Filet Checkerboard (Blocks + Mesh)
Filet checkerboard puts the two filet cells together: filled blocks and open mesh alternating like a chessboard, offset every row. One written row makes the whole fabric — you work the same row throughout, and turning the work each row offsets the cells. Blocks and spaces share their boundary posts, so every row of N cells counts 3N+1 double crochet.
Want it bigger or smaller? Pick any finished size and this free pattern rewrites itself — it snaps to a whole number of repeats, recomputes the foundation chain, and checks every row's stitch count. The chart and written pattern are produced by deterministic algorithms, never by a language model.
Stitch Chart
How many chains do I need?
For any width, chain a multiple of 6, plus 5. The Filet Checkerboard (Blocks + Mesh) repeat is 6 stitches wide, so any whole number of repeats — plus 5 for the edges and turn — gives a foundation that works.
Chain 119 to start — that's 19 repeats of Filet Checkerboard (Blocks + Mesh).
Estimated at worsted-weight gauge; your own gauge may shift the stitch count.
Written Row Repeat
Foundation: Ch 17.
- 1Row 1: 1 dc in 8th ch from hook (ch 3 = 1st dc, ch 2 = 1st space, sk 2), dc in next 3, *ch 2, skip 2, dc, dc in next 3; rep from * to end, turn — 2 blocks and 2 spaces
- 2Row 2: Ch 3 (counts as dc), *ch 2, skip 2, dc, dc in next 3; rep from * to end, turn — 2 blocks and 2 spaces
- 3Rows 3–8: rep Row 2
Make it your size in Filet Checkerboard (Blocks + Mesh)
Each object opens the free maker with Filet Checkerboard (Blocks + Mesh) preloaded — pick your yarn and size, and every row is stitch-count checked as it builds.
Pick your own size and colors — every row is checked so it always works.
US & UK crochet terms
This Filet Checkerboard (Blocks + Mesh) pattern uses US crochet terms. In UK terminology the stitch names shift up one rung:
- US double crochet (dc) = UK treble (tr)
Filet Checkerboard (Blocks + Mesh): common questions
How many chains do I start with for Filet Checkerboard (Blocks + Mesh)?
Chain a multiple of 6, plus 5, for any width. You don't have to count by hand: the free maker snaps the foundation chain to a whole number of Filet Checkerboard (Blocks + Mesh) repeats at the size you pick, and checks every row's stitch count.
Is Filet Checkerboard (Blocks + Mesh) good for beginners?
Yes. Filet Checkerboard (Blocks + Mesh) repeats a short, easy-to-memorize sequence of basic stitches, so it's a great early project — and the maker's row-by-row stitch-count check catches a miscount before it becomes a crooked edge.
Does Filet Checkerboard (Blocks + Mesh) use more yarn than plain single crochet?
A bit more. Filet Checkerboard (Blocks + Mesh) is worked mainly in double crochet, which takes about 67% more yarn per stitch than single crochet (around 0.055 yards) — but taller stitches cover more area, so fewer fill the same size. The maker recomputes the estimate from your actual stitch count.
What are Filet Checkerboard (Blocks + Mesh)'s US and UK crochet terms?
Filet Checkerboard (Blocks + Mesh) works the same stitches under different names on each side of the Atlantic: US double crochet (dc) = UK treble (tr). The fabric is identical — only the stitch labels change.