Not sure what to make first? These five ideas are the classic starting points for filet crochet. Each one is small, uses only filled and open blocks, and can be turned into a printable chart for free.
1. A name or short word
The classic first project. Names are the reason most people learn filet crochet, and a name chart is the quickest way to see whether your tension is even.
Type the name into the pattern maker at a medium letter size, then print the chart. A four- or five-letter word is a comfortable first piece.
2. A monogram
A single large letter — a surname initial, a gift recipient's initial — is even simpler than a name and looks striking framed on its own.
Choose the large letter size so the letter fills the chart, and add a simple border to finish it off.
3. A small motif: heart, star or leaf
Any bold, solid silhouette works. The trick is contrast: the shape should be clearly dark against the background, with no fine detail that disappears at crochet scale.
Upload the icon or draw it as text if it is a symbol you can type, then edit individual squares until the shape reads cleanly.
4. A border or edging
A repeating filet border is a great way to practise because the pattern repeats — once you have one repeat right, the rest follows.
Keep the repeat short, and check the stitch count on the first repeat against the chart before you carry on.
5. A photo converted to a chart
Ambitious but very satisfying: take a high-contrast photo — a pet, a building, a logo — and convert it into a chart. You will usually want to raise the contrast and simplify the image first, because filet crochet has no shading: a square is either filled or open.
How to make any of these for free
All five start the same way:
- Open the free filet crochet pattern maker.
- Type a name, or switch to image mode and upload your picture.
- Adjust letter size, spacing, border — or grid density, detail and colours for images.
- Click any square to fix the design by hand.
- Download the chart as PNG or PDF, and use the row-by-row guide for stitch counts and direction.
A note on sizing
Filet crochet charts are measured in blocks, not centimetres, so the finished size depends on your yarn and hook. Work a small gauge swatch first, then use the finished-size calculator in the tool to estimate how large your piece will be before you commit to a long chart.
Start with whichever idea appeals most — the first finished square is what makes filet crochet click.