Invisible Decrease Crochet Stitch Tutorial
Welcome crocheter to the how to crochet the invisible decrease stitch tutorial! This is a new crochet stitch I’m excited to work on as well using Rebecca’s tutorial below :) I can’t wait to see what you make using this tutorial!! After the tutorial there is a list of crochet patterns you can go to when you want to make something using your new found knowledge of the invisible decrease as well as the previous crochet stitch tutorials also found here.
Rebecca of Baby Cakes Studios, started crocheting a year and a half ago from a book she found while on vacation. Her first loves were crochet cacti and food items, but she has since branched out into sea creatures. She now runs her Etsy shop full time and also sells her crochet items at craft fairs in her hometown of Austin, TX. When she is not crocheting, Rebecca loves to run, travel, and is on a quest to visit all the National Parks with her husband Doug.
You can find Rebecca's crochet patterns at her Etsy shop and her shop updates and more about upcoming patterns on her Instagram profile.
Note - This post contains affiliate links, which means I will make a commission at no extra cost to you, should you click through and make a purchase. Please note that I do not recommend products or websites unless I use them or would use them myself. I have spend countless hours on Etsy and love seeing all the small creative businesses on there. :)
How to Crochet the Invisible Decrease Stitch Tutorial
Originally posted 23 September 2019, updated 18 January 2022.
By Rebecca of Baby Cakes Studios
Stitch Explanation: The invisible decrease is an alternative to the traditional decrease, and is used primarily in crochet items with an inside and outside such as amigurumi. It can be especially helpful for minimizing holes in these items, as it pulls only the front loops together, rather than both loops.
Step 1:
Start your crochet as you normally would, until you encounter an area you would like to decrease. An invisible decrease uses only the front loops, so it looks like this to start.
Step 2:
Pull up just the front loop of the next stitch.
Step 3:
With that loop on your hook, pull up the front loop of the next stitch.
Step 4:
Pull your yarn through both loops on your hook.
Step 5:
Finally, yarn over like you normally would.
Here is a video of the entire process:
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Note - This post contains affiliate links, which means I will make a commission at no extra cost to you, should you click through and make a purchase. However, I do not make recommendations for products or websites that I have not or will not use. Etsy and Bluprint are both places that I have purchased patterns and other crochet items and will continue to. Etsy is also an amazing way to support all of these makers that you find highlighted here and in other posts throughout the VAMICreations website.
There are no patterns with only the invisible decrease but all of the below are patterns that use previous stitches and have decreases so you can practice this new stitch. :)
The Hook Pusher’s Donut Single Crochet Pattern
The Hook Pusher: Fish Cloth is a SC crochet pattern that you can use for a hot pad in the kitchen, a scrubbie in the bathroom or a small decoration, all depending upon what yarn you use to create it.
The Hook Pusher: Best Donut Ever is an awesome pattern that you can make in multiple sizes and all types of colors! You can make small ones for photography props or large ones that the kids and pets are sure to love!
YarnHookNeedles: Sophia Sweater is using the SC and a chain stitch together to create a gorgeous sweater perfect for fall and winter.
YarnHookNeedles: The Roxie Top is a beautiful sweater you can make using just the SC Stitch and some lace! Yep, you read that right, lace!! It is a beautiful sweater you can work up and have ready by the fall :)
EClaireMakery: Jumbo Candy Corn Crochet Recipe is just that, a jumbo candy corn!! You could also use the same pattern to create candy corns of all colors or even use it to create a mountain using all gray or brown yarn. Maybe even a sharp tooth in all white or black for Halloween!
EClaireMakery: Jumbo Mushroom Crochet Recipe is a fun Mushroom design that you can create with all single crochet stitches.
By - Katerina’s Snow Drop Cardigan for Adults pattern
EClaireMakery:
Snowflake Sugar Cookie Purse Crochet Purse Pattern is a beautiful snowflake purse that is perfect for little girls Christmas presents or birthday presents and more! You can change the colors as you want to make an unlimited amount of purse designs.
By-Katerina: Snowdrop Cardigan in kids size is done using Single Crochet but you will also need to know how to increase and decrease. These will be taught in a later tutorial but for those who want to try them, I wanted to show you some of the gorgeous pieces of clothing you can create using crochet. :)
The adult version of the Snowdrop Cardigan can be found here and I know I have already put this on my list of clothing to create, now to figure out the color. :)
FiberandFern: Brie has a beautiful cardigan, the Seraphina that can be made using single crochet stitch. It is one of my favorite and I have used it since I first made it.
Twisted Arrow Designs’ Buttercup Cardigan
If you are looking for some great toys to create for kids there are several great Etsy Shops that have a number of fun SC patterns for you. Crocheting in Canada has some fun toys to include animals, a mailbox play set, Super Mario Bros and more.
Stringy Ding Ding has created some patterns to include animals, fish (she has her own book!), food, pots and pans, Christmas, scrap yarn projects and more.
MaryBrownCraft has nearly 100 patterns to include food, medical play kit, animals - land and sea, seasonal items, and so much more!
KaperCrochet has created a wonderful Earth Globe and a World Mug Cozy . I love using these for showing little ones (and myself) where we have traveled and where we are. The Cozy is perfect for creating a smaller flat map to show this. :)
TLYarnCrafts has an amazing shawl the Flat Iron Shawl that you can create using just the single crochet stitch!!! One thing that will be a little tricky is the use of fingerling yarn but take it slow and you’ll have an amazing shawl that you’ll want to wear everywhere! :) While there, check out her other amazing patterns and also find them in other crochet stitch tutorials.
Twisted Arrow Designs: The Carla Triangle Scarf is a great complement to any wardrobe and can be created using a variety of colors. You can find it on Ravelry along with a number of her other designs, some of which are free using the single crochet stitch only.
Twisted Arrow Designs: The Buttercup Cardigan is a wonderful way to practice the HDC and make an amazing cardigan for yourself.
Snowflake Sugar Cookie Blanket by EClaireMakery is a beautiful crochet blanket pattern that reminds me of Christmas and is something you can curl up in while reading a good book or watching a good movie.
By - Katerina’s Fancy Jacket
Batwing Sweater from By-Katerina, is an awesome sweater that can be worn in the spring, summer, or fall. You can create it using a ton of different colors or yarn. You can also add to the sweater, making it longer to create the Fall Colors Dress. These two are all created using HDC and I see myself making both!! Another HDC crochet pattern is Fancy Jacket , which is a beautiful jacket that you can make yourself to wear.
Cuddle-sized Paddy the Polar Bear by Storyland Amis is an awesome polar bear that you can create for yourself or as a gift, careful though, it’s so adorable you will probably keep it for yourself. :)
Teddy Bear by Little Abbee is an adorable little guy that you can create in many different colors and depending upon the size of the yarn, you could make this little guy into a huge stuffed bear!
Hooked Dragon Shawl by Addydae Designs is an absoultely gorgeous crochet shawl that I cannot wait to make. It is based on a beautiful knitting sea dragon shawl by Ambah O’Brien. The original knitted shawl can be found here on Ravelry (for those who are knitters).
YalisAndYabosCrochet have several crochet patterns that use a combination of the stitches to include SC and HDC.
Crochet Octopus is a cute cuddly octopus that you can create in a variety of different yarns and of all sizes.
Baby Boots is a sweet gift to make for a baby gift or for your own little one.
Baby Girl Jacket from By-Katerina, is an awesome jacket you can make for a little girl as a gift or for your own. It is a great way to practice HDC and SC while creating a gorgeous jacket.
Wilmade has created some amazing crochet pieces and you can find more about her and her awesome crochet designs in her interview with us!
Never-ending Shawl is a beautiful crochet triangle shawl that you can create using Single Crochet Stitch and Half Double Crochet Stitch.
Simple Collar Dress is an beautiful dress that you can make with any number of colors and color combination.
Spring Cardi is a beautiful cardigan using double crochet. You can make it with full sleeves, half sleeves, or 3/4 sleeves.
ChristaCoDesign’s Men’s Simple Striped Sweater
Lila Shawl is a gorgeous shawl that you can make one solid color or create with your favorite colorways!
Nebbia Sweater is an awesome sweater using double crochet that you can create in whatever color you love or create multiple ones in all the colors you love!!
Men’s Simple Striped Sweater is a great sweater to make for a significant other or as a gift for someone else.
EClaireMakery's Ocean’s Crystal Cowl Necklace is a fun and light cowl created in the round.
Twisted Arrow Designs: Open Windows Triangle Scarf is a great scarf to make for those nippy spring or fall days and you can make it in many different colors and color combinations.
The Jeanie Hat is a fun quick hat that you can make in many colors and sizes.
Twisted Arrow Cardigan is a fun and easy pattern that has a cutout on the back and can be created in all sizes and colors.
By-Katerina: T-shirt in crochet this is a great crochet pattern that can be used in multiple different colors and sizes. I’m making my own, love the ease of the pattern, and look forward to wearing it!!
If you are left-handed here is a how to crochet the invisible decrease stitch tutorial so you can create crochet patterns as well. :)
If you have arthritis or issues with your hands here are some extra tips specifically designed with you in mind. :)
One of ItsVera’s yarn rings.
The Arthritis Foundation has an article with specific tips for knitting, crocheting, and cross stitching with arthritic hands. They have specific tips for each craft on things you can do to help make manage your arthritis while still allowing you to enjoy the craft you love.
Every Day Health has an article all about how to knit/crochet with Arthritis with 10 tips for how to keep crocheting/knitting. They even encourage you to crochet and craft with Arthritis because it can actually help you with managing it.
All Free Crochet has a full Crochet and Arthritis Tip Guide for those that have arthritis or issues with their hands complete with information about how to help your hands each time you crochet or craft and tips on how to adjust for your craft based on whether you have a good day or a bad day.
You can also find ergonomic crochet hooks (recommended for those with hand pain to ease it and allow you to crochet longer or at all) among the amazing crochet hook shops of Etsy in an earlier round up of crochet hooks.
Crocheting with one of ItsVera’s yarn rings.
YouTube has several videos where people have discussed tips that have helped them with crocheting or knitting with Arthritis or other health issues that cause your hands and body to be stiff.
Jen B discusses how she crochets in this 3 minute video and shows you how to best hold the yarn and more.
Vera of It’s Vera has over 30 knitting and crochet rings in her Etsy Shop that help with pain and relief for crocheting/knitting/Tunisian crocheting with Arthritis.
LullasJewelry also has awesome crochet rings in her Etsy Shop that are adjustable and help hold the yarn for pain and relief while crocheting/knitting/Tunisian crocheting with Arthritis.
DawnGillDesigns has a number of crochet rings she calls hooker rings in her Etsy Shop and each has a different design you can choose from to include paw, snowflake, flower, star, dot and heart.
Motion Works Blog has an article on tips for crocheting and using your hands despite having arthritis and also gives several stretches that you can do to help your hands while crocheting or crafting.
Laughing Hens has an article specifically about stretches (complete with pictures!) that are great for both crocheters and knitters. I think I’ll start doing these too to help my hands when I’m working on a variety of projects!
Thank you for joining us for this how to crochet the Invisible Decrease stitch tutorial! What crochet stitches are you wanting to learn how to crochet? I’d also love to hear from you about what types of resources you want more information on as well as Makers you would like to nominate for a Maker Feature! Please email me or leave a comment on this article! Looking forward to hearing from you and have a great day!