looking for something invisible
Thank you for this!
EclatDuSoleil Said,
February 13, 2009 @ 5:37 pm
Thank you June! A really interesting solution, I make a link from my blog.
Anna Said,
February 13, 2009 @ 7:55 pm
I love you.
laughing purple goldfish Said,
February 13, 2009 @ 8:55 pm
hmmmm…. it all seems a bit too easy really, doesn’t it?
thanks for sharing this method, I’ll certainly be using it from now on… and will be linking to your blog when I do
much appreciated
Aveen Said,
February 15, 2009 @ 5:22 am
In all the time I’ve been crocheting I’ve never even heard of this but I really wish I had! I can’t wait to try it out. Thanks
Tirzah Said,
February 15, 2009 @ 1:19 pm
This is wonderful! Thank you so much!
eve Said,
February 15, 2009 @ 11:30 pm
What can I say! GenioUs..
xox
lolagurumi Said,
February 16, 2009 @ 7:57 pm
Great idea! Look forward to using it
How would you replace this in a pattern written using dec/sc2tog?
Would one invdec equal one of those? Usually I eyeball that kind of stuff, because the pattern direction never turn out nicely. note: i haven’t used one of your patterns yet
Thanks
Lola
June Said,
February 16, 2009 @ 8:03 pm
Lola: yep, it’s just a straight substitution. 1 dec/sc2tog = 1 invdec. Easy peasy!
Samantha Said,
February 18, 2009 @ 9:08 pm
:O *stares in amazement*
i wish i had known about this when i crocheted my boyfriend a big big heart for valentine’s day! the bottom came out looking like swiss cheese, there were so many decreases! i guess next time it’ll look a lot better
Maryann Said,
February 20, 2009 @ 12:24 am
Thanks for the decrease, and THANKS for showing a lefty version! It’s nice not having to reverse the photos in my head.
becky Said,
February 20, 2009 @ 11:38 am
oh my this is amazing i have been wondering how to hide my decreases, this would also work for when I am making beanies and things.. so amazing
futuregirl Said,
February 22, 2009 @ 8:46 pm
This is wonderful! I’m so happy to learn about this technique! Thank you for taking the time to put together such a thorough tutorial for us.
Krista Said,
February 24, 2009 @ 12:10 pm
I found your blog yesterday. What a find.
Izabela Said,
February 28, 2009 @ 4:57 pm
thank you for this fantastic tutorial, I just can`t believe this is so easy… just used your explanation to do a decrease with double crochet stitches and it looks so much better! great! thanks again!
Annessa Said,
March 4, 2009 @ 8:01 am
Thanks alot. Just try it out, is so great, no more big and visible holes!!!
Me a leftie, really appreciate extra tutorial for leftie.
XOXO
Bethel King Said,
March 6, 2009 @ 6:48 am
Thanks so much for including the left-handed directions as well as the right!
curegirl0421 Said,
March 6, 2009 @ 10:52 am
Thanks June!! I’m about to get started on a Cthulu (because why not, I ask you) and this will be so handy! Plus, getting through that font loop when it’s down to just a few stitches is so much easier than trying to wrestle into both parts of the stitch…
Of course my gauge is like IRON, so that could just be me.
Hazel Furst Said,
March 13, 2009 @ 7:42 pm
Wow!
Maryangela Said,
April 25, 2009 @ 2:11 pm
Hi, June!
Thank you so much for this tute. It’s like you’ve changed my life =D
So I’m a linking to your post and hope other people will be as happy as I am after learning how to invisible decrease!
Izzy Said,
May 4, 2009 @ 2:40 am
i was wondering, do you have to put it through the front loop or can you put it through both loops (by it i mean the hook)]
other than that….omg! i always have GIANT holes at the bottom of my projects!! yay!! i can fix that now
June Said,
May 7, 2009 @ 10:54 am
Izzy, when you try it you’ll see it’s actually a lot easier if you go through just the front loops to make this stitch. Flipping the hook down to go up through the second stitch would be pretty difficult to do if you’ve gone through both loops, plus it would make the stitch bulkier and less ‘invisible’!
Izzy Said,
May 7, 2009 @ 11:23 pm
oh, ok then. does that mean i have to crochet in the front loops for my entire project?
June Said,
May 8, 2009 @ 7:36 am
Izzy, no it doesn’t mean that
Crochet in both loops as usual; it’s just the decrease stitches that you make in the front loops. Think of it like this: you’re still going through 2 loops as with a normal stitch; it’s just that the loops are side by side instead of one behind the other: that’s what makes this decrease stitch so invisible.
Jen Said,
May 15, 2009 @ 10:46 am
WOW WOW WOW Thanks so much! Pure GENIUS!
sukigirl Said,
June 28, 2009 @ 9:02 am
I had just finished ripping back part of a head on an amigurumi (since I wasn’t happy with the decreases) when I remembered this tutorial.
I tried it and I’m so happy with the difference it makes to my project!
Thanks so much!!!
pomarrancza Said,
July 8, 2009 @ 11:52 am
Thank You soooo much!!!!!!!!!! I hated the decrease loops.
beadfreak Said,
July 12, 2009 @ 4:01 pm
Loved this and your tut for the magic ring. These are my new new replacements for slip stitch to form a ring and sc2togs!!!!! THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!!
Reba Said,
July 22, 2009 @ 10:16 pm
I am so thankful for this. I’ve always hated the space you can see in the skipping a sc! THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!!!
Artesanica Said,
August 29, 2009 @ 1:29 pm
que bueno lo explicas yo no lo sabia hacer y me daba bronca cuando disminuia que queden esos huecos.
Gracias.
Brandon Said,
November 7, 2009 @ 4:33 am
Thanks very much! This problem has been vexing me for weeks; this front-loop decrease technique works beautifully!
liz shinagawa Said,
December 12, 2009 @ 4:11 pm
Brilliant…this makes all the difference in the world to the finished look of my work. Thank you for sharing.
Liz
Estella Said,
December 22, 2009 @ 12:48 am
Thank you for such a detailed tutorial. You have saved me from so many frustrations. I’ve always hated how you could see the stuffing using the other techniques.
Inbaliya Said,
December 28, 2009 @ 2:48 am
Thanks for a very good tutorial. With your blog, crochet seems easy than ever!
Bibbi Said,
January 11, 2010 @ 4:18 am
WoW! That’s great! Thanx a lot!
Tana Goen Said,
January 15, 2010 @ 12:50 am
Been crocheting for years, never used the invisible decrease….it is the best thing I have ever learned.
Sonja Said,
January 20, 2010 @ 10:14 pm
I love you! I just discovered that my past attempts at invisible decrease were wrong-oh so wrong! Now thanks to you, I have seen the light and got it. No stopping me now. Thanks so much.
Akua Said,
January 21, 2010 @ 5:18 pm
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! Love it. looks so much better on my dolls!
Invisible decrease (imported) « Charlotte's Amigurumi Said,
January 24, 2010 @ 8:17 am
[...] This is the technique most widely recommended and recognized as the invisible decrease. A clear description – with images – is given on planetjune.com. [...]
Ann Byron Said,
February 1, 2010 @ 7:56 pm
Let me add my thanks too. I also appreciate the clear instructions