Texture Crochet Stitches
The Front Post and Back Post Stitches

Just follow the diagram below to learn these two easy stitches, then we'll try a small crochet project using them.

These stitches are done with double crochet, by working around the post of each stitch in the row below. Here's how:
Front Post Stitch: yo (yarn over) your hook; starting from the front, place hook from front to back to front (as per arrow in example) around the post of st (stitch) in row below; complete as a dc (double crochet).

And the back post stitch is just an opposite of that ...

Back Post Stitch: yo, starting from the back, place hook from back to front to back (as per arrow in example) around post of st in row below; complete as a dc.

This stitch completely intriques me. I just love the texture it creates. If you haven't tried this one before ... prepare for fascination. If this stitch has already seen many miles on your crochet hooks, you're invited to play with it again.

Texture Dishcloth Pattern:
As an example, here's a pattern that I worked out, using the front post and back post stitches (a little math, a little sketching):

Materials: 2 oz. cotton worsted weight yarn
size G crochet hook
fp = front post stitch
bp = back post stitch

Starting Chain: Chain 35.
Row 1: dc in 5th ch from hook and in ea ch across. (33 dc)
Row 2: ch 2 to turn, *fp in next 5 dc, bp in next 5 dc**, repeat between * and ** 2 more times, dc in last dc.
Row 3: ch 2, *bp in 5 dc, fp in 5 dc**, repeat between * and ** 2 more times, dc in last dc.

To print out the pattern:
If you want to print out just the pattern, without printing the rest of the feature, go here.

Ok. There ya go ... now it's your turn.
1. Think of a shape (easiest ones to start with are squares and triangles; you can get fancy later).
2. Decide how many stitches you want to have in your dishcloth, potholder, pillow (or whatever it's going to be).
3. To make your repeat pattern: divide a small number into your number of stitches if you want large squares or triangles (for instance, for a 40 stitch potholder, divide it by 2 and you'll have 20 stitches in each section. fp for 20 stiches, bp for 20 stitches; repeat.)
For small sections divide a larger number into your stitches (If working with 40 stitches, dividing it by 10 makes 4 stitches in each repeat section. fp for 4 stitches, bp for 4 stitches; repeat.)
4. Decide how long your sections should be and reverse the pattern after that many rows.
5. You can sketch this out on plain or on graph paper, writing in the sections how many stitches wide and how many rows long. I often make one this way, then I can see by the finished product what I would like to change for the next version. More sketching. You may be surprised what you come up with.
Before you do your starting chain: Add 2 to your total number of stitches. (The ch 2 at the beginning of each row counts as a stitch. Keep this first stitch of the row as a regular dc or hdc, not a fp or bp. You will also want a stitch at the end of each row to be worked as a regular dc or hdc). Add 3 more for starting the first dc (First dc is dc in 4th ch from hook).

If you've never made up your own pattern before, don't let that stop you. Never be afraid to try. You can do it. Everyone starts the same way.

After a bit of practice you may feel the urge to get fancy in your designing efforts. With a bit of pre-planning on paper you can turn many shapes or pictures into a fascinating texture pattern with the front and back post stitches.

Hope you have a great week, with lots of crocheting fun.

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