Post stitches are one of my favorite ways to add some texture to a pattern. Sometimes it's a big, bold feature of the pattern, like the brim on a hat. But sometimes it's a small detail within the stitch pattern to add a subtle complexity that can really elevate an otherwise simple design.
Most of the time when I use post stitches they're double crochet post stitches, but you can actually take the same technique and apply it to other stitches, including the other three basic stitches: single crochet, half double crochet, and treble crochet.
Let's have a look at the front post double crochet (fpdc) first!
Written instructions for the fpdc:
Step 1: yarn over (yo) and insert hook from front to back around the post of designated stitch and then out the front again.
Step 2: yo and pull up a loop (3 loops on hook).
Step 3: yo and pull through 2 loops.
Step 4: yo and pull through last 2 loops on hook to complete fpdc.
Back post stitches are the ones that tend to trip folks up more than the front post does, though. Mostly, I think that's because you have to sort of turn your fabric a little bit to look at the backside as you work, which forces you to shift your perspective and understand what your stitches look like both on the wrong side as well as upside down! But with practice, you can absolutely get the hang of it!
Let's have a closer look at the back post double crochet (bpdc) now:
Written instructions for the bpdc:
Step 1: yarn over (yo) and insert hook from back to front around the post of designated stitch and then out the back again.
Step 2: yo and pull up a loop (3 loops on hook).
Step 3: yo and pull through 2 loops.
Step 4: yo and pull through last 2 loops on hook to complete bpdc.
So really, the only difference is in Step 1 and where/how you insert your hook. Then once you've completed Step 2, you simply complete your double crochet (or other stitch) as normal!
And yes, you can easily modify these instructions to apply to a variety of stitches. For a half double crochet post stitch, for example, you would work through Step 2 and then yo and pull through all 3 loops on your hook to complete the hdc. For a single crochet post stitch, just don't yarn over first and then complete your sc as normal after Step 2. For a treble crochet post stitch, you yarn over twice and then complete your tr as usual, you guessed it, after Step 2!
Now. I was planning to share a small gallery of some of the designs I have that feature post stitches, but it turns out I have WAY more of those than I thought! So join me back here next time for a list of post stitch projects with small summaries of how they show up in each design.
See you soon!