Hello everyone! Filet crochet is a very easy technique once you get the hang of it. It's quite similar to cross stitch embroidery. You can choose any pixel art shape and turn it into a crochet chart with a few simple steps. I've explained all of this to the best of my ability in a video posted on my YouTube channel (see below). I decided to make a step-by-step tutorial for this technique after most of the comment I received on one of my earlier designs, my RoseRelief Shawl, were questions about how to follow the chart or how to do filet crochet. Now, I finally have the means to explain it using this post. This top is very easy to make once you grasp the basics of the filet crochet technique. It’s made up of four pieces: the back and front, joined by two stripes that make up the sides. I am absolutely pleased with the way this top turned out, and how very nice and unique it looks. I hope you try it out yourselves. Stay safe and healthy!
Skill level: Intermediate
Materials:
- Yarn: Alize Diva Silky Effect, 100% microfiber acrylic, 3.53 oz. (100 g), 383 yards (350 m), in the color cream 01 (2 skeins), dark green 131 (2 skeins) and orange 83 (1 skein).
- Crochet hook, size US D (3 mm).
- Tapestry needle.
Size | Chest |
S | 33.5-35.5" (85-90 cm) |
M | 37.5-40" (95-100 cm) |
L | 42-44" (105-110 cm) |
- ch: chain.
- sc: single stitch.
- dc: double crochet.
- picot: ch 3, slip stitch into the first ch.
Back:
With cream yarn, make 144 (160, 176) chains, work as follows:
Row 1: dc in the seventh ch from hook, *skip ch, ch 1, dc in ch, repeat from * to end, turn.
Row 2: ch 4, dc in dc, *skip ch, ch 1, dc in dc, repeat from * to end, turn.
Repeat row 2 twelve (fourteen, sixteen) times, cut cream yarn.
With dark green yarn, repeat row 2 sixteen times, cut dark green yarn.
With orange yarn, repeat row 2 twenty six times, cut orange yarn.
With dark green yarn, repeat row 2 sixteen times, cut dark green yarn.
With cream yarn, repeat row 2 fifteen (sixteen, seventeen) times, cut dark green yarn.
Front:
Work the front like you worked the back until the last upper dark green row. At the same time, work the filet crochet pattern as the chart shows. Watch the tutorial video on the filet crochet technique above.
Upper cream yarn stripe:
Repeat row 2 six (six, eight) times.
Neck line shaping:
Work as follows:
Right shoulder
Row 3: ch 4, dc in dc, *skip ch, ch 1, dc in dc, repeat from * 20 times, turn.
Repeat row 3 seven (nine, nine) more times. Cut yarn, leaving a 12" (30 cm) yarn tail to sew the shoulder seem.
Left shoulder
Work the same as the right side.
Side stripes (make 2):
With cream yarn, make 16 (18, 20) chs, work as follows;
Row 1: sc in the second ch, sc in every ch, turn. 15 (17, 19) scs
Row 2: ch 3, dc in every sc to end, turn.
Row 3: ch 3, dc in every dc to end, turn.
Repeat row 3 fourty nine (fourty nine, fifty one) times. Cut yarn.
Assembly:
- Sew shoulders.
- Skip the first column of the back and the front and sew the side stripe along the edge between the first two columns. Sew side stripes to both the back and the front, starting from the upper most orange row, then all the way down (see image below).
Side edging:
Weave in loose ends and work edge pattern as follows:
Edge row: with cream yarn sc into the corner of the first square on the bottom right, *skip first square side, (dc 3, picot 1, dc 3) into next square, skip next square side, sc into st between squares, repeat from * along the sides of the front and back. Cut yarn. Repeat on the other side of the top. Weave in loose ends.
