If you've never seen it before, the abbreviation bpdc might seem strange. Back post double crochet" is what this stands for. It is a certain way to do a double crochet stitch. This stitch gives the front of the work a beautiful texture that can be used for sweaters, blankets, crochet scrubbies and more.

Back Post Double Crochet Tutorial

Every crocheter needs to know how to do post stitches, which are a basic crochet technique. Once you know how to move your hook to make a stitch jump forward or backward, you'll be ready to start crocheting cables and making beautiful fabrics with different textures.

Back post double crochet (bpdc) pulls stitches back and makes an interesting ridge line that shows the tops of stitches from the row below. Some patterns use the ridge to make crochet ribbing, while others look more like a horizontal ridge across the work.

You should learn how to do the front post double crochet stitch before you learn how to do the back post double crochet. It's just a little bit easier and has a similar concept.

Supplies

Just yarn and crochet hook sizes suitable for that yarn.
You may want to have scissors and a yarn needle for cutting the yarn and threading in the ends.

Abbreviation for Back Post Double Crochet Stitch

All instructions are written in US terms. Read more about crochet terms.

bpdc = back post double crochet
ch = chain stitch crochet
dc = double crochet
hdc = half double crochet
YO = yarn over
st (s) = stitch (es)
bp = back post
fp = front post

The UK and US use the same names for stitches like double crochets, trebles, and double trebles, but they mean different things in each country. A US single crochet is the same as a UK double crochet, and a US treble is the same as a UK double treble. So working double crochet in this tutorial would be working a treble in UK terminology.

Double Crochet Recap

In case you need a refresher, here is how to do a double crochet stitch.

Back Post Double Crochet Step-by-Step Instructions

First, make a row of regular double crochet stitches.

Note: Post stitches are never done on the first row. So before you start, work a foundation chain and then one row of double crochet. (It doesn't matter how many double crochets you do. Any multiple will do.)

Work three chains (turning chain) and turn your work.

Now you need to work out how and where to put your hook. We'll still go around the post of the stitch, just like in front post double crochet, but this time we'll do it from the other side.

Yarn over, then put your hook in between the first two stitches from back to front.

Keep moving your hook towards the left of the work so that you go around the post of the stitch. Lastly, stick the hook out of the back of the work on the other side. On the front of the work, you should hardly be able to see the hook.

Yarn over and pull a loop through the post of the double crochet your hook is around.

From here, you can just finish the double crochet as usual.

Pull yarn through two loops, yarn over, and pull yarn through two loops. You will see the post gets pulled back from the surrounding stitches.

Continue working bpdc all along the row.

Turn , chain 3, and work a row of normal double crochet.

Repeat, working 1 row bpdc and 1 row dc stitches until your fabric is the required length.

More Bpdc Stitch Techniques

Back Post Double Crochet Increase

Regular increases vs. back-post increases: Traditional increases are made by working two stitches together in the same stitch. To make a back post increase crochet one stitch into the top of a stitch and one stitch around the post of the same stitch.

So working along your row of double crochet, where you need to increase, you work it like this.

Yarn over, and insert your hook into the top of the dc in the previous row, (just as you would work a normal dc). Work the dc.

Yarn over, insert your hook around the post of that same stitch, from back to front then out the back again, and work your bpdc.
You have worked 2 stitches into one, so have increased one stitch.

Back Post Double Crochet Decrease

To decrease, you will be working 2 stitches together. Working along your row of dc, where you need to decrease, you work it like this.

YO, insert hook in front of post.
YO, bring loop back through. (3 loops)
YO, pull through first 2 loops. (2 loops) Do not complete the stitch.

Move to the next stitch.
YO insert hook around next post.
YO, bring loop through. (4 loops)

YO, draw it through the first 2 loops. (3 loops)

YO, pull it through all 3 loops left on the hook.
You have now made two stitches into one.

Bpdc In The Round

Foundation:

Start with a magic ring or chain 3, and slip stitch to form a ring.

Round 1:

Chain 3, (counts as first dc).
Make 11 dc into the ring.
Join to the top of your beginning chain with a slip stitch. (12 stitches)

Round 2:

Chain 3, (counts as first dc).
Make a bpdc around the beginning chain of the previous round.
*Dc into top loops only of next bpdc.
Then work bpdc around the post of the same stitch. (You are increasing in each stitch.)
Repeat from * into every stitch of the round. (24 sts, 12 dc, 12 bpdc)

The ridge is a lot more muted when working in the round, as you are increasing all the time!

Round 3:

Chain 3, (counts as first dc).
*Dc into next stitch. (This will be into the bpdc of the previous round.)
Make a bpdc into the same stitch.
Dc in next st.
Repeat from * 11 times, leaving out last dc in last repeat.
Join to top of the 3 chain with a slip stitch. (36 sts, 24 dc, 12 bpdc.)

Continue in this way in rounds, working the bpdc in each previous bpdc and increasing the number of dc by one in between each bpdc

So round 4 will be 2dc, 1 increased bpdc all around, round 5 will be 3 dc,1 increased bpdc all around, and so on.
Work until your circle is the required size.

Back Post Double Crochet FAQs

What To Make With Back Post Double Crochet?

Bpdc is at its best when worked in combination with other stitches. One lovely crochet stitch pattern you can make with bpdc is the ripple stitch design. The crochet basket weave stitch uses both the back post and front posts.

What is the difference between front post double crochet and back post double crochet?

The difference is in the way you insert your hook. For front post stitches, you insert your hook from front, to back, to front again. For back post stitches, you insert the hook from back, to front, to back again.

How do you crochet bpdc fpdc ribbing ?

Alternate bpdc and fpdc stitches to make post-stitch ribbing. It is not difficult to do. Simply begin by making the first stitch around the front of the post, followed by the second around the back, and so on along the row. Every second row must be ordinary dc.

Back Post Double Crochet - In Conclusion

Back post double crochet is a handy stitch that may be used in a variety of applications. Learning not only the regular bdpc, but also more advanced techniques such as increasing and decreasing in bpdc, can be really beneficial! So now it's time to try - find a hook and some yarn and start working on the various techniques! You will not be sorry.