1 For Me, 1 For You- Quick Weave Block

Help me help local communities by creating blocks for Warm Up America, by making a block for yourself and one for a community project with this free pattern. I will be creating a new block every few weeks and sharing it with you, I just ask that make one for donation.

Warm Up America is a nationwide organization that encourages local donations, but will also except donations to be sent to their office so that blocks can be assembled and then blankets can be donated through the United States.

Quick Weave Block

Even if you do not want to participate with Warm Up America, please consider creating blocks, or blankets for your local community. There are various places in every community that accept donations.

The Basket Weave Stitch

Utilizing stitch placement is all that makes this pattern appear. It is essentially only a double crochet stitch, however it is worked around the body or post of the stitch a row below. There are two different stitches, the back post and the front post.

Post stitches can be worked with any stitch type, and I describe below how to work the location. Check out more information about stitch locations here.

Back Post Locations

The back post pushes the post away from the fabric facing. This is done by inserting the hook from the back side of the fabric to the front, between the “post” or “body” of the next stitch to be worked. Then push the hook from the front to the back of the fabric on the other side of the “post” or “body”. I have found this easier to view by shifting the fabric a bit and looking down at the top of the stitches, as I can see the body being pushed backward.

Insert the Hook from the back of the fabric
Push the hook to the back again. This image is looking down from the top of the fabric, note how the post is pushed to the back of the fabric.

Front Post Location

The front post is often easier to work, and pushes the post toward the front of the fabric. This is done by inserting the hook from the front to the back of the fabric between the “post” or “body” of the next stitch to be worked. Then re-insert the back of the fabric to the front of the fabric on the other side of the “post” or “body”.

Hook location for the Front post

Gauge: 7”x9” rectangle

Materials

Medium weight yarn, in 3 colors MC (main color), CC1, CC2

K/10 ½/ 6.5mm hook

Notes

Back Post Double Crochet (bpdc): Yo, insert hook from back to front and then to back again around post of stitch, yo, pull up a loop, [yo, pull through 2 loops] twice.

Front Post Double Crochet (fpdc): Yo, insert hook from front to back and then to front again around post of stitch, yo, pull up a loop, [yo, pull through 2 loops] twice.

Since this Block uses three colors, instead of cutting the yarn, carry it along the side of the Block. If you need tips on this check it out here.

Front post double crochets are easily seen, the back post double crochets show a stripe of color in the row below and look like it is behind the row below.

Block Pattern

With MC Ch 22

Row 1: Dc in 4th ch from hook, dc in each ch across, change to CC1, turn. – 20 dc

Row 2: Ch 3 (counts as dc now and throughout), [fpdc in next 3 sts, bpdc in next 3 sts] 3 times, dc in last st, change to CC2, turn. – 2 dc,  9 fpdc, 9 bpdc

Row 3: Ch 3 (counts as dc now and throughout), [bpdc in next 3 sts, fpdc in next 3 sts] 3 times, dc in last st, change to MC, turn. – 2 dc,  9 fpdc, 9 bpdc

The Beginning of the Repeat

Row 4: Ch 3 (counts as dc now and throughout), [fpdc in next 3 sts, bpdc in next 3 sts] 3 times, dc in last st, change to CC1, turn. – 2 dc,  9 fpdc, 9 bpdc

Row 5: Ch 3 (counts as dc now and throughout), [bpdc in next 3 sts, fpdc in next 3 sts] 3 times, dc in last st, change to CC2, turn. – 2 dc,  9 fpdc, 9 bpdc

Row 6: Ch 3 (counts as dc now and throughout), [fpdc in next 3 sts, bpdc in next 3 sts] 3 times, dc in last st, change to MC, turn. – 2 dc,  9 fpdc, 9 bpdc

Row 7: Ch 3 (counts as dc now and throughout), [bpdc in next 3 sts, fpdc in next 3 sts] 3 times, dc in last st, change to CC1, turn. – 2 dc,  9 fpdc, 9 bpdc

Row 8: Ch 3 (counts as dc now and throughout), [fpdc in next 3 sts, bpdc in next 3 sts] 3 times, dc in last st, change to CC2, turn. – 2 dc,  9 fpdc, 9 bpdc

Row 9: Ch 3 (counts as dc now and throughout), [bpdc in next 3 sts, fpdc in next 3 sts] 3 times, dc in last st, change to MC, turn. – 2 dc,  9 fpdc, 9 bpdc

Just Finished the Pattern Repeat

Rows 10-16: Rep Rows 4-9 once.

Edge

Rnd 1: Ch 1, sc in sc in same st, sc in each st across until 1 st remains, 3 sc in last st, working over row ends evenly sc across to beg ch, 3 sc in last st, working in unused loops of beg ch, sc in each chain across, 3 sc in last st, working over row end evenly sc across, 2 sc in last st, sl st to beg sc, fasten off.

Weave in ends, block. (see tips here)

Understand Crochet Post Stitches

In crochet Post Stitches are all about where you put your hook. It really can be that simple, yet it can be intimidating. It is from post stitches that interesting textures and designs can be created. But first it helps to understand the basics.

To work a Front Post Stitch, the hook is inserted between the “body” of a stitch, from the front of the fabric to the back, then returned back to the front of the fabric. Causing a post (or “body”) of a stitch to be pushed forward. In all the examples I show here I am demonstrating with Double Crochet stitches (US Standard), but really any stitches can be utilized in this manner. Then the indicated stitch is completed as normal.

As for a Front Post Double Crochet -FPDC, (US Standard), you would yarn over first, insert the hook as indicated above, yarn over and pull through a loop to anchor the stitch, then yarn over pull through 2 loops, and repeat the yarn over pull through of the last 2 loops on the hook.

To work a Back Post Stitch the process is very similar, it is just placing the hook in the reverse order, pushing the post (or “body”) of the stitch toward the back of the fabric. Essentially inserting the hook between the “body” of the stitch, from the back of the fabric to the front, then returning the hook to the back of the fabric. Once again you complete the stitch as indicated.

When working a Back Post Double Crochet -BPDC, (US Standard), you would yarn over first, insert the hook around the post of the stitch from back to front, then front to back as described above, yarn over and pull through a loop to anchor the stitch, then yarn over and pull through 2 loops two times.

Knowing these stitch positions opens up many different stitch texture opportunities, such as basket-weave and cables, I have displayed here a simple basket-weave of alternating front and back posts, as well as working a front and back post stitch around the same stitch. Working around the same stitch you will have to skip a stitch between or work the stitches over a mesh base. Using the same stitches, and in this case even in the same order (alternating front and back post stitches), you can get very different effects. Try this stitch placement out for your self.