You can decrease a stitch (abbreviated dec), which is really just subtracting a stitch, in a double crochet row. You decrease stitches in double crochet in the same places that you increase stitches — at the ends of the row or somewhere in the middle. Begin your double-crochet decrease by starting the first double crochet like you would for a normal double crochet stitch:
Yarn over the hook (yo).
Insert your hook into the next stitch.
Yarn over.
Draw the yarn through the stitch.
Yarn over.
Draw the yarn through the first 2 loops on your hook.
Two loops remain on the hook.
Yarn over the hook (yo).
Insert your hook into the next stitch.
Yarn over.
Draw the yarn through the stitch.
Yarn over.
Draw the yarn through the first 2 loops on your hook.
You should have 3 loops remaining on your hook.
Yarn over.
Draw the yarn through all 3 loops on your hook.
You've made 1 complete double crochet stitch decrease.
This figure shows the symbol for a double crochet decrease as it appears in crochet stitch diagram.
