This is Fátima Tirado’s artistic filet crochet 💝 With a video to make a very pretty tapestry
If you’re also seeing it everywhere and feeling that coupe de foudre for filet crochet, this post is for you. This technique, once the queen of curtains and doilies for many mothers and grandmothers, is experiencing a spectacular comeback. This is largely thanks to young textile artists like Fátima Tirado (@fatimatirado_), who is part of that new generation that draws “pixels” in crocheted mesh stitches through art, fashion, and humor.
Fátima shares with us a grid design, stitch chart, and step-by-step video for making a filet crochet tapestry or mat with a message in Spanish: “Mi madre dice que esto es muy bonito” [My mother says this is very pretty]. At Katia, we agree with Fátima’s mother, and we think this tapestry would make a lovely gift for Mother’s Day.
Fátima Tirado’s very pretty filet crochet
For Fátima Tirado (Ronda, 1997), crochet is not just a technique, it’s a personal language. After studying Fashion Design, Fátima has managed to bring her family heritage and everyday life at home into a contemporary realm, where textile art functions as a diary full of sarcasm and intimacy.
“My work seeks to bring the value of craftsmanship closer to a younger audience, generating new ways of connecting with handmade items.”
“Mi madre dice que esto es muy bonito” [My mother says this is very pretty] Mat
In this collaboration, Fátima presents a design that’s a direct nod to that generational connection: the tapestry “Mi madre dice que esto es muy bonito” [My mother says this is very pretty]. “I use textile art to express what I feel with a touch of humor, hoping people will identify with everyday thoughts,” Fátima tells us.
Made with Katia Alexandria mercerized cotton
To ensure this rug or tapestry with a message shines with the clarity it deserves, Fátima has chosen Katia Alexandria (color 34). This mercerized cotton yarn is the perfect material for filet crochet: it provides impeccable definition to every stitch, making the text perfectly legible and the result professional.
Step-by-step video and chart
If you’re interested in making your own mat, Fátima shares a complete step-by-step video tutorial.
You’ll also find a stitch chart to help you understand how the filled-in and empty spaces are formed by following the grid design.
What is filet crochet?
Before we begin, filet crochet is a simple crochet technique based on combining open mesh (an empty space) and solid mesh (a block filled in with stitches). You follow a grid design, where each square represents either an open or solid mesh.
Pay attention to your tension
This technique is simple but requires a lot of attention to stitch tension. The key is to achieve balance between the chain stitch and the double crochet stitch: not too loose and not too tight. When you find the right tension, it flows almost automatically and you achieve a clean and well-defined result.
How to read the grid with the design
It’s very simple! Read the grid from the bottom up:
- Odd rows: From right to left.
- Even rows: From left to right.
💡 TIP: To avoid getting lost, you can mark each row you finish on your printed copy.
In the grid, you find empty squaresthat represent the open mesh and filled-in squares that represent the solid mesh:
- Open mesh: A space is formed using chain stitches (ch), creating the typical mesh structure of filet crochet. In this design, each open mesh is created by working 2 chain stitches between 2 double crochet stitches.
- Solid mesh: The filled-in part of the design is created using double crochet stitches (dc). In the case of Fátima’s design, she has worked the closed mesh using extended double crochet stitches.
💡 TIP: If you use double crochet stitches, the final result will be more rectangular. If you prefer a squarer result, try using extended double crochet. If you need any clarification, follow the video to learn how to crochet the extended double crochet.
Materials
- 1 ball of Katia Alexandria (color 34)
- 2-mm crochet hook
- Markers and printed chart (optional)
1. Work the starting chain: (Number of mesh squares in the grid x 3) + 5 extra chain stitches
- Multiply the number of squares corresponding to the width of the design in the grid times 3. These 3 correspond to the 2 chain stitches and 1 double crochet stitch (or extended double crochet) that make up each mesh.
- The 5 extra chain stitches allow you to turn at the end of the row: 3 chain stitches up count as the first stitch, while the other 2 chain stitches are part of the first open mesh.
In this project: (71 squares ×3) + 5 = 218 chain stitches.
2. Start row 1: Count 9 chain stitches from the hook and work 1 extended double crochet to create the first open mesh of row 1.
3. Check the following stitch chart to learn how to work each square in the grid design:
- Empty squares: double crochet 1 (dc1), chain 2 (ch2), double crochet 1 (dc1).
- Solid squares: double crochet 4 (dc4).
Note: remember that the mat designed by Fátima is made with extended double crochet.
Last recommendations
- Border: After finishing the design, work one round of single crochet stitches (sc2 for each square and sc5 for the corners) all around. Next, work your favorite border. For this project, Fátima has worked double crochet 1, chain 3, double crochet 1 into each stitch around the border.
- Blocking: For the message to be clear, wash the piece gently, dry flat and iron on the wrong side. You’ll achieve a great result!
Do you dare to try filet crochet and make something “very pretty”? Share your result with @fatimatirado_ y @katiayarns on Instagram.
