How To Do an Invisible Decrease

An invisible decrease is a technique used in amigurumi to reduce stitches smoothly without creating noticeable gaps or bulk. It is commonly abbreviated as inv dec or simply dec, and is frequently used when shaping heads, bodies, and other curved parts.

Step 1: Insert your hook into the front loop only of the next stitch. Then insert the hook into the front loop only of the following stitch as well. At this stage, you should have two front loops on the hook and three loops total on your hook.

Step 2: Yarn over and pull the yarn through both front loops at the same time. This joins the two stitches together, turning them into a single stitch.

Step 3: Yarn over once more and pull the yarn through the remaining loops on the hook, just like completing a regular single crochet stitch. You should now have one loop left on the hook.

Congratulations! You have completed your first invisible decrease stitch.

Since the stitch is worked only through the front loops, the decrease blends smoothly into the fabric and helps the amigurumi maintain a cleaner, more polished shape. In our patterns, invisible decreases are used by default unless stated otherwise.

Below, you can see how decrease stitches shape the fabric inward. The piece on the left uses decrease stitches, while the piece on the right is made with regular single crochet stitches only.

It might feel a bit unusual in the beginning, but with a little practice, the technique becomes much more natural and can greatly improve the overall appearance of your finished piece.