Starting
your work. Simple filet crochet projects.
(LESSON 2, part 1)
Please note: I've divided this
lesson into two parts so the pages could load faster.
 
In this lesson I'll continue
explaining you the basics of filet crochet and we will crochet a few little simple
projects together, because I believe that there is no better way of learning than
practice.
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You've found out already what are filled and open
meshes. Next thing you have to know is how to actually work one mesh above another. The 4
possible combinations you may find in a simple filet crochet project are:
1. filled mesh above filled mesh
2. filled mesh above open mesh
3. open mesh above filled mesh
4. open mesh above open mesh
These combinations may acquire in the middle, at
the beginning or at the end of the row.
In the middle:
1. Filled mesh above filled mesh
 - 3dc in all 3dc of mesh
below.
2. Filled mesh above open mesh
 - dc in dc, 2dc in space of ch2 of mesh below.
3. Open mesh above filled mesh
 - dc in first dc of mesh below, ch2.
4. Open mesh above open mesh
 - dc in dc of mesh below, ch2.
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At the beginning:
5. First filled mesh above last filled mesh
 - ch3 (counts as first dc), dc in second dc (you skip the first dc,
i.e. the one you've worked chain out of), dc in third dc.
6. First filled mesh above last open mesh
 - ch3 (counts as first dc),
2dc in space of ch2 below.
7. First open mesh above last filled mesh
 - ch5 (counts as first open mesh), skip three dc (including the first
dc, i.e. the one you've worked chain out of). Then work dc in fourth dc, but this dc
belongs to the next mesh already (see chart).
8. First open mesh above last open mesh
 - ch5 (counts as first open mesh), dc in second dc (you skip the first
dc, i.e. the one you've worked chain out of, and ch2). This dc belongs to the next mesh
already, just like in the example above (see chart).
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At the end:
9. Last filled mesh above filled mesh
 - 3dc in all 3dc of mesh below, additional dc in third chain of ch3.
(What additional dc? Refer to Lesson 1. What ch3? That filled mesh below is the
first mesh of row bellow and starts with ch3. Why starts with ch3? Refer to Lesson 1,
where I describe how to work filled meshes at the beginning of the row).
10. Last filled mesh above open mesh
 - dc in dc of open mesh below, 2dc in space of ch5, additional dc in
third chain of ch5. (That open mesh below is the first mesh of row bellow and consists of
ch5. If you want to know why , refer to Lesson 1, where I describe how to work open meshes
at the beginning of the row).
11. Last open mesh above filled mesh
 - dc in first dc of mesh
bellow, ch2, skip two dc, additional dc in third chain of ch3.
12. Last open mesh above open mesh
 - dc in dc of mesh below, ch2, additional dc in third chain of ch5.
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Okay, so now you know all the basics of filet
crochet and are ready to work the simple projects! I'll offer some exercises to you, but
first you have to learn HOW TO START YOUR WORK.
Generally, filet crochet patterns contain word instructions on how to start your work. But
what if you run into the one without the word instructions? I want you to be able to
crochet any filet project just with a scheme.
To start any filet project you work chain first
(its length depends on the project, but I'll give you the universal formula later). What
you do next depends on if the first row consists of open meshes, filled meshes, or both.
If it consists of open meshes - you work
dc in eight chain from hook, ch2, skip two, dc in third chain, ch2, again skip two, again
dc in third chain, and you repeat this procedure till the end of the chain.
(If you work meshes with treble crochet, then work first treble in ninth chain from hook).
If it consists of filled meshes - you work
dc in forth chain from hook, and then dc in each stitch till the end of chain.
(If you work meshes with treble crochet, then work first treble in fifth chain from hook).
If it consists of both - you work dc in
forth chain from hook if first mesh is filled or dc in eight chain from hook if first mesh
is open. After this you work 3dc in three stitches of chain to form a filled mesh or ch2,
skip two, dc in third chain to form an open mesh.
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The formula for chain length:
If the first row consists of open meshes or the first mesh of row is open:
Number of meshes multiply by 3 plus 6.
For example for pattern, which first row consists of 20 open meshes:
20x3+6=66. So you should work ch66 for pattern with 20 open meshes or
with first open mesh in first row.
If the first row consists of filled meshes or the first mesh of row is filled:
Number of meshes multiply by 3 plus 4.
For example for pattern, which first row consists
of 20 filled meshes:
20x3+4=64. So you should work ch64 for pattern with 20 filled meshes or
with first filled mesh in first row.
THAT'S IT!
 
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- shows where the mesh starts and where ends; 
- dc; 
- chain
- shows the group of meshes I'm talking about