11 rounds · filed under drape · 5 of them
Home decor · added 17 Oct 2026
Filet crochet lace panel with open square grid
Double crochet and chain spaces build a lace grid panel with firm blocks and airy windows, finished with a single crochet border.
- Skill
- Intermediate
- Time
- 4-6 hours
- Hook
- 3.0 mm
- Yarn
- Sport
- Rounds
- 9
About this pattern
Under your hand this panel alternates firm and open: the double crochet blocks feel dense and stable, while the chain-2 spaces between them go slack and see-through. That contrast is what makes the lace read as a grid rather than a solid sheet. Worked in sport weight cotton on a 3.0 mm hook, the fabric stays crisp rather than floppy, holding its shape when you lift one corner instead of sagging.
The finished piece is a flat rectangle, about 80 stitches wide, built row by row from a straight bottom edge up through a single crochet border. Once blocked, lay it as a table runner or drape it over a shelf edge where the open squares can catch light from behind. Because there is no shaping and no seam, it comes off the hook ready to pin out and use.
Finished size is approximately 12 x 30 inches (30.5 x 76 cm), written using US crochet terms.
The swatch in numbers
- Rounds
- 9
- Parts
- 3
- Level
- Intermediate
- Time
- 4-6 hours
- Hook
- 3.0 mm
- Yarn
- Sport
The yarn and the hook
Project category
- Lace crochet home decor
Construction method
- Worked flat in rows from the bottom edge upward
Main technique
- Filet crochet mesh with decorative open spaces
Skill level
- Easy to intermediate
Suggested yarn
- Lightweight cotton yarn for structure and stitch clarity
Recommended use
- Table runner, dresser accent, decorative panel, or handmade gift
- Sport weight cotton yarn: approximately 650 yards (594 meters)
- 3.0 mm crochet hook (US C/2)
- Scissors
- Tapestry needle for weaving ends
- Blocking mats and pins
Stitches, spelled out
ch chain; dc double crochetDrape; sc single crochetDense; sl st slip stitch; sp space; st stitch; rep repeat.
Tension and hand-feel
Gauge: Approx. 18 double crochet stitches and 10 rows = 4 inches (10 cm).
After the first two rows, lay the piece flat and check that the 80 double crochet stitches sit at a width you are comfortable repeating for the full panel, since every later row counts on that same stitch total.
If the fabric feels tight and the chain-2 spaces refuse to open into visible squares, move up a hook size; if the blocks feel loose and the mesh looks floppy before blocking, drop down a size.
Filet crochet depends heavily on consistent tension. Even small changes in stitch height or chain spacing can affect the openness and shape of the lace pattern. Checking your gauge before beginning will help create a balanced finished piece.
Foundation Rows
The panel is worked flat from bottom to top. Turning chains count as the first double crochet throughout the pattern. Slip stitches do not count as stitches.
Chain 82.
Main Pattern Rows
Open filet square Skip 2 stitches, chain 2, then work 1 double crochet into the next stitch.
Filled filet square Work 3 double crochet stitches into the same section to create a solid block.
Border
How the texture is built
- Row 1 sets a fixed count of 80 double crochet stitches, and every row after it works from that same total, so the grid holds a constant width with no increases or decreases across the panel.
- The piece is worked flat in rows rather than in rounds because filet mesh depends on a straight, repeatable row structure; turning at the end of each row lets the open and filled squares stack directly on top of each other to form clean vertical columns.
- The single crochet border is worked in two rounds after the panel is complete, with 3 sc placed in each corner on both rounds; those extra stitches add the ease a flat rectangle needs to turn a square corner without the border pulling in or rippling.
Putting the pieces together
If you swap the yarn
| Cotton, DK weight | Produces a noticeably larger, heavier panel from the same 80-stitch row, with wider chain spaces; move up to a 3.5-4.0 mm hook to keep the mesh open rather than tight. |
|---|---|
| Cotton-linen blend, sport weight | Keeps the stitch count and hook size close to the original but adds a drier, crisper hand and slightly less stretch across the open squares, which holds blocking longer between washes. |
| Mercerized cotton thread, fine weight | Shrinks the whole panel and sharpens stitch definition for a doily-like scale; drop to a 2.0-2.5 mm hook and expect to work more rows to reach a comparable length. |
Colorways
- Natural cotton, single shade Work the entire panel and both border rounds in one undyed or bleached cotton so the lace pattern shows through light and shadow alone, with no color break to distract from the grid.
Washing and blocking
Hand wash the finished panel in cool water with a mild detergent, since sport weight cotton holds up to gentle washing without losing its stitch definition.
Reshape the damp panel on a blocking surface, pinning the corners and the outer edges of the single crochet border so the chain-2 spaces relax into even squares as they dry.
Store the dry panel flat rather than folded or hung, since cotton fibers can crease at fold lines and the open filet squares will hold whatever shape they dry in.
When it does not look right
- The chain-2 spaces look uneven, some
- If the open squares appear different sizes, check your tension and make sure each double crochet has the same height. Blocking can also help even out small differences.
- The panel curls along the side edges instead of lying flat.
- Lace crochet naturally has movement before blocking. If the edges continue curling after blocking, add an extra border round or use a slightly larger hook for future projects.
Questions people ask
Can this panel be worked wider or longer than the pattern states?
Yes. To make it wider, increase the starting chain in multiples of 4 plus 2 extra chains so the ch-2, skip-2 repeat still lands evenly. To make it longer, simply repeat additional pattern rows before adding the border.
Why does the pattern call for a smaller 3.0 mm hook with sport weight cotton?
A smaller hook keeps the double crochet blocks dense enough to hold their shape against the pull of the open chain spaces around them. A larger hook would let the mesh go slack and the grid would lose its clean lines.
Does this pattern need blocking, or does it lie flat on its own?
Blocking is needed. The chain-2 spaces come off the hook pulled slightly closed, and pinning the damp panel flat is what opens them into visible squares and squares off the corners.
What does the single crochet border actually do structurally?
It closes off the raw stitch and chain edges left by the filet rows and adds a firmer, non-lace edge around the mesh. The 3 sc worked in each corner on both border rounds give the fabric enough ease to turn a flat 90-degree corner instead of puckering.
New patterns, as they are filed
One short email when a batch lands, with the feel of each.