Shaping Filet Crochet: Increasing and Decreasing Techniques

---

Filet crochet can be used to create gorgeous, gridded patterns—designs that can be made even more intricate when you introduce increasing and decreasing. Before we dive into these new techniques, let’s quickly review the basic facts of filet crochet.

Fact #1: Filet crochet is based on the concept that stitches and chains are worked in multiples of three plus one. These multiples are called blocks and mesh.

Fact #2: The main stitch used to create filet crochet is the double crochet (dc) or a modification called the extended double crochet (edc).

Fact #3: Filet crochet projects are worked from charts that use a blank square for a mesh or a filled-in square for a block to show you which stitches should be worked where. By learning how to increase and decrease along the edges of your piece, you can move beyond square and rectangular shapes. The techniques used will vary based on whether you are increasing or decreasing at the beginning or end of a row or adding blocks or mesh.

Increases in Filet Crochet

The key to increasing is knowing the number of stitches needed to add blocks or mesh at the beginning and/or end of a row. In order to increase at the beginning of a row, you need to make a chain that includes the number of chains equal to the first double crochet (three chains), extended double crochet (four chains), or first mesh (seven chains).

When increasing at the end of a row, you will create each stitch and its foundation stitch as you go. Mesh are created individually along with the needed foundation stitches for that mesh.

Many filet patterns use double crochet for the blocks and mesh; however, I have found that the extended double crochet creates mesh and blocks that seem a little squarer. For that reason, I’ve used extended double crochet in my examples here.

Extended Double Crochet

To work an extended double crochet, begin as you would for a regular double crochet: yarn over, insert hook in indicated stitch or space, yarn over, pull up a loop (three loops on hook). Once you have the three loops on the hook, instead of working a “yarn over, draw through two loops,” you will “yarn over, draw through one loop.” This creates an extension on the base of the stitch. But you still have three loops left on your hook so you can complete the stitch as you would a regular double crochet: (yarn over, draw through two loops) two times. This will give you a slightly taller than normal double crochet.

The extended treble crochet (etr) and extended double treble crochet (edtr) follow along with the same general idea as the extended double crochet. Start the stitches as normal, but yarn over and draw through one loop before completing the stitches as you would if they were standard treble crochet (tr) or double treble crochet (dtr) stitches. As you work, try to keep the loops on your hook even so the stitches stay nice and neat.

Blocks

The mesh and blocks used throughout the internal area of the row are worked as follows:

Mesh: Ch 5, sk next 2 sts or ch, edc in next st or ch.
Block: 2 edc in next ch-2 sp, edc in next st or ch OR edc in next 3 sts or ch.

A block increase that is worked at the beginning of a row is called a beginning block increase, and it is written as follows:

Beginning block increase (beg block inc): Ch 6, edc in 5th ch from hook (skipped ch count as first edc), edc in next ch.

The four skipped chains count as the first extended double crochet: a chain-three riser as well as the extension for the base of the first stitch, and an extended double crochet in the fifth and sixth chains complete the increase. If you find it difficult to work the extended double crochet into the chain, try holding the piece upside down to work into the chain and then turning it right-side up just before working into the first extended double crochet of the main body. Holding it upside down makes it easier to see where to crochet into the chain.

If you need to increase more than one block, add three more chains to the beginning chain (i.e., chain 6 = 1 block increase; chain 9 = 2 block increase; chain 12 = 3 block increase; and so on).

To increase by one or more blocks at the end of the row, work three extended treble crochets at the end of the row. The first extended treble crochet will be worked into the base of the last extended double crochet worked. Each remaining extended treble crochet is worked into the base of the previous extended treble crochet.

If you’re only adding one filet crochet block, work three extended treble crochets. For each additional block, work three more extended treble crochets (i.e., 2 blocks = 6 etr; 3 blocks = 9 etr; and so on). Using an extended treble crochet instead of an extended double crochet to increase at the end of the row gives you a stitch that is the height of an extended double crochet plus a little added length for the increase.

Mesh

Blocks aren’t the only filet crochet elements that can be increased at the beginning or end of a row. You can also increase with mesh.

To increase with mesh at the beginning of a row, chain seven, then work an extended double crochet in the first extended double crochet. The chain seven creates your foundation chain, an extended double crochet (represented by three chains), and the top chain two of the mesh.

Additional mesh increases are worked slightly differently. Add three more chains to the beginning chain, then work the first extended double crochet in the eighth chain from the hook, chain two, skip the next two chains, and work the next extended double crochet into the first extended double crochet of the previous row. The chain seven will count the same as though you were only increasing one mesh. Work three more chains for each additional mesh you need to increase.

When increasing one mesh at the end of a row, chain two and then work an extended double treble crochet in the same extended double crochet as the last extended double crochet. If you want to increase by more than one mesh at the end of the row, work the first mesh increase as though you were only increasing one mesh. Then, for each remaining increase, chain two and work an extended double treble crochet into the middle of the last extended double treble crochet made. Continue to work in this manner until you have reached the necessary number of mesh squares for your filet crochet.

Decreases in Filet Crochet

As with increases, the decrease method will vary based on the location of the decrease. If the decrease is worked at the beginning of the row, work slip stitches in the indicated stitches and begin the blocks and mesh with the first chain three. A decrease worked at the end of the row simply requires stopping before you reach the end of the row and leaving the remaining stitches and chains unworked.

For both increasing and decreasing, make sure to keep your stitches even so that your finished piece will lie flat. With a little patience and practice, adding shape to your filet will become so simple that you won’t even have to think about the technique.

Practice Swatches

To show how increases and decreases work in real life, I’ve worked up two different samples for reference. One uses mesh shaping at the beginning and end of each row, and one uses blocks.

Yarn Lizbeth Size 3 cotton thread (100% Egyptian mercerized cotton; 120 yd [110 m]/1-3/4 oz [50 g]): #683 Leaf Green Lt, 1 ball. Yarn distributed by Handy Hands.

Yarn Weight 0

Hook Size 0/3.25 mm steel or standard size D/3 (3.25 mm).

STITCH GUIDE

Mesh: Ch 2, sk next 2 sts or ch, edc in next st or ch.

Block: 2 edc in next ch-2 sp, edc in next st or ch OR edc in next 3 sts or ch.

Chart A: Shaping in Mesh

Row 1: Ch 20, edc in 8th ch from hook (counts as first mesh), [mesh (see Stitch Guide)] 4 times, turn—5 mesh.

Row 2: Ch 7 (counts as edc, ch 2), edc in next edc (beg mesh inc), ch 2, edc in next edc, {block (see Stitch Guide)} 3 times, mesh, ch 2, edtr in the same edc as last mesh made (end mesh inc), turn—4 mesh, 3 blocks.

Row 3: Ch 13, edc in 8th ch from hook, [mesh] 2 times (3 beg mesh inc), mesh, {block} 5 times, mesh, ch 2, edtr in same edc as last mesh made (end mesh inc), [ch 2, edtr in center of last edtr made] 2 times (end mesh incs), turn—8 mesh, 5 blocks.

Rows 4–17: Beg with Row 4, follow chart, increasing and decreasing as indicated. Fasten off at end of last row.

FINISHING

Weave in ends. Block.

Shaping in Blocks

Row 1: Ch 19, edc in 5th ch from hook (skipped ch count as first st throughout), edc in each rem ch across, turn.

Row 2: Ch 12, edc in 5th ch from hook, edc in next 7 ch (3 block inc), turn/rotate to work in last edc of previous row, edc in next 10 edc, ch 2, sk next 2 edc, edc in next 4 edc, etr in base of the last edc, [etr in base of the etr just made] 5 times, turn.

Row 3: Ch 6, edc in 5th ch from hook, edc in next ch, edc in last edc of previous row, edc in next 3 edc, ch 2, sk next 2 edc, edc in next 4 edc, 2 edc in next ch-2 sp, edc in next 7 edc, ch 2, sk next 2 edc, edc in next 10 edc, turn.

Rows 4–16: Beg with Row 4, follow chart, increasing and decreasing as indicated. Fasten off at end of last row.

FINISHING

Weave in ends. Block.  

KATHRYN A. WHITE says that every stitch she makes brings her joy, peace, and harmony of the soul. To create something beautiful from so little is a challenge she embraces willingly. Once she takes up a hook and some thread, her spirit soars. Find her on Ravelry as Katchkan.

This filet crochet article was originally published in Interweave Crochet Summer 2021.