What does it INCREASE CROCHET MEAN?
Earlier I wrote about how to decrease crochet, so now it is time to discuss how to increase crochet. Decreasing crochet lessens the amount of crochet stitches, so naturally increasing crochet increases to the number of stitches. This is how you create shapes.
When it comes to crochet increase, you cannot just randomly add stitches out there anywhere. There is a method to it. Otherwise, it doesn’t work out right. If you are doing a flat project and your increase isn’t done correctly, the project won’t stay flat. The edges will begin to curl or lift up.
HOW DO YOU CALCULATE THE INCREASE CROCHET?
How the increase will work will typically depend on the project as well as the shape you are trying to achieve. There is a formula you can use to calculate the crochet increase. You simply divide the number of stitches you have by the number of stitches you wish to add. This tells you how often to do an increase (add the stitches).
Example you have 215 stitches, and you want to add 13.
215 / 13 = 16.5
So, every 16 stitches (or 17 if you round up) you will crochet increase.
The two links below are calculators you can use to help you figure this stuff out!
https://joyofmotioncrochet.com/decrease-and-increase-evenly-for-crochet-and-knitting/
https://www.poppyshop.ca/crochetcalculator
Increase crochet when crocheting in the round
Crocheting circles can be a bit tricky. Especially when you start adding crochet increases in the round. The important thing to remember is this: Whatever number of stitches you start your circle with is the number of stitches you should increase each round. This concept was always tricky for me, but when I started making baby bonnets it finally clicked for me.
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Let’s say you start your circle by crocheting 8 stitches into your center ring. The first round consists of 8 stitches. For the second round, you have to add 8 stitches. To do that, you add an increase to EVERY stitch giving you 16 stitches. Now, for the next round you need to add 8 more stitches. To do this evenly, you add a stitch to EVERY OTHER stitch. You will have 24 stitches. Then you need to add 8 more stitches.
I have written it out easier to read below.
Round 1: Start your circle
Round 2: Increase (add a stitch) EVERY stitch.
Round 3: Increase (add a stitch) EVERY OTHER (every 2nd) stitch.
Round 4: Increase (add a stitch) EVERY THIRD stitch.
Round 5: Increase (add a stitch) EVERY FOURTH stitch.
Round 6: Increase (add a stitch) EVERY FIFTH stitch.
Do you see the pattern here? So, for every round you do, you are changing the placement your increases evenly. This prevents them from piling up in the same spot every round, thus making your work UNEVEN.
Examples of crochet Increases
Double Crochet Increase
The first example of a crochet increase I want to point out isn’t exactly an increase per se, but it does follow the same concept. That is the granny square. For each cluster of the granny square you are putting 3 double crochet stiches into one stitch, thus this is essentially a double crochet increase!
Single Crochet Increase
The next example of a crochet increase that I want to point out is the single crochet increase in the worry worm. Worry worms are very popular. The entire worry worm project is a series of single crochet increases which create the curling effect of the body. To create the body of the worry worm, you create 4 single crochets in 1 chain stitch. That is by definition and single crochet increase. Creating 4 is what creates the curl.
Also, when crocheting the head, you crochet twelve double crochets stitches into the last chain. This is a double crochet increase!
Did you know that if you create another number of stitches into each chain stitch you will get a different curl? See the image below showing single crochet increase, double crochet increase, and half double crochet increase:
It doesn’t matter if you are doing a single crochet increase, double crochet increase, half double crochet increase, whatever the stitch, the increase works the same. If you are adding 1, you simply make 2 stitches in the same spot. If you are adding 2, you just crochet 3 stitches in the same spot, and so on.
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