How to Increase in Double Crochet (dc inc): Working 2 or 3 DC in One Stitch Without Holes

To make a Double Crochet Increase (dc inc), simply work 2 complete double crochet stitches into the exact same stitch (1 base stitch → 2 finished stitch tops, adding +1 stitch to your row or round count). Complete your first double crochet normally (1 → 3 → 2 → 1 loops on hook), then yarn over and insert your hook right back under the exact same two top V-loops to work a second complete double crochet!

Before you go any further, make sure you never fall into the #1 pattern-reading trap for beginners:

• "2 dc in next st" (often shortened to "2dc" or "dc inc") means work 2 stitches into the SAME spot (an increase that adds +1 stitch).
• "dc in next 2 sts" (or "1 dc in next 2") means work 1 normal double crochet into the next stitch, and 1 normal double crochet into the following stitch (plain crocheting across 2 spots with zero increase!).

In this complete shaping guide, we walk through making a single increase (2 dc in 1 st) and a double increase (3 dc in 1 st), give you a Pattern Notation Decoder Table covering every way designers write increases, compare At-the-Edge vs. Fully-Fashioned (1-Stitch-Inside) row-end increases for garment sleeves, and show you how to stop unsightly holes from forming underneath your increases.

How to Make a Double Crochet Increase (2 DC in One Stitch) Step-by-Step

Unlike a double crochet decrease (dc2tog) or a 2dc cluster (2dc-cl)—where you stop halfway through the first stitch—every stitch inside a Double Crochet Increase (dc inc) is 100% completed before you start the next one:

1. Work Stitch #1 of the Increase (1 → 3 → 2 → 1 Loops): Yarn over (YO), insert your hook under both top V-loops of the target stitch, YO and pull up a loop (3 loops on hook). YO and pull through the first 2 loops (2 loops remain). YO and pull through the remaining 2 loops (1 loop remains). Your first double crochet is 100% finished!
2. Locate the Exact Same Base Space: Look at the base of the double crochet you just made. Gently push its post slightly to the right with your thumb so you can clearly see the same opening underneath the two top V-loops you just used.
3. Work Stitch #2 into That Same Stitch (1 → 3 → 2 → 1 Loops): Yarn over (YO), insert your hook right back into that exact same stitch, YO and pull up a loop (3 loops on hook), and [YO, pull through 2 loops] twice (1 loop remains).

Look at your finished dc inc: two vertical posts fan upward in a neat V shape from one shared base stitch, creating two separate braided V-loops at the top. When you work the next row or round, you will work into both of those top V-loops!

Pattern Notation Decoder: What Does '2dc', '3dc', '1dc, 2dc', and 'dc in next 2' Mean?

Different publishers, vintage books, and modern indie designers write double crochet increases in at least seven different ways. Use this decoder table so you never misread an instruction:

Wait—How Do I Know Whether "3dc" Means an Increase or a 3-Stitch Plain Section? Look at the punctuation!

• — If a flat circle or raglan pattern writes *`1dc, 1dc, 2dc` (or `dc in next 2, 3dc in next`), the number attached directly to dc (2dc or 3dc) means work 2 or 3 stitches into that single stitch*.

• — If a granny square pattern writes "3 dc in next ch-2 sp", you work 3 complete double crochets into that chain space.

How to Increase at the Beginning and End of a Row (2 Shaping Methods)

When you are crocheting a tapered cardigan sleeve, a triangular shawl, or a flared A-line top in turned rows, you often need to add +1 stitch at the beginning of the row and +1 stitch at the end of the row. There are two ways to place those edge increases—and knowing both will level up your garment finishing immediately!

Method A: Increasing Directly at the Very Edge of the Row

Use this method when a pattern simply says "Inc at each end of row":

• At the Start of the Row (With Counted Ch 3): Normally, when your ch-3 turning chain counts as Stitch #1, you skip the first stitch at the base of the ch-3 (see our turning-chain rules). To increase at the start of the row, do NOT skip that first stitch! Instead, ch 3 (counts as 1st dc) and work 1 regular double crochet directly into the very first stitch at the base of the ch-3. The ch-3 plus that dc share the first stitch (= 2 stitches in Stitch #1, adding +1 stitch)! (If you use a Stacked DC or uncounted ch 2, simply work 2 stitches into Stitch #1.)
• At the End of the Row: Work across to the final stitch (the top of the previous row's turning chain) and work 2 complete double crochets into the top of that turning chain (+1 stitch).

Method B: "Fully-Fashioned" Garment Shaping (1 Stitch Inside the Edge)

Professional knitwear and crochet garment designers almost always prefer placing the increase 1 stitch inside the border instead of on the raw edge:

• At the Start of the Row: Work your ch 3 (or Stacked DC) as Stitch #1, and work 2 dc (your increase) into the SECOND stitch of the row!
• At the End of the Row: Stop when 2 stitches remain. Work 2 dc (your increase) into the second-to-last stitch, and work 1 plain dc into the final stitch (the turning chain)!
• Why It Is Superior: Because Stitch #1 and the final stitch are always plain 1-post stitches, your outer border stays smooth and uniform—making mattress-stitch seaming on sweater sleeves twice as neat and eliminating corner holes!

How to Prevent a Big Hole Under Your Double Crochet Increase

Why does working 2, 3, or 4 heavy double crochets into the same stitch sometimes pull a noticeable hole open right underneath the increase? Because all those posts are hanging from the two thin top V-loops of the stitch below, yanking that V upward!

Here are 3 pro techniques to make a Hole-Free Double Crochet Increase:

1. The Split-Post Anchor Trick (Best All-Purpose Fix): Work the first dc of your increase normally under both top V-loops. Then, for the second dc of the increase, insert your hook 1 millimeter lower—directly through the center of the vertical post (splitting the V-strands of the post right below the top loops)! Distributing the weight between the top V and the post body prevents the V from stretching open.
2. The Front-Loop + Back-Loop Split (1 dc FLO + 1 dc BLO): Work the first dc of your increase under the Front Loop Only (FLO) and work the second dc of your increase under the Back Loop Only (BLO) of the same stitch! Because the two strands cross over each other at the base, they pinch the hole shut automatically.
3. The Linked Increase (ldc inc): Work the first dc normally, then insert your hook through the middle horizontal bar of that first dc (just like a Linked Double Crochet), pull up a loop, and insert into the same base stitch to finish the second dc.

Frequently Asked Questions

Related guides and tools

• Space increases evenly across a row