Filet Crochet
This pattern as originally written does not appear to provide any explanation
of the abbreviations, so unless you are competent in the method of filet
crochet, it could be hard to understand. So I am providing some expanded
notes on the method here.
The crochet stitches used in filet crochet are very simple, consisting
of "tall" stitches that could be trebles, (or double trebles
or triple trebles), and chain stitches combined together to create a mesh
of "spaces"; some of these spaces are filled in with "blocks"
of the tall stitches, hence the pattern can be represented with a chart,
that shows you how the spaces and blocks are arranged. You will see how
this works as I explain below.
In these examples the tall stitches are shown as trebles.
Spaces (sp)
Spaces are made by making 2 (or more) chain, missing 2 (or the same as
the number of chain) stitches, then "tall" stitch into the next
stitch.
The picture shows making 2 chain, missing 2 stitches and making the tall
stitches trebles. You are left with a square hole which is the "space".
Blocks (blk)
To make a block you fill in the space with tall stitches.
In our example you put 2 stitches into what would have been the space;
this replaces the chains and missed stitches and creates a "block"
of 4 tall stitches: two that would have been part of the mesh of spaces
and 2 that fill in the space.
The picture shows making 1 treble into each of the next 4 stitches (starting
3 chain counts as 1 treble), 2 chain, miss 2 stitches, 1 treble into the
next stitch, 1 treble into the next 3 stitches (makes a block of 4).
As you continue in a pattern, you should ensure that your basic mesh
is preserved, so that the trebles that make the framework of the spaces
all sit evenly above one another, not offset like brickwork (unless of
course that is part of the pattern!). In general the pattern is created
by the blocks, rather like giant pixels making an overall picture.
This method of working is in fact very simple, although, I have to be
frank, quite laborious.
Notes for this vintage pattern:
There are several considerations here: firstly the finess of the thread
they specify; secondly the size of the hook needed, thirdly the tall stitch
they used; and finally the spaces and blocks.
No 60 thread is very fine - like sewing cotton - I can only point
out that a curtain is a movable feast, and provided you check the tension,
you could adapt it. For your sanity you might want to try out with the
rather more usual No 20 cotton (the lower the number the thicker the thread).
The No 5½ crochet hook is not a specification in mm. You
can read about imperial hook sizes using the link in the side bar. This
is going to be the type of tiny steel hook used in lace making equivalent
to about ¾mm.
If you use No 20 cotton then an imperial No 3, 1¼mm (1.25mm) crochet
hook might be appropriate.
The "tall" stitch here is abbreviated to "ltr"
which is "long treble" I believe, and I'm given to understand
that this is a triple treble.
This is made by passing the hook under the thread of the left hand 3 times,
before inserting the hook into the next stitch and pulling through the
loop as usual; there are 5 loops on the hook as in the picture. Pass the
thread over the hook and pull through 2 loops on the hook, and repeat
this manoeuvre 3 times until there is one loop left on the hook and you
are ready to start the next stitch.
However although the spaces in this pattern are worked with 3 chain rather
than 2, the mesh in the picture looks square, and it implies to me that
the "ltr" might be a double treble rather than triple. Again,
I would try a sample swatch to see how it looks. And just to encourage
you - swatching in crochet is much quicker than knitting.
Here is picture of double trebles; made the same way as triple trebles,
but start by passing the hook under the thread of the left hand twice
instead of 3 times.
The spaces and blocks for this pattern are worked over 4 stitch
repeats rather that 3 as in the examples. A space is made by working 3
chain and missing 3 stitches before the next ltr.
So for a block you put 3 stitches into what would have been the space;
this replaces the chains and missed stitches and creates a "block"
of 5 tall stitches: two that are part of the framework mesh of spaces
and 3 that fill in the space.
Instructions
[Editor's note:These
are the instructions as given in the original - however they make a lot
of assumptions about one's knowledge of the method, hence I have provided
more in the way of explanation above.]
The curtain is commenced at the top.
Start with 377 chain.
Foundation row: 1 ltr into 6th chain
from hook, 4 more ltr for the first block, 91 spaces, 1 blk, 4 chain,
turn.
[Editor's note:I feel
I have to explain this row:
1 ltr into 6th chain from hook and then 4 ltr makes an effective block
of 5 where the 5 chain count as your first ltr; this uses 9 of the 377
chains;
next you make your first space with 3 chain, miss 3 stitches and make
a ltr into the next stitch; this uses 4 more of the foundation chains;
then you repeat the space a further 90 times which uses 360 more of the
foundation chains.
So you have used 9+4+360=373 chains, and this leaves you with the final
4 chain for your last 4 ltr.
Note that you finish a space with an ltr and then make 4 ltr which means
you finish with a block of 5. You then make 4 chain to count as an ltr
for the start of the next row.]
Repeat this row 7 times more.
Start pattern:
9th row (1st row of pattern): 1 blk,
6 sp, 1 blk, 1 sp, 1 blk, 1 sp, 1 blk, 2 sp, 1 blk, 2 sp, 1 blk, 1 sp,
1 blk, 53 sp, 1 blk, 1 sp, 1 blk, 2 sp, 1 blk, 2 sp, 1 blk, 1 sp, 1 blk,
1 sp, 1 blk, 6 sp, 1 blk.
Now proceed from the 10th row of the chart, that is, the 2nd pattern
row.
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