Front Post & Back Post Double Crochet

When a pattern calls for working a front post double crochet or a back post double crochet, what do you do? Working around the post of the stitch can be quite easy, but you have to bend your brain a bit at first to understand the concept. Read the instructions below for how to work front and back post double crochet, then scroll down for a video tutorial.

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Identify the Posts

Before you can work a post stitch, you need to know what a “post” is. A post is the vertical part of a stitch. Double crochet is a tall-ish stitch, which makes the double crochet post easy to recognize.

For both front post and back post double crochet, use a chain-2 turning chain at the beginning of a row and a half double crochet in the last stitch of the row.

Front Post Double Crochet

To work a front post double crochet (FPdc or fpdc), yarn over, insert the hook from front to back to front around the post of the stitch, yarn over and pull up a loop, then (yarn over and pull through 2 loops) twice.

FPdc is simply a double crochet worked by inserting your hook around the post from front to back to front, rather than into the top two loops of a stitch as you normally would.

A front post stitch sits up in front of the fabric, creating a raised stitch that “pops” toward you.

Back Post Double Crochet

To work a back post double crochet (BPdc or bpdc), yarn over, insert the hook from back to front to back around the post of the stitch, yarn over and pull up a loop, then (yarn over and pull through 2 loops) twice.

BPdc is simply a double crochet worked by inserting your hook around the post from back to front to back, rather than into the top two loops of a stitch as you normally would.

A back post stitch recedes behind the fabric, creating a stitch that hides behind the others, away from you. Keep this in mind, because when you turn the work, that back post double crochet that was hiding on the first row is now sitting up in front of the fabric and appears as a front post stitch.

Double Crochet Rib

To make double crochet rib, work one front post double crochet and one back post double crochet, alternating across the row. On the following row, work front post double crochet around the front post stitches and back post double crochet around the back post stitches. After a few rows, you’ll see a vertically-textured pattern appear.

Check out the video to see these stitches in action.

The Crochet Answer Book

For answers to all your crochet questions, read The Crochet Answer Book. For more online resources, check out Crochet: Basics & Beyond.