Back Post Double Crochet (bpdc) Made Easy

The back post double crochet (BPDC) is a crochet post stitch that creates recessed ridges and textured fabric by working around the post of a stitch rather than through the top loops. It is commonly used to create ribbing, basketweave stitch, crochet cables, and other textured crochet patterns. Although BPDC may look complicated at first, it is simply a variation of the standard double crochet stitch. This step-by-step tutorial will show you how to crochet back post double crochet, explain when to use it, and compare it to front post double crochet.

What is Back Post Double Crochet?

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

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.

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.

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.

Back Post Double Crochet (Step by Step)

1. Row of Regular Double Crochet

1. First, make a row of regular double crochet stitches.
2. Work three chains (turning chain) and turn your work.

❤️BEGINNER TIP: 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.)

2. First Back Post DC

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.

3. Continue Across Row

• Continue working bpdc all along the row.

4. Regular Double Crochet

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

5. Repeat the BPDC Pattern

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.

Back Post Double Crochet Decrease

To decrease, you will be working 2 stitches together in a double crochet 2 together through the back posts.

Back Post Double Crochet Troubleshooting

Here are some common problems you may encounter with BPDC and how to fix them.

Problem	Cause	Solution
Difficult to find posts	Looking at top loops	Locate the vertical post first
Uneven ridges	Inconsistent tension	Pull loops evenly
Fabric puckers	Stitches too tight	Relax tension
Missing texture	Hook inserted incorrectly	Work fully around the post
Uneven edges	Missed stitches	Count stitches carefully

Back Post Double Crochet FAQs

Pin for Later

Back Post Double Crochet – In Conclusion

Back post double crochet is a versatile crochet post stitch that creates recessed texture by working around the back of a stitch post rather than through the top loops. It is commonly used for ribbing, basketweave stitch, crochet cables, and other textured crochet patterns. Once you understand where to place your hook, BPDC becomes an easy technique for adding depth, structure, and professional-looking texture to blankets, garments, baskets, and decorative crochet projects.

More Post Stitch Tutorials

• Front Post Single Crochet
• Front Post Half Double Crochet
• Front Post Double Crochet
• Front Post Treble Crochet
• Back Post Single Crochet
• Back Post Half Double Crochet
• Back Post Treble Crochet
• Crochet Post Stitches