New Twists in Crochet: Front/Back Post Stitches

This post is for my dear friend Clair, who was wondering about whether she was getting her front post and back post crochet stitches right.

Crochet normally creates a flat fabric, but some stitches are used to give it a more three-dimensional feel. Both the front post crochet stitch and the back post crochet stitch can create a sort of raised ridge on either the front surface or the back surface of the work.

Front post and back post crochet can be worked on the "regular" stitches: single crochet, double, triple, etc. [American terminology.]

Here's a video tutorial for the double crochet variation, by DragonGrandma on YouTube:



Front and back post crochet are used to create interesting textures in crochet fabrics. They can be used to create variations on ribbing, but one of the main applications for these stitches - particularly when done in double and triple crochet - is for creating cables.

Cables are decidedly among the handsomest and most interesting knitting stitches, and they retain the same gorgeous effect when done in crochet. I've found a few sets of beginner's instructions for cables in crochet here and here.

And there's a particularly delicious photo of a scarf-and-hat duo in crochet cables on page 66 here. I have that book myself and really want to try making the project when I have good natural-hued yarn on hand.

Hope this helps, oneechan.