This week I decided at long last to give filet crochet a try, as I've been wanting to do something with this crochet technique for ages.....namely to take the idea of filet crochet, normally executed with crochet string and a tiny hook, and do it using regular yarn. I do love the results, this being the second sample that I made, the first one I tore out....but there are some important things to keep in mind, which I learned with this experiment. If the idea of taking gridded designs and turning them into crocheted masterpieces appeals to you, keep on reading......and for the rest of you, well stay tuned to see what I do with this sample, not quite sure myself yet, though it does look good on our piano bench!
Tips For Filet Crochet:
- Even using fingerling weight yarn and a size 00 hook, even small designs (this one is 40 squares tall on a grid) become quite large.
- Patterns should generally be worked from side to side, namely my rows are the length of the piece, otherwise the design looks too squat.
- I was thinking of making a wall hanging, but when I hang this on the wall you can barely make out the design funny enough. When it is lying down one sees the design nicely, meaning the technique does work for blankets and table covers, just possibly not so well for wall hangings (at least at this scale)
- There are so many ways to use filet crochet, so give it a try!