how to: invisible decrease

February 13, 2009 @ 8:46 am · Filed under Crochet, Tutorials

Remember in the ‘early days’ of making amigurumi, when we didn’t know about the Magic Ring? Remember what an aha! moment it was when you figured out how to do it, and how we’ve never looked back since?

Today I have what I think will be the next aha! moment for amigurumi makers: the invisible decrease. I’m showing it here because nobody I have spoken to knows how to do it (or even that it exists!), and it really does make a difference to the finish of your pieces.

Let’s briefly look at other options for decreasing in single crochet:

skipping stitches: leaves gaps in your work where the stuffing can show through
sc2tog (sc decrease): leaves a slight bump and a longer bar visible in the stitch

amigurumi decrease problems
L: skipped stitches (arrow marks hole);
R: sc2tog (arrow marks obtrusive ‘line’ made by bar of stitch)

The invisible decrease (invdec) method is different; as good as its name, it’s practically invisible, even if you know what you’re looking for! The reason for this is that it groups the previous stitches together at its base, so the stitch itself looks identical to a regular single crochet.

amigurumi invisible decrease
L: the invdec (marked with arrow) looks just like the other stitches in the row;
R: the result is smooth and even

See? It’s like magic! Now click through to the Invisible Decrease tutorial…

Permalink

6 Comments »

Josefin said

February 13, 2009 @ 10:03 am

I know it excist, and there is even a tutorial in Elisabeth D’s amigurumi book, but I havent looked closer to it to be honest…
But I have felt that I would like to know how to do it, so I will take a look at your tutorial now, and hopefully learn something good.

Jana said

February 14, 2009 @ 8:53 am

Awesome! I hope I can master IT like the magic ring! And, more recently the chainless single crochet base row! Thanks!
HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!

CrochetwHook said

April 10, 2010 @ 9:28 pm
I saw the magic ring on Knit and Crochet Today (Creat Channel PBS) a while back and it is one of the best tecniques I’ve ever found! No hole start for first round!

Reply

Robin S said

February 15, 2009 @ 12:44 pm

I read your instructions above and wonder why, when it so obvious, no one had thought of this method of decreasing before!. I’m working on a wrap in DC and I miss counted stitches. There have been a couple of place where the instructions say “dec over next two stitches” but I have an extra stitch that I needed to get rid of. I used your instructions to get rid of the extra stitch without it showing