Need to reduce stitches in your project?
You’re cruising along on a crochet pattern — hat, amigurumi, bag, whatever it is — and then you hit it: dc2tog. Two letters, three numbers, and suddenly you’re staring at your hook wondering what on earth the pattern wants you to do.
Good news: dc2tog sounds way more complicated than it actually is. Once you understand what’s happening and why, it becomes one of the most satisfying stitches to work — because you can literally watch your piece take shape in your hands.
In this step-by-step tutorial, I’ll walk you through exactly how to work a dc2tog from start to finish, explain what’s actually happening at each stage, and give you all the tips you need to use it confidently in any pattern.
What Does DC2TOG Mean?
DC2TOG stands for Double Crochet 2 Together.
Breaking it down:
- DC = Double Crochet (the standard tall crochet stitch most of us learn early on)
- 2 = you’ll be working into 2 separate stitches
- TOG = Together (those 2 stitches get joined into 1 at the top)
So instead of completing two separate double crochets — which would give you 2 finished stitches — you work halfway into the first stitch, then halfway into the second stitch, and then join them both together at the top. The result is 1 stitch where there used to be 2. That’s the decrease!
You may also see it written as:
- dc2tog (lowercase)
- dc dec (double crochet decrease)
- dc2together
All of these mean the same thing.
What Is a Decrease and Why Do Patterns Use It?
A decrease is any stitch technique that reduces your total stitch count. In crochet, decreasing is how you shape a flat piece of fabric or a 3D object — without it, everything would just be a rectangle!
You’ll use dc2tog whenever a pattern needs to:
- Shape the crown of a hat — as you work toward the top, you decrease steadily to pull the fabric into a dome shape
- Taper sleeves or armholes on garments
- Create curves in bags, baskets, or shaped panels
- Close the top of amigurumi — those cute stuffed animals are shaped almost entirely with increases and decreases
- Reduce after increases in circular motifs like granny squares and mandalas
Any time you need the fabric to get narrower or curve inward, dc2tog is one of your go-to tools.
How DC2TOG Compares to a Regular Double Crochet
It helps to understand that dc2tog is really just two half-finished double crochets joined at the top.
A regular double crochet goes like this:
- Yarn over
- Insert hook into stitch
- Yarn over, pull up a loop (3 loops on hook)
- Yarn over, pull through 2 loops (2 loops on hook)
- Yarn over, pull through 2 loops (stitch complete, 1 loop on hook)
A dc2tog works the first stitch to Step 4 — stopping with 2 loops on the hook — then starts the second stitch from the beginning and works it to Step 4 as well. Now you have 3 loops on the hook (2 from the two half-stitches + 1 leftover), and one final yarn over pulls through all 3 to join everything together.
That join at the top is what creates the decrease. Two stitch “legs” at the bottom, one stitch “head” at the top.
What You’ll Need
- Your crochet hook (size specified by your pattern)
- Your yarn
- Your project in progress (or a practice swatch)
Tip for practicing: If you want to practice dc2tog before using it in a real project, just chain 15, work a row of regular double crochets, then practice the dc2tog across the next row. You’ll be a pro before you know it!
Step-by-Step: How to DC2TOG
This tutorial shows dc2tog worked mid-row, as if you’ve been double crocheting normally and your pattern now calls for a decrease.
Step 1: Yarn over
Start exactly like you would for a regular double crochet, yarn over your hook before inserting it into the stitch. This is your starting position for the first of the two stitches you’ll be joining.
Step 2: Insert Your Hook Into the Next Stitch
Insert your hook into the next stitch in your row — this is Stitch #1 of the two you’ll be combining. Go in just like you would for any regular double crochet.
Step 3: Yarn over
Yarn over again, with the hook now inside the stitch.
Step 4: Pull up a Loop
Draw your yarn back through the stitch toward you.
You now have 3 loops on your hook — the original yarn over from Step 1, the loop that was already on your hook, and the new loop you just pulled through. This is exactly what 3 loops looks like at this stage of a regular double crochet.
Step 5: Yarn over
Yarn over your hook again — you’re about to pull through 2 of those 3 loops.
Step 6: Pull through 2 Loops Only
Pull through the first 2 loops on your hook only — not all 3! Leave the last loop sitting on the hook.
You now have 2 loops remaining on your hook.
PAUSE HERE — this is the key moment! In a regular double crochet, you’d yarn over and pull through those last 2 loops right now to finish the stitch. But in dc2tog, you don’t finish yet. You leave those 2 loops on the hook and move to the second stitch. This is what makes the decrease happen!
SECOND STITCH — Steps 7 through 12:
Step 7: Yarn over again
Yarn over your hook. You’re now starting the second half of the dc2tog — beginning the second stitch — while those 2 loops from the first stitch are still waiting on your hook.
Step 8: Insert into next stitch
Insert your hook into the very next stitch — this is Stitch #2. You’ve now entered two different stitches in your row, which is what “2 together” means.
Step 9: Yarn over
Yarn over again with the hook inside Stitch #2.
Step 10: Pull up a loop
Draw your yarn through the stitch.
Count your loops — you now have 4 loops on your hook! This might look a little wild, but it’s exactly right. You have:
- 1 loop from the very beginning
- 1 loop from finishing the first stitch partway
- 2 new loops from starting the second stitch
Don’t panic — you’re about to start pulling through them.
Step 11: Yarn over
Yarn over your hook again.
Step 12: Pull through 2 loops
Pull through the first 2 loops on your hook only.
You now have 3 loops remaining on your hook. Almost there!
THE JOIN — Steps 13 and 14:
Step 13: Yarn over
One final yarn over — this is the yarn over that will join everything together.
Step 14: Pull through all 3 loops
Pull through all 3 remaining loops on your hook at once.
You have 1 loop on your hook and a completed dc2tog stitch!
Look at your finished stitch — you’ll see two “legs” going down into two separate stitches in the row below, but they share a single “head” at the top. That shared top is what creates the decrease. Two stitches below, one stitch above.
What the Finished DC2TOG Looks Like
After completing a dc2tog, you’ll notice your stitch count has gone down by 1. Where two stitches existed in the previous row, there is now only one stitch.
The decrease stitch itself has a characteristic slightly slanted or compressed look at the top — this is completely normal and is exactly what shapes your fabric. In most projects the decrease stitches blend in beautifully with the surrounding double crochets, especially after a few more rounds or rows.
Tips for a Neat DC2TOG
Keep your tension even. The most common issue beginners have with dc2tog is pulling the loops too tight at the joining step, which can make the stitch look puckered or bunched. Try to maintain the same relaxed tension you use for regular double crochets.
Count before and after. If your pattern says to dc2tog twice in a row, check your stitch count after each decrease to make sure you’re tracking correctly.
Mark your decrease stitches. When working hat crowns or amigurumi where you have many decreases in a round, use a stitch marker to mark the first stitch of the round. It’s easy to lose your place when you’re decreasing quickly.
The “4 loops” moment feels weird at first. Having 4 loops on your hook (Step 10) feels unusual if you’re used to regular double crochets — you’ll want to pull through all of them. Resist! Just go through 2, then 2, then the final 3. With a little practice it becomes automatic.
Related Decrease Stitches Worth Knowing
Now that you’ve mastered dc2tog, here are a few related techniques that work on the same principle:
SC2TOG (Single Crochet 2 Together): The same concept but with single crochet stitches. Even simpler — insert hook, pull up loop (twice), then yarn over and pull through all 3 loops at once. Used in amigurumi constantly.
HDC2TOG (Half Double Crochet 2 Together): The decrease version of a half double crochet. Works similarly to dc2tog but with HDC mechanics.
DC3TOG (Double Crochet 3 Together): You work partway into 3 stitches instead of 2, then join them all at the top. Creates a more dramatic decrease — useful for pointed shapes and certain stitch patterns.
Invisible Decrease: A technique used mainly in amigurumi that creates a virtually seamless decrease, often used instead of sc2tog for a cleaner look in stuffed toys.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does dc2tog use up 2 stitches from the previous row? Yes! The hook goes into 2 separate stitches, so when you’re done, 2 stitches from the row below have been used up to create 1 stitch in the current row. Your total stitch count decreases by 1 each time you work a dc2tog.
Can I work dc2tog at the beginning or end of a row? Absolutely. Dc2tog can be worked anywhere in a row — at the beginning, end, or middle. At the beginning of a row it creates a left-leaning decrease; at the end it creates a right-leaning one. Your pattern will tell you exactly where to place your decreases.
My dc2tog looks lumpy or bunched — what went wrong? This is almost always a tension issue. Try loosening up slightly, especially when pulling through the final 3 loops in Step 14. Also make sure you’re pulling through the correct number of loops at each step — pulling through too many or too few is the other common cause of a messy decrease.
What’s the difference between dc2tog and skipping a stitch? Skipping a stitch also reduces your stitch count by 1, but it creates a hole or gap in the fabric (intentional in lace patterns). Dc2tog joins stitches smoothly without a gap, making it much better for shaping hats, bags, and garments where you want a clean, closed decrease.
Can I use dc2tog in the round? Yes! Dc2tog works exactly the same way whether you’re working in rows or in the round. Hat crowns are almost always worked in the round with dc2tog or sc2tog for the decrease rounds.
How do I know when to decrease? Your pattern will tell you exactly when and where to decrease. Common instructions include “dc2tog across” (decrease every 2 stitches), “[dc in next X stitches, dc2tog] repeat around,” or “decrease evenly X times.” Always follow your specific pattern’s instructions for placement.
Now you’ve got this decrease technique to add to your crochet toolkit — and trust me, once you start using it you’ll wonder how you ever crocheted without it!
~Angie
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