Most crochet patterns say nothing about where the hook goes, and the default is under both loops at the top of the stitch below, the V you see along the row. Change where the hook enters and you change the texture, the stretch, and the look of the fabric without learning a new stitch. Three variations cover most textured work.
The top of a stitch
Look at a row of single crochet from the front. Each stitch has a V on top made from two strands. The strand nearest you is the front loop; the one farther away is the back loop. Working under both gives a flat, dense, even fabric.
Working in the back loop only
Abbreviated BLO. Insert the hook under the back loop only and leave the front loop untouched. The unworked front loops remain as a horizontal line on the side facing you, which gives a ridged, ribbed look. Some things to know:
- The fabric becomes more stretchy across the rows, as if it were ribbing, so BLO single crochet is used for cuffs, hat bands and headbands.
- Working BLO in every row gives a fabric with visible horizontal ridges on both sides, similar to garter stitch in knitting.
- The fabric is softer and more drapey than both-loop crochet, since there is less yarn per stitch in the fabric's thickness.
- It uses a little less yarn than the same area in standard stitches, but the ridges take some width. Expect the piece to be wider or longer than a swatch in both loops.
Working in the front loop only
Abbreviated FLO. The mirror of BLO: the hook goes under the front loop, and the back loops stay as a ridge on the side facing away. FLO is useful for:
- Making a decorative ridge that stands out from a flat piece, for example the edge of a hat brim.
- Creating a shelf of unworked loops from which a second layer can be worked later, such as ruffles or petals.
- Turning a corner on a flat piece into a square bottom; working FLO round the base of a bag and then continuing upward gives a defined edge.
In amigurumi, the front loop is used for the closing round and for the invisible decrease; both are listed in the stitch database.
Post stitches
A post stitch is worked around the body, or post, of a stitch in the row below, instead of into the top. A front post double crochet (FPdc) goes in from the front, round the post and out to the front, so the stitch rises toward you. A back post double crochet (BPdc) goes behind the post, so it recedes.
Alternating FPdc and BPdc stitches in a row, for example 2 front then 2 back, makes a stretchy ribbing that looks like knit ribs. Working them in the same column row after row makes cable-like raised columns, which is the basis of the waffle stitch and of crocheted cables.
Tips for posts:
- Yarn over before inserting the hook, exactly as for a normal double crochet.
- Insert the hook from the side, between the post of the stitch and its neighbour, and out the other side. Make sure the hook goes around the whole post.
- Skip the stitch in the row you are working that sits behind the post, or the count will grow.
- Pull the loop up to the full height of the stitch; post stitches tend to come out short.
Choosing between them
| Want | Use |
|---|---|
| Stretchy cuffs or bands | BLO single crochet, or alternating FP and BP |
| Horizontal ridges | BLO every row |
| Edge that stands out | FLO round, then continue |
| Raised columns, cables | Front post stitches in the same columns |
| Dense flat fabric | Both loops |
Choosing yarn and hook
Textured stitches read best in smooth, tightly plied yarn in a solid colour. Fuzzy or variegated yarn hides them. Go up a hook size for post stitches and ribbing, since the fabric is denser than plain stitches and a tighter hook makes it stiff. The hook database gives metric and US equivalents for stepping one size at a time, and the yarn-weights database shows the typical hook range for each weight.
The stitch database has entries for front loop only, back loop only, front post double crochet, back post double crochet, moss stitch and waffle stitch if you want to practise each one on a small swatch before using it in a project.