I hope this can help you in learning the basics of filet. Of course, practice will teach you better than any primer!

FILET CROCHETING TECHNIQUES

squares can be done in different ways, hence filet can be crocheted in several ways; generally these techniques are interchangeable on the same pattern anyway in explaining my patterns I ever tell in which way I crocheted the sample item.

The most used filet crocheting techniques are:

filet # 1 : (or dc filet, or normal net) in the diagram, an empty square means (dc, 2 ch), a full square (3 dc). This is the most common and easiest way to crochet filet, and it is particularly suitable when you want a not-too-lacy look.

filet #2 :in the diagram, an empty square means (tr, 2 ch), a full square (3 tr). This is the common way for obtaining a perfect squared filet, but it is more challenging than # 1, and sometime too "lacy".

filet #3 : (or half-net). in the diagram, an empty square means (dc, 1 ch), a full square (2 dc). This creates rectangular, elongated shapes (so pay attention to your designs), but it gives a very compact result. There are much more ways to filet crochet: larger squares, different stitches (like elongated dc), round crocheting, etc. And there are a lot of techniques that are usually coupled with filet, like sc nets or spiders. But these three techniques are enough to know for becoming a good filet practitioner.

INCREASING AND DECREASING SQUARES

OBLIQUE TECHNIQUE

This is the "cleanest" technique for increasing and decreasing squares the effect is of an oblique, or triangular inc/dec, obtaining no "step" effects as result. The oblique technique will have better results if used with empty squares: the results on full squares depend strongly on thread used (this because the height of stitches compared with their width is very important).

Increasing an empty square at beginning of the row

filet #1: Work 6 ch (4 = oblique side of triangle + 2=2 ch of first semi-sq), dc in first dc of row.filet #2: Work 7 ch (5 = oblique side of triangle + 2=2 ch of first semi-sq), tr in first tr of row.filet #3: Work 5 ch (4 = oblique side of triangle + 1=1 ch of first semi-sq), dc in first dc of row.

Increasing a full square at beginning of the row:

filet #1: Work 5 ch, sc in 4th ch from hook, hdc in 5th ch from hook , then dc in first dc of previous row.filet #2: Work 6 ch, hdc in 5th ch from hook, dc in 6th ch from hook , then tr in first tr of previous row.filet #3: Work 4 ch, hdc in 4th ch from hook, then dc in first dc of previous row.

Increasing an empty square at end of the row:

filet #1: Work 2 ch, tr inserting the hook in the last dc done on the row.filet #2: Work 2 ch, dtr inserting the hook in the last tr done on the row.filet #3: Work 1 ch, tr inserting the hook in the last dc done on the row.

Increasing a full square at end of the row :

filet #1: tr inserting the hook in the last dc done on the row, dc inserting the hook in first lateral loop from the bottom of last tr, hdc inserting the hook in first lateral loop from the bottom of last dc.filet #2: tr inserting the hook in the last dc done on the row, dc inserting the hook in first lateral loop from the bottom of last tr, hdc inserting the hook in first lateral loop from the bottom of last dc.filet #3: tr inserting the hook in the last dc done on the row, tr inserting the hook in first lateral loop from the bottom of last tr.

Decreasing an empty square at beginning of the row:

filet #1: Work 4 ch (oblique side of triangle), dc in first dc of second square of row.filet #2: Work 5 ch (oblique side of triangle), tr in first tr of second square of row.filet #3: Work 3 ch (oblique side of triangle), dc in first dc of second square of row.

Decreasing a full square at beginning of the row:

filet #1: Work 1 ch , (sl st , sc, hdc) on the first sq of the row, dc in first dc of second square of row.filet #2: Work 1 ch , ( sc, hdc, dc) on the first sq of the row, dc in first dc of second square of row.filet #3: Work 1 ch , (sc, hdc) on the first sq of the row, dc in first dc of second square of row.

Decreasing an empty square at end of the row:

filet #1: When you arrive on last dc of next to last sq, work a cluster of (dc on last dc of next to last sq in previous row, tr on last dc of previous row) closed together.filet #2: When you arrive on last tr of next to last sq, work a cluster of (tr on last tr of next to last sq in previous row, dtr on last tr of previous row) closedfilet #3: Work the same that with filet #1.

Decreasing a full square at end of the row :

filet #1: Starting from last dc on next-to-last sq, work (dc, hdc ,sc, sl st).filet #2: Starting from last tr on next-to-last sq, work (tr, dc, hdc, sc).filet #3: Starting from last dc on next-to-last sq, work (dc, hdc ,sc). STEP DOOR TECHNIQUE

This technique is for increasing and decreasing 'full' squares the effect is of a stepped inc/dec.

Increasing an empty square at beginning of the row :

filet #1: Work 7 ch (2 = the basis of the square + 3 = dc +2 = 2 ch of first sq), dc in first dc of row.filet #2: Work 8 ch (2 = the basis of the square + 4 = tr +2 = 2 ch of first sq), tr in first tr of row.filet #3: Work 5 ch (1 = the basis of the square + 3 = dc +1 = 1 ch of first sq), dc in first dc of row.

Increasing a full square at beginning of the row :

filet #1: Work 5 ch, dc in 4th ch from hook, dc in 5th ch from hook , then dc in first dc of previous row.filet #2: Work 6 ch, tr in 5th ch from hook, tr in 6th ch from hook , then tr in first tr of previous row.filet #3: Work 4 ch, dc in 4th ch from hook, then dc in first dc of previous row.

Increasing an empty square at end of the row

filet #1: Work 2 ch, dtr inserting the hook in the last dc done on the row.filet #2: Work 2 ch, tr tr (= triple treble) inserting the hook in the last tr done on the row.filet #3: Work 1 ch, tr inserting the hook in the last dc done on the row.

Increasing a full square at end of the row:

This increasing can seem complicated, but try it in practice!

filet #1: tr inserting the hook in the last dc done on the row, (tr inserting the hook in first lateral loop from the bottom of last tr) twice.filet #2: dtr inserting the hook in the last tr done on the row, (dtr inserting the hook in first lateral loop from the bottom of last dtr) twice.filet #3: tr inserting the hook in the last dc done on the row, tr inserting the hook in first lateral loop from the bottom of last tr.

Decreasing an empty square at beginning of the row /Decreasing a full square at beginning of the row:

filet #1: sl st 3 times to reach second square in the row.filet #2: sl st 3 times to reach second square in the row.filet #3: sl st times to reach second square in the row.

Decreasing an empty square at end of the row / Decreasing a full square at end of the row:

Simply stop the row at the next to last square.

©Patrizia Pisani, 1998-2007

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