The Origins of Filet Crochet

re: The Origins of Filet Crochet

KellieN — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 11:23:36 GMT

I know it's the internet, but you all make your mark in the world with words, so please continue to take your usual care with copy editing. Mistakes like cart instead of chart in the photo caption and neeldlepoint instead of needlepoint in the 4th paragraph bespeak rushing to publish or a lessening of care for your chosen medium of expression. I love Interweave products (including these simple everyday emails) as oases of beauty and permanence in a throwaway world, so please don't get caught up in the sloppiness that abounds elsewhere in today's instant publishing world.

Thank you so much.

re: The Origins of Filet Crochet

Char55 — Sat, 02 Feb 2013 00:47:21 GMT

Found one with Hearts on this link: crochet.about.com/.../n030107.htm

re: The Origins of Filet Crochet

Char55 — Sat, 02 Feb 2013 00:32:31 GMT

I found a filet shawl pattern on this site:

www.womansday.com/.../rose-filet-shawl-881

Pictures of it in alternative colors on this site:

www.ravelry.com/.../rose-filet-shawl

Supposed to be an easy pattern.

re: The Origins of Filet Crochet

Big Stash — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 03:27:42 GMT

The Young Ladies Work-Table and Embroidery Frame Manual book (pub. 1843, pg 174-175) lists "Open Crochet" which is today's filet crochet.

I have made (my designs and published) fine thread filet projects (doilies, scarves, edgings, etc.). Also designed and made yarn baby blankets in filet crochet. Pre-school coloring books are a great source for ideas.

re: The Origins of Filet Crochet

ruthkaplan1950@gmail.com — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 23:36:12 GMT

If washing does not clean the antique pieces of thread crochet, try wetting them with diluted lemon juice, then lay them in the sun to bleach out the yellowing and stains. You might want to try an inconspicuous spot first. I would try this before using diluted bleach which I would consider a last resort.

re: The Origins of Filet Crochet

ruthkaplan1950@gmail.com — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 23:13:36 GMT

I made a shawl in filet crochet in black. Unfortunately, the pattern doesn't show up well in the dark color. What I learned about designing the pattern is that the filet crochet is not the same shape as the squares of the graph paper. It is similar enough for the charted design to work and was fun to work out. I'd suggest starting with something smaller or using an existing chart like the birds and flowers shown above.

re: The Origins of Filet Crochet

Char55 — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 22:08:54 GMT

To WhiteNancy,

There's a filet crochet vest pattern here:

tangle-untangled.blogspot.com/.../filet-crochet-white-mesh-vest.html

re: The Origins of Filet Crochet

Toni Rexroat — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 20:48:25 GMT

Suzismf, we would love to see a photo of your grandmother's filet crochet keepsake!

Best,

Toni

re: The Origins of Filet Crochet

mgquilts — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 19:20:54 GMT

I've never made my own chart but I have tried my hand at filet crochet a few years ago. I luv it. Since then I inherited some beautiful filet crochet bodices (for night gowns or summer dresses?) from a great-aunt who was married and living in the 1920's and 30's. There are a number of them and I can only assume she made them herself. I also have some trimmed doilies but they are yellowed and stained. I have great admiration for ladies of my great-aunt's era who had the patience to work with such thin threads to create such lovely works of art.

re: The Origins of Filet Crochet

whitenancy — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 17:12:43 GMT

I'm looking for a pattern for a vest made in a filet pattern. can you help me

re: The Origins of Filet Crochet

SUZISMF — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 17:11:25 GMT

I just got a keepsake of filet crochet (I didn't know what it was until I saw this article) that my grandmother made in either the late 1800's (she was born in 1886) or early 1900's - it has a couple of holes and a stain - but is in excellent shape considering it is over 100 years old

I would like to post a pix of it - but don't know how or if it is allowed.

re: The Origins of Filet Crochet

Char55 — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 15:53:42 GMT

I haven't done filet (thread) crochet charts, but I have made similar looking charts for working patterns in Tunisian crochet. I use a cross-stitch software program called PC-Stitch and used colored blocks to show where my colors start and stop. The vertical lines on the graph represent the vertical loops of the 1st half of the Tunisian row and the colored in blocks represent the second half of the row.

I would love to attempt making a filet crochet shawl using perle cotton in rich colors. It would have to be from a published pattern, though, because I have no idea how to graph a shawl.