Half Double Crochet Decrease (HD2Tog HTr2Tog UK)
Half Double crochet 2 together is another important basic crochet technique to master . The abbreviation used is HDc2Tog (UK HTr2Tog) which instructs you to decrease the number of half double stitches by 1. Learning to decrease your crochet stitches will allow you to create more advance shapes in your crochet projects, rather than just making plain squares or rectangles.
How to Decrease Half Double Crochet (HDc2Tog) | Free Crochet Stitch Tutorial
You will see crochet pattern instructions asking for the following 2 things:
- Decrease Half Double Crochet (UK Decrease Half Treble Crochet)
- Half Double Crochet 2 Together (UK Half Treble Crochet 2 together)
They mean the same thing; which is to reduce the number of Half Double crochet stitches (Treble Crochet) in your row or round by working 2 stitches together and decreasing the total stitch count.
Like other decrease stitches, half double crochet decrease is worked into the your previous row of stitches, across two neighbouring stitches. The HDc2tog works those 2 stitches together, so there is only 1 stitch above the 2 stitches of the previous row.
The process of decreasing crochet stitches, is similar regardless of which stitch you are decreasing:
- Start the 1st stitch
- Leave it unfinished
- Start the 2nd Stitch
- Finish them together
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For this tutorial I used the following materials:
- 6mm Furls Streamline crochet hook
- LoveCrafts Simply Chunky in shade Vintage Pink
You can use any yarn with the hook size as recommended on the yarn band.
HDcTog Stitch Tutorial (UK – HTr2TOG)
US Term: Half Double Crochet 2 Together (Half Double Crochet Decrease)
US Abbreviation: HDc2TOG
UK Term: Half Treble Crochet 2 together (Half Treble Crochet Decrease)
UK Abbreviation: HTr2Tog
Make a swatch of Half Double crochet stitches so you can practice the decrease stitch. You can follow this stitch tutorial to make your swatch.
HDc2Tog – Step 1:
- Yarn over your hook, as you would for a normal Half Double Crochet (Half Treble crochet)
- Insert your hook into the 1st of the 2 stitches to decrease across
- Yarn over the hook and bring up a loop (3 loops on hook)
- Do not finish the stitch – move on to step 2.
HDc2Tog – Step 2:
- Yarn over hook and insert hook into the second stitch to begin the 2nd half double Crochet (half treble Crochet)
- Yarn over and bring up a loop (4 loops on hook)
Sc2Tog – Step 3:
- Yarn over and pull through all 4 loops to complete the stitch.
Keep Practicing!
That’s it – it’s that simple. You can now decrease your Half Double crochet stitches (Half Treble crochet stitches UK). I know you’ll be using this technique in so many different crochet projects! From making a flat circle and crochet coasters, to moving on to decreasing to create crochet garments!
The world will be your crochet oyster!