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The first time I saw filet crochet, I honestly thought it was some kind of complicated lace I’d never manage. Then someone showed me the secret. It’s just two things repeated over and over: an empty square and a filled square. That’s it. If you can make a double crochet and count to three, you can make filet crochet. The pictures appear because of where you put the filled squares, a bit like coloring in graph paper. Below you’ll find a simple tutorial and a free heart chart to start with, then 14 more ideas, from tiny bookmarks to summer tops, each with a tip I learned along the way.
1. Filet Crochet Basics With a Free Heart Chart
Start here, even if you’ve crocheted for years. Once the two basic squares click, every other idea on this list is just a bigger or smaller version of the same thing.
Materials Needed: Size 10 cotton crochet thread or a light fingering weight cotton, a steel crochet hook around 1.5 to 1.75 mm (or a 2.5 mm hook for thicker cotton), scissors, a tapestry needle, and a printed or hand drawn chart.
How to Read the Chart: Every square on the chart is one square of crochet. A filled square (■) is a solid block. An empty square (□) is an open mesh. You read the chart from the bottom up. Row 1 is read from right to left, row 2 from left to right, and you keep switching direction like that.
The Two Squares (US terms): Open mesh: chain 2, skip the next 2 stitches, then double crochet in the next stitch. Filled block: double crochet in each of the next 3 stitches (or 2 double crochet into the chain 2 space below, plus 1 in the next stitch). Each square shares its last double crochet with the next square, so a row of 9 squares has 28 upright posts in total.
Free Heart Chart (9 squares wide, 8 rows tall):
Row 8 □ ■ ■ □ □ □ ■ ■ □
Row 7 ■ ■ ■ ■ □ ■ ■ ■ ■
Row 6 ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■
Row 5 ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■
Row 4 □ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ □
Row 3 □ □ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ □ □
Row 2 □ □ □ ■ ■ ■ □ □ □
Row 1 □ □ □ □ ■ □ □ □ □How to Make It: Chain three times the number of squares, plus three. For this heart that’s 30 chains. Double crochet in the fourth chain from the hook and in every chain across, which gives you one solid base row. Now follow the chart. Start each row with chain 3 if the first square is filled, or chain 5 if the first square is open (that counts as the first double crochet plus its chain 2). Work across, making an open mesh or a filled block for each square. Finish with a row of solid blocks on top to frame the heart. A tip I picked up: add one extra column of open squares on each side. That little border makes the heart pop and stops the edges from looking crowded.
2. Filet Crochet Bookmark
A bookmark is the perfect second project because it’s narrow, so every row goes by in a minute. You get to practice reading a chart without committing to anything big.
Materials Needed: Size 10 cotton thread, a 1.5 mm steel hook, a tapestry needle, a small piece of cardboard for a tassel, and spray starch.
How to Make It: Chain 18 for a strip 5 squares wide. Work a solid base row, then follow a simple chart that’s 5 squares wide, like a small heart or a single flower, repeating it up the length until the strip is about 7 inches long. Add a solid top row. Wrap thread around the cardboard about 20 times, tie it at the top, cut the bottom loops and attach the tassel to one end. In my experience, the starch is what makes it look finished. Spray it, pin it flat on a towel and let it dry overnight, and the squares come out crisp and even.
3. Filet Crochet Café Curtain
This is the project that made me fall in love with filet crochet. When the sun comes through, the whole pattern lights up on the wall.
Materials Needed: Size 10 or size 3 cotton thread (size 3 works up faster), a hook to match, a tape measure, a tapestry needle, and a tension rod or café rod.
How to Make It: Measure the width of your window and make a small swatch first to see how many squares fit in 4 inches. Use that to work out how many squares you need across. Pick a chart with a repeating border motif, like hearts or flowers, and work it from the bottom up. When you reach the top, work 3 or 4 rows of open mesh, then fold that section over and stitch it down to make a pocket for the rod. Honestly, size 3 cotton is your friend here. A full curtain in size 10 thread is lovely but it takes months.
4. Lace Table Runner
A table runner is basically a long bookmark, just wider. That’s what makes it so approachable. Choose a pattern that repeats, like a diamond or flower motif, and keep going until it reaches the length you want. I like ending each side with a simple scalloped edge for a soft finish. A tip I picked up: block it on a long towel with plenty of pins. Filet crochet loves blocking, and it’s the difference between wavy rows and a perfectly straight grid.
5. Summer Filet Crochet Top
A filet top is airy and perfect for warm days. Most are made from two simple rectangles, a front and a back, joined at the shoulders and sides. Keep most of it open mesh so it breathes, and place a band of filled blocks across the chest or hem for the design. I’d suggest a cotton or cotton blend in DK or sport weight so it drapes well. Honestly, wear a simple tank underneath and it goes with everything.
6. Filet Crochet Beach Dress
A filet dress makes the most beautiful beach cover up. It’s the top idea, just longer, and the open grid lets the breeze through. I like keeping the body plain mesh and adding two or three bands of solid blocks near the hem for weight and swing. In my experience, a slightly larger hook than the yarn label suggests gives a softer drape. Try it on as you go, because filet stretches a little once it’s worn.
7. Filet Crochet Market Bag
A filet market bag is pretty, practical and grows to fit whatever you put in it. Work a solid base, then switch to open mesh for the body and add a band of motifs near the top. The handles should be solid rows, worked a few times thicker, so they don’t stretch. Honestly, cotton is best here. Acrylic stretches a lot once it’s loaded with groceries.
8. Filet Crochet Bandana
A filet bandana is a quick, cute summer accessory. You work it as a triangle, decreasing one square at each end of every row until you reach the point. A little heart or flower in the center looks sweet. I’d suggest adding long ties so it works as a hair scarf or a neck scarf. In my experience, it takes one evening and uses less than one small ball of cotton.
9. Filet Crochet Headband
A headband is a great way to use up leftover cotton. Make a strip 4 or 5 squares wide with a repeating flower or diamond, and sew a short piece of elastic to both ends so it fits comfortably. Honestly, it’s one of those projects people ask you to make for them. A tip I picked up: line the inside with a strip of soft fabric so the edges don’t catch on hair.
10. Name Letters Banner
Letters are where filet crochet gets really fun. Each letter is drawn on graph paper as filled squares, so you can spell a name, a word like home or love, or even a date. Draw your letters 5 squares wide and 7 squares tall for a clean, readable look. I like hanging the finished piece on a wooden dowel. Honestly, a baby’s name in filet crochet makes a lovely nursery gift.
11. Cat Motif Pillow Cover
A cat silhouette is one of the easiest animal motifs to chart, and it looks adorable on a pillow. The trick is to stitch your filet panel onto a colored fabric pillow cover. The color shows through the open squares and makes the design stand out. Coral, mustard and teal all look great behind white lace. In my experience, a simple sitting cat with pointy ears and a curled tail reads better than a detailed one.
12. Fish Motif Wall Hanging
A little fish wall hanging is perfect for a bathroom or a coastal style room. Chart a few simple fish shapes with wavy lines underneath, then hang it on a wooden dowel. Fish are easy to draw on graph paper because they’re mostly triangles and ovals. Honestly, this one is quick enough to make in a weekend. A light blue or white wall behind it shows off the lace best.
13. Filet Border on Towels and Pillowcases
A narrow filet border turns plain towels or pillowcases into something special. Work a strip just 4 to 6 squares deep with a repeating motif, then hand stitch it to the edge. I’d suggest measuring the edge first and making the strip slightly shorter, because cotton relaxes a little after washing. Honestly, this is a lovely way to try filet crochet without a huge project. It makes a really thoughtful gift too.
14. Vintage Inspired Placemats
Filet crochet has such a classic heirloom feel, and placemats are a great way to bring that charm to a modern table. Choose a classic motif like roses or diamonds and make a set of four in crisp white or ivory cotton. Size 10 thread gives a delicate look, while size 3 is quicker and sturdier. I like pairing them with simple modern plates. Honestly, that mix of old style and new style looks really fresh.
15. Filet Lace Wall Hanging
A large filet lace panel makes a stunning piece of wall art. Pick a botanical design and hang it against a colored wall so the open squares show the color behind. Terracotta, sage and navy all look beautiful. I’d suggest blocking it well and adding a simple fringe at the bottom. In my experience, it gets more compliments than any framed print in the house.
Final Thoughts on Filet Crochet
Filet crochet looks fancy, but it’s really just open squares and filled squares. Start with the free heart chart, make a bookmark, and you’ll be ready for curtains and tops in no time. Honestly, once you can read a grid, you can make almost any picture you like.
