Treble Crochet Decrease

The treble crochet decrease is a decrease that takes two treble crochet stitches and reduces them to a single stitch. This decrease may be used when a piece worked in treble crochet needs to be shaped, like a bottom-up shawl or lacy crocheted sweater. In this video, Jen Lucas demonstrates how to work a treble crochet decrease, also known as a treble crochet two together (tr2tog).

Jen begins by looking at two swatches of fabric. The first is standard treble crochet. The second swatch incorporates decreases and she notes the differences in the fabric. She also compares the treble crochet decrease swatch to a swatch of single crochet decreases. It’s noted that because treble crochet is such a tall and airy stitch, the decreases can easily be picked out within the fabric. With shorter stitches, such as single crochet, the decreases tend to blend in with the fabric.

After the swatch review is complete, Jen demonstrates how to work a treble crochet stitch. She then works a treble crochet decrease following these steps:

1. Yarn over hook twice (3 loops on hook).
2. Insert hook into stitch, yarn over, and pull through a loop (4 loops on hook).
3. Yarn over and pull through two loops (3 loops on hook).
4. Yarn over and pull through two loops (2 loops on hook).
5. Yarn over hook twice (4 loops on hook).
6. Insert hook into stitch, yarn over, and pull through a loop (5 loops on hook).
7. Yarn over and pull through two loops (4 loops on hook).
8. Yarn over and pull through two loops (3 loops on hook).
9. Yarn over and draw through all three loops on the hook (1 loop remains on hook, treble crochet decrease is complete).

Jen demonstrates the process of the treble crochet decrease a few more times. She notes that you begin working the first treble crochet up until the final step. The final step is not completed and instead the next treble crochet is started. Once the second treble crochet is to the final step, the yarn is drawn through the three loops to bring them together to decrease them into a single stitch.

She notes that there are different ways the treble crochet decrease may be abbreviated in your pattern. It is commonly abbreviated as tr2tog (treble crochet two together). It may also be seen as tr dec (treble crochet decrease). It’s important to always check the pattern abbreviations or special stitches section so you know when the stitch needs to be worked.

This video uses US crochet terminology.