Back Post Double Crochet: How to Do It Step by Step

Back Post Double Crochet is a crochet stitch that makes recessed column on the front; pairs with FPdc for ribbing. Makers reach for it for ribbed cuffs and brims, cables, basketweave. It is rated intermediate here, so it helps to be comfortable with the basic stitches first and to practice on a swatch before a project.

1. Yarn over. 2. Insert the hook from back to front to back around the post of the stitch below. 3. Yarn over and pull up a loop around the post. There are 3 loops. 4. Yarn over and pull through 2 loops, then yarn over and pull through the last 2. Work slowly for the first few repeats, keep your tension even, and check the result against the steps before continuing across a whole row or motif.

US patterns abbreviate back post double crochet as BPdc. UK patterns write it as BPtr, so always check whether a pattern uses US or UK terms before you start, because the same abbreviation can mean a different stitch. Pattern keys list every abbreviation used, usually near the materials list.

The most common problems are: mixing up front and back post on alternating rows; losing count by skipping the top edge stitch. Most are easy to spot if you pause after a few repeats and compare your work with the steps. Good light helps a great deal, especially with dark yarn or thread.

Stitches closely related to back post double crochet include Front Post Double Crochet, Waffle Stitch. Learning them together makes patterns easier to read, because many designs switch between related stitches to change texture, height or line. Each has its own step-by-step page in the stitch dictionary.