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How to crochet between the posts of 4 basic crochet stitches

ByDora Does Published:
Four crochet swatches in two colours with a crochet hook lie on a flat surface. The crochet swatches are all made up of stitches crocheted between the posts. The swatches are made of single crochet, extended single crochet, half double crochet and double crochet worked between the posts.

In this tutorial, I will demonstrate how to crochet between the posts of crochet stitches, instead of into the top of the stitch in the traditional way.

If you’ve ever made a granny square you’ve already done this, but in that context you are working three stitches between the posts in clusters. Working single stitches between single posts is a little different (but it’s useful to bear the granny stitch concept in mind).

I’ll cover four of the basic crochet stitches in this guide. In US terms, that’s single crochet, extended single crochet, half double crochet and double crochet.

An infographic showing four crochet stitches between the posts. Clockwise from the top left, the swatches are made in single crochet, extended single crochet, half double crochet and double crochet.
Four crochet swatches in baby pink, bright pink and mustard, turquoise, green and cream. The textured swatches are made from crochet stitches worked between the posts.
Crochet swatches of single crochet, extended single crochet, half double and double crochets worked between the posts

Written instructions for crocheting between posts (all stitches)

The principle is the same for crocheting between the posts of any stitch, but where you place your crochet hook looks a little different with each stitch.

The technique works with any stitch multiple. However, one thing you need to be aware of is how to start and finish the row so that you maintain a consistent stitch count.

Because you’re working between stitches, you need one stitch at either the start or end of the row ‘outside’ of another stitch, which doesn’t really make much sense in real terms.

The way I go about this is to make a chain (ch) at the start of the row which doesn’t count as a stitch, but acts as an anchor for this ‘outside’ stitch.

Below are the generic written instructions for crocheting between posts. I’ve used double crochet (dc) in the example, but this can be substituted with any individual crochet stitch, adjusting the height of the starting chain accordingly.

Make a chain (ch) of any number plus 3 for the turning chain;

Set up Row: Make 1dc in 4th ch from hook and each ch to the end, turn

Pattern Row: Ch3, 1dc between the posts of the first and second stitches (that’s between the last two stitches of the previous row), 1dc between the posts of subsequent sts to last pair, working the last dc between the post of the last st and the turning chain from the previous row, turn

Repeat Pattern Row as desired

Note that I recommend going up a couple of hook sizes from the one suggested by the ball band when crocheting between the posts. This ensures that your fabric retains some drape.

Extended single crochet worked between the posts

Now that we’ve established the basic approach, let’s see what this actually looks like on swatches of different stitches.

Video tutorial: How to crochet between stitches

Below you can find a video tutorial demonstrating how to crochet between the posts for double crochet, half double crochet, extended single crochet and single crochet, in that order.

You can find a left handed version of this video tutorial here.

Photo tutorial: How to crochet between the posts

I put together a step by step photo tutorial for working between the posts of four basic crochet stitches. This shows you precisely where to insert your hook, as well as noting where it should come out on the reverse side of your work to ensure your stitches are made in the right place.

I have started with US double crochet and continued with stitch height in descending order. The taller stitches are easier as the posts are more defined, so I go from easiest to trickiest.

If you’re unsure about where the posts are on your crochet stitches, this article explaining the anatomy of a crochet stitch should help you.

When working between the posts of stitches, the stitch is made as normal, just in a different place.

Crocheting between the posts of double crochet

Here are the step by step photos for crocheting double crochet (US terms) between the posts

A turquoise swatch of double crochets worked between the posts with a crochet hook pointing to the spot where it should be inserted between the posts.
To start, you insert the hook between the posts of the first and second stitch as indicated by the tip of the hook.
A crochet hook inserted through a tortoise swatch of double crochets showing the reverse side of the swatch showing where the hook should come through.
The hook should come out on the reverse of your fabric between the posts too, as seen here.
A close up of a double crochet stitch made in cream yarn between the posts of double crochets made in teal yarn.
The stitch is made as normal over the top of the place between the stitches – seen here in a contrast yarn.
A turquoise crochet swatch of dc between the posts with two rows of the same stitch in cream yarn at the top.
This a swatch of double crochet worked between the posts, with the top two rows worked in a cream yarn, shows the mesh-like texture of this technique with double crochet.

Crocheting between the posts of half double crochet stitches

Next we move onto the photo guide to working between the posts of half double crochet. These shorter stitches require a little more attention than the double.

A close up showing where to insert the crochet hook when working between the posts. A hook points so it spot in a pink swatch.
The tip of the hook indicates where to insert it to crochet between the posts.
A crochet hook inserted between the posts of half double crochet stitches made in pink yarn to demonstrate where the hook should come out on the reverse side.
It’s important to check where the hook comes out on the reverse. Here you see how it should exit between the stitches.
A close up of a half double crochet stitch being worked between the posts of stitches.
Yarn over and pull up a loop as with the normal half double crochet. The hook is pictured with three loops on it, part way through the stitch.
A close up of a half double crochet stitch being crocheted between the posts.
Complete the half double crochet stitch as normal.

Crocheting between the posts of extended single crochets

Now we move onto my favourite of the four examples, the extended single crochet worked between posts. This is the technique I use in my ‘Between the Thorns’ cowl pattern.

The tip of a crochet hook the pointed at the space where it should be inserted to work between the stitches of a green extended singe crochet swatch.
The tip of the hook indicates the space between the posts of the stitches where you will crochet your next esc stitch.
This image shows the reverse of the work where the hook comes out. You can see it is still between the vertical v’s of the two stitch posts.
A close up of extended single crochet being made between the posts.
Yarn over and pull up a loop over the tops of the stitches to work the extended single as normal.
A close up of an extended single crochets between made in cream yarn between the posts.
Complete the esc stitch in the normal way.
A green textured crochet swatch with two rows of cream stitches at the top. The swatch is made from extends sc between the posts of the crochet stitches.
A completed swatch of extended single crochets between the posts with the last two rows in cream yarn.

Crocheting between the posts of single crochets

Lastly, we look at the single crochet worked between posts.

Using the between the post technique with singles can be a good alternative to waistcoat stitch if you’re working in rows. It’s not quite the same but is a nod to that knit-look crochet stitch pattern (and in my opinion it’s much easier!!).

A close up showing where to insert your crochet hook when working between the posts of single crochets.
Insert the hook between the posts of the stitches on the previous row (under the little horizontal knot)
The reverse side of a crochet swatch demonstrating where the crochet hook should come out of the back when crocheting between the posts.
The hook should come out of the back between the posts too, not through the centre of a stitch.
A close up of a single crochet made between the posts in mustard yarn into the top of a pink swatch of the same stitches.
Crochet the single crochet as usual.
A square pink crochet swatch of single crochets between the posts with a mustard yellow stripe of two rows.
Single Crochet Stitches made between the posts.

And there we have it, one technique with four stitches and a different result with each. Which one is your favourite?

Four crochet swatches of crochet stitches made between the posts of single crochet, extended single crochet, half double crochet and double crochet in pink, green, stacked and turquoise yarn respectively.

I hope you have found this tutorial interesting and I have inspired you to try something different with your everyday stitches.

If you have any questions or thoughts about this, please do drop them in the comments!

Happy Hooking

Dx

More crochet stitch tutorials

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Crochet Designer and Blogger

Michelle, AKA Dora, has been crocheting since 2012 and began designing almost as soon as she understood how crochet stitches work together, formally publishing her first design in 2017.
Dora’s crochet designs are both modern and useful, and always teach you a little something new. Dora loves creating stitch tutorials and writing deep-dive articles about all kinds of crochet techniques to help you love to crochet just a little more!

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