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Learn how to increase in single crochet with this easy, step-by-step tutorial. This guide will teach you everything you need to know: what single crochet increases are, how to do them, and how to do invisible single crochet increases.
Single Crochet Increase
After you learn how to crochet and make the basic crochet stitches, you’ll likely want to learn how to increase in crochet.
A crochet increase is a way to add a stitch to your work. If you have a row of 10 stitches, making a crochet increase will give you a row of 11 stitches. You can make increases in single crochet, half double crochet, double crochet, and more.
But for today, let’s focus on how to make a single crochet increase. The most common method is to work two single crochet stitches into the same stitch.
How to Increase in Single Crochet
- Insert the hook under both loops of the indicated stitch.
- Make a single crochet: Yarn over, and pull up a loop. Yarn over, and pull through two loops.
- Insert your hook under both loops of the same stitch.
- Make a second single crochet: Yarn over, and pull up a loop. Yarn over, and pull through two loops.
It really is as simple as that. To increase one stitch in single crochet, simply work two stitches into one stitch.
Where to Make Single Crochet Increases
You can use make increase stitches in any stitch. You can place them in the first stitch of the row, the last stitch of the row, or anywhere in the middle of the row.
If you place all of the increases on the right edge, for example, your swatch will start to slant to the right. Likewise, if you place all the increases on the left edge, your swatch will start to slant to the left.
Single Crochet Increase Abbreviations
There doesn’t seem to be a standard way of writing the single crochet increase in patterns. Designers will write the instructions for making a single crochet increase in several different ways.
- Often, patterns will tell you to “inc“, or increase, in the next stitch. This means to work 2 stitches in the next stitch.
- Other patterns will tell you to work “2 sc in next st“. This means the same thing: make 2 sc stitches into the same stitch.
- And other patterns will tell you to work “sc2 in the next st“. Again, this just means to make a single crochet increase: 2 sc stitches into the same stitch.
As you can see, single crochet increases are written in a variety of ways. That’s why it’s crucial to read the pattern introduction and/or stitch abbreviation guide to figure out how the designer will indicate single crochet increases.
Invisible Single Crochet Increase
The most common type of single crochet increase is the regular single crochet increase that we just learned.
But there’s also a less common type of single crochet increase: the invisible single crochet increase. This technique creates a single crochet increase that’s almost invisible, so it’s perfect for amigurumi and other small crochet toys.
An invisible single crochet increase is made in the same way as a regular sc inc, but the two stitches are worked into slightly different places.
Here’s how to make an invisible single crochet increase:
- Work a single crochet into the back loop of the indicated stitch.
- Work a single crochet into both loops of the same stitch.
As you can see, it’s very similar to the regular single crochet increase. You’ll still make two single crochets into the same stitch, but you make the first single crochet into the back loop only.
Since the two single crochets are worked in slightly different places, they lay closer together, creating a smaller hole in your work. This makes the increase less noticeable.
Other Crochet Increases
Single crochet, half double crochet, double crochet, and treble crochet stitches are all increased in the same way: work two stitches into the same stitch.
Single Crochet Decreases
After you learn how to increase, you may want to learn how to decrease in single crochet. If so, be sure to read How to Decrease in Single Crochet, which includes instructions for sc2tog and sc dec.
More Crochet Tutorials
If you’d like to learn more about how to crochet, check out these related tutorials.
- 6 Basic Crochet Stitches for Beginners
- How to Crochet a Scarf
- How to Crochet a Granny Square
- Easy Crochet Hat Pattern
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How to Single Crochet Increase
Yield: 1
Active Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Learn how to increase in single crochet.
Materials
- yarn
Tools
- crochet hook
Instructions
- Insert the hook under both loops of the indicated stitch.
- Make a single crochet: Yarn over, and pull up a loop. Yarn over, and pull through two loops.
- Insert your hook under both loops of the same stitch.
- Make a second single crochet: Yarn over, and pull up a loop. Yarn over, and pull through two loops.
Notes
To make a more invisible single crochet increase, make the first single crochet into the back loop only.
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Sarah Stearns Founder and Editor
Sarah Stearns has helped millions of makers find their next craft project with free patterns and step-by-step tutorials on her blog, sarahmaker.com. Read more.
With over a decade of experience in knitting and crochet, she has been featured in prominent publications like The New York Times, Scientific American, Good Housekeeping, Vox, Apartment Therapy, and Lifehacker.
