how to correctly place your post stitches.

I love the looks of front and back post stitches to create beautiful cables and designs on an otherwise flat fabric. But I must admit, I sometimes have difficulty figuring out where my next stitch should be placed, whether I am transitioning to a post stitch or back to a "regular" stitch. This often leads to me having to rip out the row and start over, really concentrating on my stitch placement. 

There are a few tricks that I use for myself that I thought might be useful for everyone else as well. Below is the beginning stages of a pattern that I have in the works.

Instructions for Row 2: Ch 2 (counts as a hdc), hdc in next hdc and each of the next 4 hdc, four-post cable over the next four stitches, hdc in next hdc and each of the next 7 hdc, four-post cable over the next four stitches, hdc in next hdc and each of the next 4 hdc, hdc in the turning ch, turn

I am about to do my four post cable where I must skip the next two posts and make a front post double crochet (fpdc) around each of the third and fourth post. 

   
It's not always so easy to tell if you are only looking at your current row, as it is hard to see which post your current stitch is actually sitting above. I have goofed up on this many, many times. So now I look at my previous row and count the posts. I just made 6 half double crochet (hdc) so I want to count in 6 posts and then my next two posts will be the ones I skip.

The two posts highlighted in a darker purple are the two posts that I am going to skip and I will place a fpdc around each of the next two posts as you can see in the next picture.

Now I must finish the four post cable by placing a fpdc around the two previously missed posts. After finishing my cable stitches, I return to making half double crochets, but this can also get confusing.

This is when I flip over my work and look at the back side. The post stitches push the tops of the stitches towards the back of the work and they are easy to locate. 

 

The stitches highlighted in soft blue are the tops of the stitches that have been pushed towards the back of the work. The cable was made up of four post stitches so count the four stitches and the next stitch (highlighted in purple) is where you will place your next hdc. 

 
Here it is on the front side again after doing a few half double crochet after the four post cable stitches.

Now you are off and running. Use these little tricks throughout your pattern and you will have no problem with your cables running amok. I know it has worked wonders for me and I hope that you find it useful as well. 

tara.