Increases and decreases are essential for shaping amigurumi into rounded forms, but worked carelessly, they can leave small holes or visible gaps in the fabric that show through as flaws in the finished piece. This guide covers the specific techniques that keep shaping smooth and gap-free, extending the tension and technique fundamentals from our guide on why crochet can look uneven.
Why Gaps Happen During Shaping
Increases and decreases both involve working stitches differently than the surrounding fabric—two stitches into one space for an increase, or two stitches merged into one for a decrease. When worked loosely or without attention to how the stitches sit against their neighbors, these shaping points can leave small openings that are more visually noticeable than a normal gap between regular stitches, especially once the piece is stuffed and the fabric is under some tension. The Craft Yarn Council’s standard crochet terminology is a useful reference for confirming increase and decrease abbreviations across different patterns.
Understanding the Standard Increase
An increase in amigurumi typically means working two single crochet stitches into the same stitch from the previous round, which adds one stitch to the total count.
How to avoid gaps: Work both stitches of the increase with consistent, snug tension, making sure the second stitch sits closely against the first rather than leaving a visible space between them. Rushing through the second stitch is a common source of gapping.
Understanding the Standard Decrease (Invisible Decrease)
A basic decrease works two stitches together as one, but a standard decrease can sometimes leave a small visible gap or bump, especially in tightly stuffed pieces. Many amigurumi patterns and crocheters prefer what’s often called an “invisible decrease,” which works through the front loops of two stitches before completing the stitch, producing a noticeably smoother result.
How to do it: Insert your hook through the front loop only of the next stitch, then through the front loop only of the following stitch, yarn over, and pull through both loops. Complete the stitch as a normal single crochet from there.
Why it helps: This method keeps the decrease sitting flatter against the surrounding fabric, reducing the small bump or gap that a standard decrease can sometimes create.
1. Maintain Consistent Tension Across the Shaping Stitch
Loosening tension specifically during increase or decrease stitches—often unconsciously, to make the stitch easier to work—is one of the most common causes of visible gaps at shaping points.
How to identify it: Compare the tightness of your shaping stitches to the regular stitches around them. If shaping points look noticeably looser, tension inconsistency during these specific stitches is likely the cause.
How to fix it: Consciously maintain the same tension through increase and decrease stitches as you use for regular stitches, rather than allowing extra slack.
2. Avoid Skipping a Stitch by Mistake Near Shaping Points
It’s easy to accidentally skip the stitch immediately after a shaping point, especially when concentrating on correctly executing the increase or decrease itself.
How to identify it: Count your total stitches at the end of each shaping round. An unexpectedly low count can indicate an accidentally skipped stitch near a shaping point.
How to fix it: Slow down specifically around shaping stitches, and double-check that you’re moving on to the correct next stitch rather than accidentally skipping ahead.
3. Use the Invisible Decrease Consistently
Switching between a standard decrease and an invisible decrease within the same project can create visually inconsistent shaping points.
How to identify it: Compare decrease points throughout your project. If some look noticeably smoother than others, inconsistent technique is likely the reason.
How to fix it: Choose one decrease method for a given project and use it consistently throughout, rather than switching partway through.
4. Check Increase and Decrease Placement Against the Pattern
Shaping points placed in the wrong location, even if each individual stitch is worked correctly, can create an uneven, gappy appearance across the round as a whole.
How to identify it: Compare your shaping placement to the pattern’s specified positions, particularly for patterns with irregular or asymmetrical shaping.
How to fix it: Use stitch markers to mark planned shaping points before working the round, rather than estimating placement as you go.
5. Give Extra Attention to Shaping Points Near Assembly Seams
Shaping points that will later be near a seam—such as where a limb attaches to a body—benefit from extra care, since any resulting gap is more visually noticeable in a high-visibility area.
How to identify it: Consider which shaping points will end up near visible seams once the piece is assembled.
How to fix it: Work these specific shaping points slightly more carefully and tightly than others, since minor gaps here are more likely to be seen in the finished piece.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Rushing through shaping stitches, which are more prone to gapping than regular stitches worked at a steady pace.
- Switching decrease methods inconsistently within the same project.
- Failing to count stitches specifically after shaping rounds, where errors are most likely to occur.
- Ignoring visible gaps during the crocheting stage, assuming stuffing will hide them—stuffing often makes gaps more visible, not less.
Tips for Better Results
- Practice the invisible decrease on a scrap swatch before using it in a real project if it’s a new technique for you.
- Slow down specifically on shaping rounds rather than working through them at the same pace as regular rounds.
- Check your work for gaps before stuffing, since it’s much easier to correct a stitch at this stage than after the piece is assembled.
- Consider using the invisible decrease as your default method, since many amigurumi crocheters find it produces more consistently smooth results than the standard decrease.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the invisible decrease necessary, or is a standard decrease good enough? A standard decrease works fine for many projects, but the invisible decrease is widely preferred in amigurumi specifically because it tends to produce a smoother, less bumpy result, which matters more given amigurumi’s small scale and visible stitch definition.
Why do increases sometimes leave a visible hole even when worked correctly? This is often caused by loose tension specifically on the increase stitch, or by hook size being slightly too large for the yarn, both of which create extra space between the two stitches worked into the same space.
Can I fix a gap after the piece is already stuffed? It’s difficult to correct significantly after stuffing. A very minor gap sometimes can be closed slightly by carefully stitching it with matching yarn and a yarn needle, but preventing gaps during the crocheting stage is more reliable.
Does yarn type affect how visible shaping gaps are? Yes. Smoother, more tightly plied yarns tend to show shaping gaps more clearly than textured or fuzzy yarns, which can visually disguise minor inconsistencies.
Should beginners avoid patterns with complex shaping until they’re more experienced? Not necessarily, but starting with simpler shaping—like a basic sphere with evenly spaced increases and decreases—can help build the counting and technique habits that make more complex shaping easier to execute cleanly later.