Filet Crochet.
Some creative ideas.

Filet crochet.... A well known and somewhat old fashioned technique. But we say that everything new is just well forgotten old things. The same story about this kind of crocheting. Don't be in a hurry to put it on the bottom of your chest. It is easy to crochet and has big potential for any crocheter with little experience to create unique deigns.

This page is not about traditional filet crochet technique. It intends to give a little "push" to your creativity and make you believe, that the most glamorous and festive garments are really made with basic techniques.

If you would like to refresh your memory about this classical crocheting technique or just discover it for yourself, here is a very good list of sites , where you will find all information necessary for your projects:

• Smart Crochet site has very extensive tutorial for the beginner and advanced crocheters. Besides that there is a membership area with a lot of patterns.
• HessDesign gives you a good idea about reading filet charts.
• About.com site presents an extensive information about basics and has a lot of simple patterns for beginners.
• PatternCentral has a lot of patterns both filet diagrams and word descriptions.

Now let's try to step a little bit aside from traditional technique. Here is a slide show from my favorite Ukrainian crochet magazine "Duplet". Practically all models are combination of traditional filet technique with other crochet techniques and stitches. This is one of the ways modern designers make old and well-known filet meshes look like fresh and innovative style.

Certainly combination of a few techniques in the same garment requires pretty high level of mastery from a crocheter. But we know that "our eyes are afraid, but hands just do it". One step at a time. From classical filet designs, to one step farther technique where combination of 2-3 is used, and then you are ready for you masterpiece. One step at a time!

Here are a few simple ideas for the beginning.

Substitute one or a few meshes with a 4-petal flower based on a mesh and you can create a new kind of crochet fabric.	A "lazy" alternative of Irish crochet . Flowers are sewing on the mesh.	A single crochet areas inserted into a mesh. Join-as-you go!

I am going to continue a subject of filet crocheting on this site. It is simple but very flexible technique. It allows you to create anything from garment where a little bit tricky increases and decreases are required to shape your design to home decorating things: doilies, table runners, pictures, curtains, and so on.

Besides that, my book Filet Crochet Patterns is on the way to its online presentation. Check my Crochet Blog for updates!