Glossary / Back post double crochet
bpdcBack post double crochet
A double crochet worked around a post from behind, pushing it back. Back post treble in UK terms.
How to work it
Yarn over, then insert your hook from the back of the work, around the vertical post of the stitch below, and out to the back again, so the hook passes behind the post. Complete the double crochet as usual. The stitch recedes on the front of the fabric. Alternating back post and front post stitches is how crochet ribbing, basketweave, and cable textures are built.
US and UK
This stitch is also called Back post treble (UK). Always check which term set a pattern uses before you start, since the same name can mean a different stitch across the two.
Common confusions
What does bpdc mean?
In crochet patterns, bpdc means Back post double crochet. A double crochet worked around a post from behind, pushing it back. Back post treble in UK terms.
How do I tell bpdc from fpdc while I am working?
Look at where the hook goes first. Front post enters from the front and the finished stitch sits raised toward you. Back post enters from the back and the finished stitch sinks away from you. If you cannot tell from the instruction, work one of each and look at the fabric, because the difference is obvious once you see it.
Do post stitches count as stitches in the row total?
Yes. A post stitch replaces the stitch it is worked around, so the row count does not change. What does change is the height, because post stitches pull the fabric in, which is why post-stitch ribbing measures narrower than the same number of plain stitches.
In other languages
| Language | Term | Abbreviation |
|---|---|---|
| English | Back post double crochet | bpdc |
| Español | Punto alto en relieve por detrás | no standard code |
| Deutsch | Hinteres Reliefstäbchen | RStb h |
| Français | Bride en relief arrière | no standard code |
| Italiano | Maglia alta dietro il rilievo | no standard code |
| 日本語 | 裏引き上げ長編み | no standard code |
Related stitches
Keep your place while you work this stitch. Worsted counts your rows and rounds and remembers your spot in the pattern, for crochet and knitting.
Get Worsted