All About Filet Crochet

Are you looking for a way to incorporate an image or design into your crochet without having to change colors? Whether you’re looking to avoid dozens of bobbins hanging off of your work or you want just a simple design that screams “elegance” and “timeless taste”, Filet Crochet is a technique you need to learn, friend! Let’s dive into the beautiful art of Filet Crochet… What it is, how it’s done, and how to create the patterns yourself.

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All About Filet Crochet

Filet crochet is a timeless crochet technique that combines very basic crochet stitches to make what is essentially a grid. The double crochet stitches create a solid fabric, while the chain spaces create a void. Those chain space voids, when arranged in a particular sequence or order, reveal either an image, text, or repeating pattern when viewed from a distance. Pretty neat, right? And all you need to know is how to make the double crochet.

How to make filet crochet?

Filet crochet is made up of double crochets and chains. For each row you’ll start with a number of double crochet stitches, then where indicated in the pattern/chart you’ll make a chain space by chaining one and skipping the stitch that would have been worked into. Then you’ll double crochet in the subsequent stitch(es) until the pattern tells you to make another chain space and skip the next stitch, etc. In the following row, when you get to those chain space voids, crochet around the chain space instead of crocheting into the chain itself.

To do filet crochet you will likely work from a crochet chart similar to the graphs we use when we’re following a graphghan or C2C (Corner to Corner) pattern. Many times I find it helpful for the patterns to be written out as well. If the filet pattern you’re following uses a stitch repeat instead of creating an image in which no two rows are the same, I find it helpful to have both the chart and the written pattern for reference.

When to use filet crochet?

Make a dainty filet crochet table runner and incorporate a motif. Make a filet crochet graph with the last name of a newlywed couple you know as a wedding gift. Or, make a wall hanging including your favorite bible verse or image. One of those that can be framed and hung on the wall, or kept for special occasions as a family heirloom. My friend Suzanne (Not So Boren Crochet) made this one of the Last Supper. She let me borrow this and several other filet samples to take photos and they are absolutely amazing! Check out the detail on these…

When made using thin yarn or crochet thread using a tiny crochet hook, filet crochet resembles lace and can be a great way to add delicate aspects to your work without being as intricate or as difficult as they appear to be. No one needs to know this is just double crochets! 😉

How to create filet crochet charts?

So, how do you make those crochet charts, you ask? The same way you make graph patterns for Corner to Corner or by using single crochet. I have a whole blog post explaining how to make those graphs or charts, but if you’re familiar with Microsoft Excel, and you prefer to work from scratch, you might find designing there to be a breeze.

Stitch Fiddle is also an excellent resource that offers both a free and a paid option. The paid plan is very inexpensive and has more features, and allows you to have more designs in your account than the free plan does.

These are great ways to play around with either free-handing your chart or by uploading an image and letting Stitch Fiddle do the heavy lifting. Tell them how many colors of yarn you’re using (if more than one), upload the photo you want to use (think “clip art” images, the simpler the better for filet crochet), how many squares or stitches you want the project to be wide, and how many rows tall. They will generate the chart for you. Go through and fine-tune things to get the exact image you want, then get to crocheting!

I’ve just learned about the Crochet Chart Maker website and I haven’t played around with it too much, but it looks promising and like a serious competitor to Stitch Fiddle.

Now, Filet crochet doesn’t have to be made with a tiny crochet thread and a steel crochet hook. You can also use worsted weight yarn (like Brava, Herrschners, etc) with regular size crochet hooks and make beautiful blankets.

A great example of a worsted weight yarn with repeating design in filet crochet is the Miguel blanket…

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The Little Lord blanket (coming soon!) is essentially the same thing, just worked in diamonds instead of squares. By rearranging the chain space voids, we completely change the vibe. Easy peasy!

And the Honeycomb Filet Curtains (which are currently in the works and will be published soon!) arrange the chain space voids in such a way that makes it look like flowers or a honeycomb.

Great examples of filet crochet with text are ones that Suzanne let me borrow, including the “Welcome” and “Naveah” below.

And a great example of filet crochet, worked to form an image, is the delicate shawl she let me borrow as well. Is she not amazing?! You can see more of her work on Facebook at Not So Boren Crochet.

What is the first filet crochet thing you’ll make now that you know how? I just know that you’ll love this method and you’ll enjoy creating with it. I’ve got multiple patterns in the works that use filet crochet in some form, and I can’t wait to share them with you. Stay tuned!

All About Filet Crochet