Front and back post double crochet are a must learn! They are beginner friendly, and create so many awesome textures. Seriously, if you can double crochet, you can do this. Plus, they can be combined in tons of ways to create ribbing, basket weave, and waffle textures, just to name a few!
Ya’ll, I have to confess. When I first learned this stitch, I could not for the life of me remember which stitch was which. I had no problem learning the magic loop. But this? I had to look it up multiple times, even though this is regarded as a much simpler technique.
I share mildly embarassing nugget in hopes that it helps even one person realize we all have our hang-ups. Sometimes when we learn new things, they just don’t click immediately, even if everyone else swears they’re “simple”. Keep playing friends, you got this!
So, the front post pushes the double crochet to the front of your piece (shocker!). The back post pushes it to…can you guess?…the back.
These stitches are awesome because they’re worked exactly the same way as a regular double crochet. The only difference is where you place your hook.
Normally, you insert your hook into the top of the next stitch (under the Vs). Instead, you will insert your hook around the standing part of your stitch, called the post.
Keep reading for a written tutorial with photos, or check out the video at the bottom of this post. (I always like to do both.) Speaking of, if you like video tutorials, be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel. I release new videos every Friday!
Materials
- the yarn of your choice (I’m using worsted weight)
- corresponding hook (I’m using an H-hook)
Stitch Abbreviations
This tutorial uses US crochet terms.
- Chain – ch
- Double crochet – dc
- Front post double crochet – FPdc
- Back post double crochet – BPdc
Front Post Double Crochet Tutorial
The standing part of your stitch is the post. That’s the meat and potatoes of your stitch.
Yarn over, insert your hook in the space between the stitches, from front to back to front. You should have one post in front of your hook.
Yarn over, draw your loop to the front. You have three loops on your hook.
Complete your stitch as usual. (Yarn over, draw through two loops, yarn over, draw through last two loops.)
It might not look like much in the photo, but as you continue making stitches, it will become obvious that stitch is pushed to the front.
That’s it! I told you it was simple! Now on to the back post.
Back Post Double Crochet Tutorial
Again, the standing part of your stitch is the post.
Yarn over, insert your hook in the space between the stitches, from back to front to back. You should have one post behind your hook.
Here is the view from the back.
Yarn over, draw up a loop. You have three loops on your hook.
Complete your stitch as usual. (Yarn over, draw through two loops, yarn over, draw through last two loops.)
Again, it may not look like much in the photo, but you will begin to see the texture as you go along.
Back post stitches may seem tricky at first, but, it’s only because you rarely insert your hook from the back side of the fabric. It may take a little longer to get the muscle memory down, but it’s just as easy as the front post once you get going.
Ways to combine front and back post stitches
There’s a million fun ways to combine these stitches! As a little bonus, I’m going to show you examples of four of my favorites, each with their own separate tutorial.
Ribbing. I like this for cuffs on sweaters and the brims of beanies.
Basket weave. This is such a fun pattern! Create it by alternating blocks of front and back post crochet.
Waffle stitch. This one uses just front post and regular double crochets.
Alpine Stitch. This one seems to be everywhere right now, and for good reason! It creates a lovely ripple effect for lots of bold texture.
Front and Back Post Double Crochet Video Tutorial
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I’d love it if you left me a comment below telling me what you’re going to make with your new front and back post crochet skills!