Filet Crochet

Disclaimer: I am a beginner at filet, just like you. I've done some research and I've actually worked the pieces I've shown here. This tutorial is based on what I know at this time.

First, what is filet crochet? Simply put, it is a series of blocks, some solid (filled in) or open (not filled in). A block is made using a tall stitch, generally double crochet though sometimes triple crochet, and chains. If you change the stitch used in your pattern, you will change the look of your picture. From what I can understand, if the block is open or empty it is called a mesh. If it is filled or solid, it is called a block although I have seen some sites using the term "solid mesh" and some places just say "square" or "space". Don't get hung up on terminology. It is the work that is important.

There are different ways you can create your blocks. One is by using a (dc, ch 1, sk 1 ch, dc) which is called a 3-dc mesh, and the other is the (dc, ch 2, sk 2 ch, dc) which is called the 4-dc mesh. They are named as such because when you fill in the mesh you will have either 3 or 4 dc in your block. That is, if it's all by itself.

What may or may not be immediately obvious to you is that if you have blocks next to one another, they will share sides. So in a mesh of (dc, ch 2, sk 2, dc) the ending dc is the beginning dc of the next mesh. Sound confusing? It is, until you get used to the idea.

To fill in a block, you would work either, (dc, dc, dc, dc) in a 4-dc mesh to make a closed or solid block. You would work (dc, dc, dc) in a 3-dc mesh to make a closed or solid block.

Sounds simple enough, right? So if you can design a picture using blocks, you should be able to create a filet crochet design. I might mention that you could use a cross-stitch design to make filet crochet. Instead of making an "x" on fabric, you would just crochet a solid block where the x would be and open mesh where there is no x or vice versa. Your picture can be made by either the open or the closed blocks. As long as YOU understand which way you want to do it, it's fine.

Oops. I forgot to mention one very important thing. When you are crocheting, you work one row and then what do you do? You turn. Well, most of the time. You do the same thing with your filet work, unless your pattern says otherwise. So when you read a filet chart, you will read from left to right sometimes, and from right to left sometimes. First row is read right to left although in this design it won't really matter because it is symmetrical - the same on both sides. In other patterns, however, note that the ODD rows (right side or front side) are worked right to left, and the EVEN rows (wrong side or back side) are worked left to right. The foundation chain does NOT count as a row.

But before you do that, you have to decide if you are going to do a 3-dc mesh or a 4-dc mesh. You can work any pattern in any mesh, but it may look different depending on your choice. Besides the width of your blocks, you have to consider the height, which might change the look of your pattern. Some might work better with one or the other. I will demonstrate how to find your foundation chain on both, then take a more expansive look at the 4-dc mesh.

Looking at the design, if we are working it in 3-dc mesh you might think 7 x 3 = 21. (Note that it doesn't matter if your blocks are open or closed - each one has 3 stitches.) So I would chain 21, right? Wrong. Remember that each box shares a side. Fine. Let's multiply 7 x 2. 14. That will do it, right? Wrong again. You forgot the first post of the first mesh or block. Every mesh has 2 posts or dc for itself and shares one. So you have the right idea with the 2. But when you get to the first one, you need to account for that last side with your beginning chains. Then, if your first block is going to be an open mesh, then you need an extra 1 for the top chain.

So to figure your foundation chain:
7 x 2 + tch (3 if solid, 4 if open) = 17, 18 (go into the 4th chain for a closed block, and 6th chain for an open mesh)

You can also look at it as 7 x 2 + tch3 + 1 for the top if you're working open mesh = 18

Here is a picture of the first row for the project above. 7 blocks are noted in red and the black numbers count the chains.
To detail it, chains 18, 17, and 16 would make up a mesh. But #16 is also part of the next mesh. So 16, 15, and 14 make up a mesh and so on.

Block 7 - 18, 17, 16
Block 6 - 16, 15, 14
Block 5 - 14, 13, 12
Block 4 - closed block, 12, 11, 10
Block 3 - 10, 9, 8
Block 2 - 8, 7, 6
Block 1 - 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 (1 and 5 are the top and bottom of your open mesh, 2, 3 and 4 make up the first "dc" of the mesh)

Here is the completed 3-dc design. I'll go more deeply into the other rows in the 4-dc explanation below.

Let's look at a 4-dc mesh. We've already gone through the process above, so you know that 7 x 4 is wrong because each box shares a side. 7 x 3 is also wrong because of the first post needed to complete the first open mesh. Every block or mesh has 3 stitches for itself and shares an additional one. However, for the 4-dc mesh, you need to consider the top and bottom of the mesh.

So to figure your foundation chain:
7 x 3 + tch (3 if solid, 5 if open) = 24 or 26, (go into the 4th chain for a closed block, and 8th chain for an open mesh)

You could look at this also as 7 x 3 + tch3 + 2 (for your top chains if it is open).

As noted, for the 4-dc mesh, with open mesh as your first block, ch 26, dc in 8th chain from hook. Why do I want you to go into the 8th chain from hook? You need an open block. So your end stitch has to have 2 chains on the bottom, 2 chains on the top, and a post to the right made up of 3 chains to act as your first dc. That's 7. You're going INTO the 8th chain, so that leaves 7. Understand? No? Hopefully, if you don't get it yet, you will after you make it. So chain 26. Go into the 8th chain from hook.

It is just a coincidence that there are 7 blocks on this row and also 7 chains on the first mesh. Don't get hung up on that. It is 7 chains if your first block is open, but it will not always be 7 mesh on the first row. (Note: If you normally work a ch-2 for your turning chains in double crochet, you might want to work 6 chains instead of 7.)

Mesh	fch 1st block solid	fch 1st block open	into the foundation chain 1st block open	into the foundation chain 1st block solid
3 dc	blocks x 2 + 3	blocks x 2 + 4 (tch)	6 (1 bottom, 1 top, 3 side)	4
4 dc	blocks x 3 + 3	blocks x 3 + 5 (tch)	8 (2 bottom, 2 top, 3 side)	4

So we go on to our second row. Our first block is an open, so we have to chain 5 this time. Why not 8 again? We still need 2 on the bottom, 2 on the top, and 3 on the side. Aha! But we already have 2 on the bottom from the previous row.

We are on Row 2 (even row), so we're reading from left to right. We need two open mesh and then a solid block. So what do we do?

ch 5 as we said, dc in the first dc, ch 2, then dc in the next dc - you are skipping over the chains. That gives us two open mesh (Figure A).

Reading left to right, we see we need a solid block next. Remembering that the dc we just made also is part of the next mesh, we insert hook in the ch-2 space and work 2 dc there, then dc in next dc to complete the solid block.

Then we have a solid block so we work 2 dc in the space, then a dc in the next dc. The rest of the row is open mesh, so we chain 2, dc in next dc, ch 2, then we are the end of our row. Skip two chains and dc in the third chain of the turning chain-5.

Continue to follow the chart for Row 3. (It might be helpful if you mark the rows as you finish them with a highlighter or a checkmark, or whatever works for you.)

Your last row (Row 5) will be just like your first one was. 3 open mesh, one solid block, 3 open mesh

Here is the same design worked in a 3-dc mesh. The tch for a 3-dc mesh if the first mesh is open, would be 4.

Voila! Congratulations. You have just worked your first filet pattern. Good job!

Now for the bad news. Patterns for filet crochet will not be written as I've just done. I held your hand throughout the piece. Patterns will almost always have a graph (picture) as our little chart, but written directions will simply tell you to follow the graph. They may give you the starting chain and simple reminders as to how to work filet. They might also show the pattern using symbols. Here is a chart of the symbols. The diagonal line may be straight, depending on publisher.

International Symbols	Domestic (U.S.)	Foreign (England, Australia, etc.)
	slip stitch	single crochet
	chain	chain
	single crochet	double crochet
	double crochet	treble
	half double crochet	half treble
	triple crochet	double treble
	double treble	triple treble
	triple treble	quadruple treble

Another important point is to keep in mind the materials you are using. If you are using fine crochet thread your piece will be small. But if you make that same design using worsted weight yarn, it will be much larger. I'm saying MUCH larger. For example, the pattern I am working says to ch 73. It is supposed to be about 7" x 2.5" using a 1.5mm hook. The picture below shows the first row worked in #10 cotton with a 2mm hook, and then with worsted weight yarn using an H hook. See what a huge difference it makes. The larger hook (and probably my looser stitches) increased the size of the pattern piece, and the thicker yarn increased it even more.

Here's a picture of my finished lighthouses. The one on the left is worked with #10 crochet cotton and a 2mm hook. The one on the right is worked in Caron Wintuk worsted weight yarn and an H hook. Don't know if you can read the measure but the smaller one is about 9" and the larger one just shy of 20", a tad over twice the size of the other one. (click on thumbnail to see it larger)

The lighthouse bookmark by Lee Mathewson is a great intermediate project. The instructions are clear and detailed with pictures and diagrams. Go have a look at her web site hugg'ems collectables. The instructions are clear and detailed with pictures and diagrams. Once I got going, I realized that with practice I could get to like this. A lot of practice perhaps, but still it's a very worthy method of crochet you might investigate if you've never done it before. Just as in "regular" crochet, keeping tension is the most difficult part. Once you get that down, the sky's the limit.

Here is an elephant (before edging) that I did using Betty Barnden's motif pattern in her book Filet Crochet. It used the 3-dc mesh which she calls the small mesh. Medium mesh would be the 4-dc mesh, and large mesh would use triple crochet.

Below is a Q&A with things I've learned while working some filet crochet pieces.

Q: This graph is so small I can hardly see it.
A: Enlarge it. Some copy machines allow you to increase or decrease the size of the item you're copying. If the picture is in your computer, you can use a program like Paint Shop Pro to enlarge it. Remember that this is for your own personal use. You can't change the pic and then say it's yours or post it somewhere changed. That picture belongs to the designer. But for your own use as you work the pattern, you can print up a larger copy. (I am not a lawyer. This is just my opinion.)

Q: I keep losing my place in the graph.
A: Notice what is on the row below. When you see you have to work a certain number of open spaces, look to see where the open spaces end. Is it one space before a group of solid mesh on the previous row? It can help you keep track of what you're doing. Be sure you are looking at your project from the correct side when you do this. Remember that each row goes in a different direction.

You can also print out the graph and use a highlighter to mark off the rows as you do them. I find that if I use two colors and alternate these with every row, I can keep track pretty well.

Another option is to use a piece of paper, like a post-it and place it along the rows as you finish them. Don't forget to go right to left on odd rows and left to right on even rows! You might consider numbering the rows so you can tell at a glance if it is an odd or even row.

Q: This is not coming out right. I am so frustrated.
A: Patience, Padawan. (That in no way intimates I am a master at anything, including Jedi stuff) It takes time to learn something new. Perhaps you are forgetting that each mesh has a side in common. In other words 5 dc is two solid blocks in a 3dc mesh pattern because the middle dc counts for each one of the blocks. This makes a huge difference in your counting process. If you are working solids over a row of open mesh, you can use the open mesh to help you count. IMHO, the first row is the hardest because you have nothing to judge it by.

Here's a tip -If you are working many solid blocks in a row, you can use the same method of figuring your foundation chain to figure how many dcs you need to make. If you need 6 solid blocks in a 3-dc mesh piece, then you multiply 6 x 2 + 1. You will need 13 dcs to work 6 solid mesh along your row.

Q: This looks terrible. The stitches are all misshapen.
A: If you are working with thread for the first time (or yarn for the first time) your tension may be off. It takes a while to get the hang of keeping the thin thread tight in a new medium.

Q: Ack! My 7" bookmark is two feet long!
A: You either totally miscounted or you're using a different material than what is called for in the pattern. That is okay, but your work won't be the same if you use different, and not equal, material. If it calls for #10 thread and a 1.5mm hook, but you use worsted weight crochet cotton and an H hook, it will be larger. If you use chunky yarn and an N hook, even larger. If it's a picture it may not look quite right because the proportions may be wrong. Think of a picture you are working on in the computer. When I want to resize a picture I have to hold down the shift key to keep the proportions the same. If I don't, it looks off. Short and fat, or tall and skinny. Your filet project MIGHT look just fine, or it might not. Just know that if you want your piece to come out the same as the pattern you're using, you should check gauge, and use the materials suggested. It is quite possible you could substitute a similar weight and drape material, but if size is important to you, check gauge.

Q: This doesn't look at all like the picture!
A: Odd rows are worked right to left. Even rows are worked left to right. An easier way to remember, if you can tell right from wrong side (your beginning thread is dangling on your left), is Right or front side is worked right to left. Wrong or back side is worked left to right. If you do not follow this guideline, you will be placing your open and solid blocks in the wrong spot, hence making a totally different picture than you had in mind. Also, some because stitch heights and widths are not the same, a particular picture might look better in 4 dc mesh or 3 dc mesh or with a different stitch or technique.

Here are pictures of some filet pieces I have completed since putting up this tutorial. These are characters from Doctor Who - K-9, Dalek, Adipose. The charts used in making the pieces are from Meredee's site. She is also on Ravelry.