The Front Post Double Crochet, written as FPdc in crochet patterns, is an advanced beginner stitch and a great one to learn once you feel comfortable with the basic stitches — it's used in combination with those basics to create beautiful textures in the fabric of your work. The Front Post Double Crochet stitch is used to create everything from ribbing textures similar to the back post single crochet, to textures like the Basket Weave "stitch," and even beautiful crochet cables.
New to double crochet itself? Start with our How to Double Crochet for Beginners guide first, then come back here.
How to Front Post Double Crochet (FPdc)
For this tutorial, we are using Mary Maxim's Best Value Yarn in the color Cottonwood, and a size I-9 (5.5 mm) hook.
Step 1: Chain 12 (9 + 3). The last three chains are the same as a double crochet, so altogether we'll have 12 stitches. We will be working 2 double crochet (dc), then 2 Front Post Double Crochet (FPdc), and repeating until we end with 2 dc. Working a Front Post Double Crochet at the beginning of a row can be tricky.
Step 2: Double crochet in the 4th chain from the hook (the skipped 3 chains count as the first dc now and throughout). Work a row of dc across to the end. You should have 10 stitches in this row (9 double crochet and a chain-3 that counts as a double crochet). Turn.
Step 3: Chain 3 (this counts as the first dc now and throughout), dc.
Step 4: Yarn over by wrapping the yarn from behind around the hook, and insert your hook from front to back around the post of the next stitch.
Step 5: Yarn over and pull the yarn through.
Step 6: Yarn over and pull the yarn through 2 loops on the hook.
Step 7: Yarn over and pull the yarn through the 2 remaining loops on the hook.
To continue the swatch: FPdc, 2 dc, 2 FPdc, 2 dc.
Crocheting Post Stitches
Let's break down post stitches. Look at how they're written in a pattern: FPdc, BPdc, FPtr, BPtr. The stitch abbreviation first indicates where to begin — front or back — and then which kind of stitch to make (double crochet, treble crochet, half double crochet, and very rarely single crochet). When crocheting post stitches, you're crocheting basic stitches, just changing the location.
Post stitches may not always be straight up and down like when working a Basketweave stitch pattern. Sometimes you're working in the rows below, like in the Alpine Stitch, and sometimes you're skipping stitches and working diagonally across the rows.
The Front Post Double Crochet is the most commonly used of the post stitches, but there are many ways to combine post stitches. Treble crochet stitches (tr) are also common to combine into post stitches. Shorter stitches are more difficult to use for post stitches — it's rare to see a pattern call for a post stitch in single crochet (sc) or even half double crochet (hdc), but it does happen.
Stay Tuned
We have many more stitch tutorials coming your way. If you've always wanted to learn how to knit or crochet, now is a great time to start. Try out your new skill with Mary Maxim's Best 25 Free Crochet Patterns!
Happy Crafting!
