Learn how to crochet SC2tog (single crochet 2 together) with this easy step-by-step tutorial, including photos and left- and right-handed video tutorials.
Discover how it is used for crochet decreases and shaping — and how it can also create beautiful texture in your crochet projects.

What Is SC2tog in Crochet?

If you have come across SC2tog in a crochet pattern and wondered what on earth the designer wants you to do, you are in the right place!

SC2tog is the abbreviation for single crochet 2 together. It is a simple crochet technique that takes two stitches from the previous row or round and joins them together to create one stitch.

You will most commonly come across the SC2tog when a pattern needs to decrease the number of stitches. This makes it an incredibly useful technique for shaping everything from garments and hats to amigurumi and accessories.

But that is not all this little stitch can do!

The single crochet 2 together can also be incorporated into stitch combinations where the goal isn’t actually to decrease your overall stitch count at all. When paired with chains or other stitches, SC2tog can create a wonderfully textured crochet fabric.

In fact, I have used it this way in several of my own designs because I love the dense, squishy texture it can produce.

So whether your pattern is asking you to shape a project, taper an edge or create an interesting textured fabric, learning how to crochet SC2tog is a really useful skill to have tucked away in your crochet toolbox.

What Does SC2tog Mean?

SC2tog means single crochet 2 together.

Instead of completing a single crochet into one stitch and then working another single crochet into the following stitch, you begin a single crochet in the first stitch, leave it unfinished, begin another in the next stitch and then complete the two together.

In its simplest format is used to reduce your stitch count: 2 stitches become 1 stitch.

This means that when SC2tog is being used as a traditional decrease, your stitch count is reduced by one every time you work it.

For example, if you have 20 stitches and work one SC2tog while working normally into all of the remaining stitches, you will finish the row or round with 19 stitches.

Simple enough, isn’t it?

And once you understand why you are doing it, the instructions in your pattern tend to make much more sense too.

What Is the SC2tog Stitch Used For?

The most common reason designers use the single crochet 2 together stitch is to decrease the number of stitches in a project.

Crochet does not always need to remain perfectly straight. Sometimes we need our fabric to become narrower, curve around something or gradually change shape.

That is where decreases come in.

You might use an SC2tog when making:

• Hats and beanies (especially with bottom up hats and beanies)
• Amigurumi
• Sweaters and cardigans
• Sleeves
• Necklines
• Mittens and gloves
• Bags
• Shawls
• Blankets with shaped sections
• Tapered scarves or bookmarks
• Decorative motifs and crochet shapes

Exactly where the decreases are positioned will affect the shape of your finished project. Be sure to read all of the pattern notes that a designer has included.

For example, regularly spaced decreases around the crown of a hat gradually reduce its circumference until you can close the top. Decreases placed along the sides of a piece can create a tapered edge, while strategically positioned decreases can help shape necklines, armholes and other areas of garments.

So although SC2tog is a very small technique, it can make a big difference to the finished shape of your crochet project.

How Does SC2tog Shape Crochet?

This is where understanding the stitch becomes more useful than simply memorising the steps.

Imagine you have a row containing 30 single crochet stitches.

If you continue working 30 single crochets on every row, your fabric should remain approximately the same width (assuming your tension behaves itself, of course!).

But suppose you work an SC2tog at each end of your next row.

You have taken two stitches and turned them into one both at the beginning, and again at the end of your row.

Instead of finishing with 30 stitches, you now have 28 stitches.

Repeat those decreases over several rows and your crochet fabric gradually becomes narrower.

Designers can therefore use the placement and frequency of SC2tog decreases to control how quickly or gradually a project changes shape.

Gradual Shaping

Occasional decreases create a gentle change in width. You might see this in garments where the fabric needs to follow the natural shape of the body.

Faster Shaping

Several decreases within the same row or round will reduce the stitch count much more quickly. This is particularly useful when closing the top of a hat or shaping an amigurumi piece.

Symmetrical Shaping

Working decreases at both ends of a row can create an even taper.

I use this technique on the optional tapered ends of some of my crochet bookmark patterns. Each row becomes slightly narrower until you have a neat point where a tassel can be added.

Once you start looking at decreases this way, SC2tog stops being simply another abbreviation you need to remember. You can actually see the job it is doing within your project.

How to Crochet SC2tog Step by Step

The SC2tog is worked across two stitches.

Here’s how to work a standard single crochet 2 together:

1. Insert your hook into the first stitch.
2. Yarn over.
3. Pull up a loop. You will have 2 loops on your hook.
4. Insert your hook into the next stitch.
5. Yarn over.
6. Pull up a loop. You will now have 3 loops on your hook.
7. Yarn over.
8. Pull through all 3 loops on your hook.

You have completed one SC2tog.

The important difference between this and working two ordinary single crochets is that you do not finish the first single crochet before moving into the second stitch.

Instead, the two unfinished stitches are joined together at the final yarn over.

SC2tog Photo Tutorial

I have included photographs for each stage above so that you can see exactly where your hook should go and how many loops you should have on your hook.

If you are new to decreases, take your time with it. After you have worked a few, the movement quickly starts to feel natural.

Common Mistakes When Learning SC2tog

There are a few little hiccups that can crop up when you first learn how to single crochet 2 together.

Completing the first single crochet too soon:
Remember that you are leaving the first single crochet unfinished. You should have two loops on your hook before inserting your hook into the second stitch.

Accidentally skipping a stitch:
Unless your pattern specifically tells you to skip a stitch, the two stitches used for your SC2tog will usually sit directly next to each other.

Forgetting that SC2tog changes the stitch count:
When used as a decrease, two stitches from the previous row become one stitch in your new row. If your stitch count seems to be mysteriously shrinking, check how many decreases the pattern asked you to make.

Working your decreases too tightly:
It can be tempting to tug everything tight because there are several loops involved. Try to maintain the same comfortable tension you use for your normal single crochet stitches. Your future self will thank you when you have to work into that stitch again!

Watch My SC2tog Video Tutorials

Sometimes it is much easier to understand a new crochet technique when you can actually watch someone work through it.

I have created both right-handed and left-handed SC2tog video tutorials, so you can watch the version that works best for you.

Right-Handed SC2tog Video Tutorial – https://youtu.be/zUJtiAFnFqY

Left-Handed SC2tog Video Tutorial – https://youtu.be/_zr_rD8rhr4

In the tutorials I show you exactly where to insert your hook, how to pull up each loop and how to complete your single crochet 2 together.

SC2tog Isn’t Always Used as a Decrease!

Now we get to the particularly interesting bit.

If SC2tog takes two stitches and turns them into one, surely it must always decrease your stitch count?

Not necessarily!

Designers can combine SC2tog with other stitches — particularly chain stitches — to replace the stitch that was effectively removed by the decrease.

For example, you may see a stitch repeat similar to: [SC2tog, ch 1]. The SC2tog is worked across two stitches and produces one stitch. The chain then effectively adds another stitch or space back into the pattern repeat and keeps your stitch count consistent.

A word to the wise – do not work your ch 1 too tightly because you will undoubtedly have to work into it on the next row / round in this scenario.

Instead of using the SC2tog purely to make the fabric narrower, we can use the structure of the stitch to change the texture and appearance of the fabric.

This is a completely different way of thinking about SC2tog.

Using SC2tog to Create Crochet Texture

One of my favourite ways to use the single crochet 2 together is as part of a textured stitch combination.

When you repeat SC2tog and ch 1 without skipping a stitch after the chain, you maintain the overall stitch count rather than continually decreasing your project.

I particularly love working this combination through the back loops only (BLO).

It creates a dense, squishy fabric with subtle ridges and plenty of texture. This combination is also known as the single crochet cluster stitch. I have used it in my free Ellis Washcloth and previously in my section of the Tranquility Blanket CAL.

It is a brilliant example of why learning the individual building blocks of crochet is so useful.

You aren’t just learning one decrease stitch. You are learning a technique that designers can manipulate and combine with other stitches to create completely different effects.

And that opens up a lot more possibilities!

SC2tog as a Decrease vs SC2tog in a Stitch Pattern

The biggest clue is your stitch count.

If SC2tog is being used as a traditional decrease, the number of stitches in your row or round will usually reduce.

If it is part of a repeating stitch combination, another stitch or chain will often compensate for that reduction so that your overall stitch count remains consistent.

Always read the pattern notes and stitch counts carefully.

For example:

SC2tog used as a decrease:
If you begin with 20 stitches, and work one SC2tog you will finish with 19 stitches.

SC2tog used as part of a texture:
A repeat such as SC2tog, ch 1 may work across the row while maintaining the stitch count required for the pattern.

That is why I always recommend checking the designer’s pattern notes rather than assuming that every SC2tog automatically means your project should become smaller.

Does SC2tog Look Different From a Regular Single Crochet?

Yes, although the difference can sometimes be subtle, especially when it is being used to reduce the crown of a bottom up hat, or shape a sleeve.

Because two stitches are being joined at the top, SC2tog draws the fabric together slightly. When decreases are repeated, this creates the shaping you can see in the finished project.

When SC2tog is repeated as part of a stitch pattern, however, those little joined stitches can create visible texture across the fabric.

Yarn choice, hook size, tension and whether you work through both loops or only one loop can all change how prominent that texture becomes.

This is one of the things I love about crochet: two projects can use exactly the same basic technique and end up looking completely different.

Crochet Patterns That Use SC2tog

The best way to get comfortable with a new crochet stitch is to actually use it!

If you would like to practise the single crochet 2 together stitch, I have several patterns that use SC2tog in different ways.

The Ellis Blanket

The Ellis Blanket is a particularly good project if you want to see how SC2tog can be used for texture rather than traditional shaping.

This easy crochet blanket is available in five sizes, from a security blanket through to a throw. The design uses the SC2tog stitch to create a wonderfully textured fabric rather than simply using it to reduce the width of the blanket.

The Ellis Washcloth

Want to practise without committing to an entire blanket? Start here!

The Ellis Washcloth uses the SC2tog and chain 1 combination worked into the back loops only. The result is a dense, textured fabric that works particularly well for a practical washcloth.

It is also a lovely smaller project for getting the rhythm of the stitch combination into your hands before tackling something bigger.

The Tranquility Blanket Section

My section of the Tranquility Blanket CAL is another example of SC2tog being used as part of the fabric rather than simply for shaping.

The pattern combines SC2tog, chain stitches and back-loop-only crochet to create texture while maintaining the required stitch count.

The Cabled Bookmark

The Cabled Bookmark shows you the more traditional shaping side of SC2tog.

At the end of the bookmark you can add an optional tapered section. SC2tog decreases are worked at the edges over several rows, gradually reducing the width until you have a neat tapered end ready for a tassel.

It is a great little project for actually seeing how repeated decreases change the shape of your crochet.

The Treasure Trails Bookmark

The Treasure Trails Bookmark also includes an optional tapered end created using SC2tog decreases.

The stitch count reduces over four rows, demonstrating perfectly how decreases placed at either side of a row can create controlled, symmetrical shaping.

Is SC2tog Suitable for Beginners?

Absolutely.

If you can work a single crochet, you already know most of what you need to know.

The only real difference is that instead of completing your first single crochet, you pause partway through, begin the next one and then finish them both together.

It might feel slightly fiddly the first few times — most new crochet techniques do — but SC2tog is a very achievable next step once you are comfortable with the basic stitches.

More importantly, learning decreases is one of those skills that opens the door to many more crochet projects.

Once you understand how stitches can be added and removed to change the shape of your fabric, you are no longer limited to making squares and rectangles.

And while I have nothing against a good rectangle — blankets would be in serious trouble without them — there is a whole world of crochet waiting beyond them!

SC2tog Frequently Asked Questions

What does SC2tog stand for in crochet?

SC2tog stands for single crochet 2 together. It is a crochet technique where two stitches are joined together to create one completed single crochet stitch.

Is SC2tog a decrease?

Usually, yes. A standard SC2tog turns two stitches into one and therefore decreases your stitch count by one.

However, SC2tog can also be combined with chains or other stitches as part of a textured stitch pattern where the overall stitch count is maintained.

How many stitches does SC2tog decrease?

One SC2tog decreases your stitch count by one stitch. You work across two stitches from the previous row or round but create one completed stitch.

Is SC2tog the same as a single crochet decrease?

Yes. If a US crochet pattern tells you to make a single crochet decrease, SC2tog is the standard technique you will usually use.

Can SC2tog be used without decreasing?

Yes! When SC2tog is combined with other stitches or chains, it can form part of a repeating stitch pattern without reducing the overall width of your project.

The SC2tog, ch 1 combination is a great example.

Can you work SC2tog in the back loop only?

Yes. Instead of inserting your hook underneath both loops of each stitch, insert it through the back loop only before pulling up each loop.

Working SC2tog in the back loop can add extra texture and ridging to the fabric and is a technique I use in the Ellis Washcloth.

Why does my crochet get smaller when I SC2tog?

Because that is exactly what a traditional SC2tog is designed to do!

Each SC2tog takes two stitches and turns them into one, reducing your stitch count by one. Unless another stitch or chain compensates for that decrease, your fabric will gradually become narrower.

SC2tog Is a Small Stitch With Lots of Possibilities

The single crochet 2 together stitch may look like a tiny addition to your crochet skill set, but it is an incredibly useful one.

Once you know how to crochet SC2tog, you can use it to decrease stitches, create curves, taper edges and shape everything from hats and garments to amigurumi and accessories.

But I hope this tutorial has also shown you that SC2tog doesn’t have to be just a decrease.

Combine it with chains, experiment with working into different loops and suddenly that simple shaping technique can become part of a beautiful textured stitch pattern too.

That is one of my favourite things about learning new crochet techniques. You are not simply learning how to make one stitch — you are adding another tool to your crochet toolbox that can be used in all sorts of different ways.

So grab some scrap yarn and give the SC2tog a try. Work a few decreases so you can see your fabric begin to change shape, then try repeating SC2tog, ch 1 and watch what happens to the texture.

And remember: if you need a little extra help, use the step-by-step photographs above or crochet along with either my right- or left-handed video tutorial.

Once you’ve worked a few SC2tog stitches, I think you’ll find this is one of those techniques that sounds much more complicated than it actually is.