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In this lesson you will learn how to crochet increases and how to double or triple stitches.
You “increase” stitches or crochet an “increase” by adding more stitches to a row or round. You do this by crocheting 2 or more stitches into 1 stitch.
Increasing stitches is an essential technique to make your crochet projects grow, either in width or in circumference/radius. Normal increases are always crocheted the same, whether you crochet in rows, spiral rounds or joined rounds.
Increases are not always just called “increases” in instructions but can also be written as “crochet 2 stitches into the next stitch”, “double” or “triple” a stitch or similar.
But the actual way how to increase a stitch stays always the same.
In these instructions the “Schachenmayr Catania” yarn and a 2.5 mm crochet hook was used.
Increases
Needed Techniques
Needed Materials and Tools
To order the materials click on the respective link (affiliate link).
- Colors: green
- This pattern was crocheted using the “Schachenmayr Catania” yarn (100% Cotton, Meterage: 125 m, Yarn Ball Weight: 50 g, Yarn Weight: Sport – 5ply / Fine (2)) in the following colors:
- Golf Green (Golfgrün (241))
- 2.5 mm Crochet Hook
How to Increase a Stitch
The following example is shown on a crochet piece that was crocheted in “rows”. Increases are always crocheted the same way, no matter if you crochet in rows, spiral rounds or joined rounds.
- Step 1: You want to “increase” the current stitch (single crochet stitch). First crochet the first stitch (in this example a single crochet stitch) as normal into the next stitch.
- Step 2: Now simply crochet 1 more single crochet stitch into the same stitch in which you have just crocheted the first single crochet stitch. To do this, push again through the same stitch in which you crocheted the first single crochet stitch and then crochet a single crochet stitch.
Done! You have just crocheted an increase or in this case doubled a stitch (because you made 2 out of one stitch).
If you now crochet the row till the end and count the stitches, you will see that you have 1 stitch more than in the previous row.
Increase more than 2 Stitches
Of course you are not limited to just double stitches. You can also triple, quadruple, etc., simply by crocheting the respective number of increases into the same stitch.
Example: You are supposed to quadruple the next stitch according to your instructions, therefore crochet 4 single crochet stitches into the next stitch (or the stitch indicated in your instructions).
Each additional stitch crocheted after the first stitch gives 1 more stitch at the end of the row or round.
Example: You have a crochet piece crocheted in rows with a final stitch count of 20 stitches. Now you have doubled or increased 2 stitches in the current row, i.e. you have crocheted 1 additional stitch twice, so you would have a final stitch count of 22 stitches at the end of the row. If you have crocheted only 1 increase, you will count only 21 stitches at the end of the row.
Increases are able to change the respective crochet piece seriously. If you want to create your own crochet pieces, no matter if potholders, coasters, caps or amigurumi etc., it is important to know how to place increases to create different shapes and surfaces.
