How to Crochet: Front Post Double Crochet (fpdc)
By Rachel Choi – 38 CommentsAre you ready to start making texture in your crochet work? If so, then lets get stared with the basics! Front post double crochet is also known as front raised double crochet. Front post can be done using many stitches, but for this tutorial we will focus on the popular double crochet stitch. You will need to know the basics of crocheting before attempting this tutorial. Visit the Crochet Tutorials Section for more help.
The only thing that is different in a front post double crochet compared to a regular double crochet is the location you insert your hook to make your stitch.
This tutorial is for both right and left handed people. For left handed pictures, roll your mouse over the image and it will change for you.
To make a front post double crochet, follow the instructions below:
Yarn over (wrap the yarn around your hook)
Insert your hook into the front of your work, behind the indicated stitch, and then through your work such that your hook is now at the front of your work again.
Yarn over (wrap the yarn around your hook)
Pull up a loop
Yarn over (wrap the yarn around your hook)
Pull through 2 loops on your hook.
Yarn over (wrap the yarn around your hook)
Pull through final 2 loops on your hook.
You just completed one front post double crochet! The stitch should look just like a regular double crochet but is slightly raised forward compared to the rest of your work.
Visit the Crochet Tutorials Section for more fun tutorials!
Thanks so much for all your HELP!!!!! Im going to give it a try, wish me luck!!!! (hee hee)
I love your crochet tutorials! I sooo wish I could go back in time and learn from these instead of struggling with ancient library books I checked out as a kid. Oh well. =)
[...] then this going to be a piece of cake! If you don’t already know how, then visit the “How to Crochet: Front Post Double Crochet (fpdc)” before attempting this [...]
Which stitch do you form this stitch around – is it the one you just made or one in the previous row? Or would the pattern say?
Got to say, love your photographs, so well focused and framed compared with some sites, or even published books!
Hey Caroline,
You normally make it around a stitch on the previous row. But if you’re working with a pattern, it should tell you where to make it.
[...] FPdc [...]
Hi Rachel
I was hoping for a bit of advice, it’s not on one of your patterns but I’m hoping you might be able to help me anyway. I’m doing the Moss Stitch Afghan from the Lion Brand website and I’ve been stumped by one of the lines.
“Row 3 Ch 1, sc in first st, *sc around front of next st, sc around back of next st; repeat
from * across, sc in last st (turning ch)”
I was thinking that they mean alternating between front and back post sc, but I’m not sure and was wondering what you thought. Thanks.
Hi Bookworm, my guess is as good as yours. I’d recommend sending an email to the Lion Brand folks. They would know more about the pattern than me.
…I didn’t even know I could do that
I’ll go do that now.
Thanks for the suggestion. I emailed them and got a response, now I’m on my way. Turns out it was what I thought.
[...] Most people assume that making cables is difficult, but as soon as you master these two techniques: Front Post Double Crochet (fpdc) and Back Post Double Crochet (bpdc), cabling will be part of your everyday crocheting [...]
Dear Rachel, I am so happy to receive your emails. You bring up topics and give suggestions, that leave me smacking my head with “a why didn’t think of that” mode.
I was also happy to learn from the Making clothes warmer segment. I didn’t realize FPDC and BPDC would result in a warmer beanie.
Although I live in Arizona, I do crochet gifts for family in Wisconsin and they want WARM stuff.
Also the Kiss Me Bag looks great. I am using a cane for a while and long handled purses or bags flop all around. As soon as I am done trying to get a slouch or beret done (wish me luck on that), I really want that bag. My Christmas present to myself.
Again thank you so much for all the sharing that you do.
[...] cabled creations. Guess what? Crocheters can make them, too! The cables are made by using front post stitches and back post stitches. Different looks are achieved by crocheting around the stitches directly [...]
[...] ear warmer will keep your fingers busy and your ears warm as a result! You will have to know the Front Post Double Crochet (fpdc) and Back Post Double Crochet (bpdc), and then you’re good to go! It is a good pattern [...]
[...] of yarn and finish it off with a little eyelash yarn for a fringe effect. You will have to know the Front Post Double Crochet (fpdc) and Back Post Double Crochet (bpdc). It is a good pattern to use up your scrap yarn. You can [...]
am trying to figure out how to do this step . . . “working BEHIND FPtr just made work FPtr around each skipped st”. Those skipped stitches are double crochet stitches. You have the chain, then one row of dc, then start with FPdc and FPtr, etc. Working behind has me baffled on how to maneuver the hook to make that stitch. Thanks.
Hi Karen, I think it’s trying to tell you to put your hook behind (instead of in front of) the fptr that you already made in order to get to the stitch you skipped. So try and make a fptr in the skipped stitch. In doing so, you’re going to have to either but your hook in front or behind the fptr that you already made. When you make the new fptr it will overlap the existing fptr.
HA!!!
Disregard that email honey, I found the FPDC!! lol
thanks though!!
I taught myself to crochet first with one of those “basics” books with hand drawn pictures, and later on the web to find more advanced direction. Of all the tutorials I’ve read/watched, yours are definitely the easiest to understand and most informative.
[...] Instructions: BCDCC (Back Cross Double Crochet Cable): Sk 2 sts, FPdc in next 2 sts, working behind the FPdcs, BPdc in skipped [...]
Thank-you so much for the left-handed option! I’ve never seen this before. It was so nice not to wrap my brain around mirror images.
Would love if someone could post wonderful pictures and instructions on how to front post double crochet decrease. I have a pattern that I need to do that and the book’s instructions aren’t super clear. I know how to double crochet decrease so I’m assuming its similar but would love clarification.
Yes, it is the same idea as the regular double crochet decrease. The only different is that when you insert your hook into the stitches on the previous row you’ll insert it as if you’re working around the post of the stitch like when you’re making a fpdc.
I am working on a pattern and it calls for FPDC around the next 4 dc`s can anyone tell me how todo it thanks
Hi Linda, it seems like the pattern wants you to make 1 fpdc around each of the next 4 dc. So you’ll make 4 fpdc lik this tutorial shows.
Rachel, I am at a complete loss, can you explain what this means: work fpdc around next hdc one row below,( I figured that out) working in front of fpdc just made, work fpdc around hdc one row below slipped hdc. Too confused. Help
Hi Maria, I’m not sure what the “slipped hdc” is referring to. Is there a row of hdc worked before somewhere? Maybe it’s a typo and it meant is say “skipped” instead of “slipped”? I’d recommend contacting the designer of the pattern if possible, since he/she would be able to clarify.
This was really helpful, and completely clarified what my pattern had only half explained. Thank you!
I just wanted to say that I love your site because of the left-handed pictures! Very helpful!! Thanks!
My question is regarding the next stitch. If the pattern called for a dc next, does it go in the stitch immediately next to the post or does it go into the next one over? Thanks!
Hi Suzanne, if you worked fpdc around a stitch, then you would skip the stitch that you just worked around and work into the next stitch to make your next double crochet.
this is my question, too
I just do not have it right, figuring which is the next stitch
would it be possible to add this step to your lovely photo tutorial
fpdc…vs bpdc……on bpdc….does the hook end up in back of post before the second yarn over….
and the foundation row is always dc. row, right……and in foundation row, is it dc chain one, dc chain one?
thanks….awesome photos…..better than some videos
maeiann
Hello, here’s the link to the bpdc tutorial so you can see the pics of where the hook goes: How to Crochet: Back Post Double Crochet (bpdc) (it’s the opposite of the fpdc)
For the foundation row, it really depends on the pattern. It can almost be any combination of stitches on the foundation row, depending on what you want it to look like.
Hi Rachel, I’m working on a pattern. It is said “ch 3, skip 2 fpdc, bpdc in next 2 fpdc, bpdc in skipped fpdc,…”. I’m trying to figure out how to do bpdc in skipped stitches, and which one should I go first, the one that farthest away from my hook? Can you explain how to do that stiches? I try to do it but it just a chaotic, I can’t identify the stiches for the next row. There’s supposed to be a cross on that skipped stitches, right? but mine wasn’t like that. Help me please, please……. Thanks in advance
Hello! It sounds like you are working some sort of cable or twist. Most of the time the pattern will tell you which skipped stitch to work into. But if your pattern isn’t specifying, I’ll guess that it is the second skipped stitch, since the ch 3 at the beginning of the pattern may be acting as the first stitch. You can find an example of skipping stitches and working into the skipped stitch in this tutorial (see the crossed cable section): How to Crochet: Cable Stitches
I am entirely new to the front (back) post stitches. After I have done a row of either, where do I place the hook for a row of regular stitches?
Hi Kate, you would work regular stitches by inserting your hook under the front and back loops (like you would usually do when working into a stitch). This post has a picture of the front and back loops so you can see which loops I’m referring to: Crochet in Front, Back or Both Loops