Filet Crochet

How to Add Outline Edging

An outline edging consists of a single crochet, then a number of chains and repeat (detailed instructions below) added to the surface of a finished filet piece. Use this when you want to add color to portions of a filet crochet or when you want selected areas of the design to be highlighted. On page one of this article, I show the above butterfly with and without the outline edging. You can see what a difference it makes.

Outline edging is generally done with a chain 3 or chain 2 between each single crochet, when being added to a filet piece that was worked in 4 dc mesh. Using a chain 3 makes the edging ruffle slightly. If you want a completely straight outline, try a chain 2 instead. Use a chain 2 or chain 1 between each single crochet, when being added to a filet piece that was worked in 3 dc mesh.

Materials Used in Example: I used Southmaid MEXICANA by Coats and Clark (a variegated size 10 thread) around the wings portion of the butterfly above. Choose the color that you want to appear at the top of the wings and begin with that color area in the thread on each wing, beginning each wing at top of wing nearest butterfly center. I did the butterfly example above with a chain 3 between each single crochet on the outline edging.

On the diagram below, each square equals a solid mesh of filet crochet. In a 4 dc mesh in filet crochet, each solid mesh contains 4 double crochet (but the last double crochet in each mesh is shared by the adjoining solid mesh). In other words, every fourth double crochet is both the end of that mesh and the beginning of the next mesh. When doing an outline edging, it is in this fourth double crochet that you will be working a single crochet, then chain 3, skip next three double crochet and repeat.

On this diagram, each square equals a solid mesh of filet crochet. To begin an outline edging, attach thread in first dc of a solid mesh (leaving a length of thread to weave in later, to secure the end). Sc in this first dc, (chain 3, skip next 3 dc, sc in next dc) repeat. When you come to a corner, after working an sc in the last dc at that corner edge, chain 3, work next sc in the stitch at the bottom of the dc just worked.

On this chart, I outlined the path that you would use to crochet the outline edging around the wing portions. When you have finished one wing, end off (leaving a length of thread to weave in, to secure the thread end). Again leaving a length of thread to weave in, attach thread in second wing. I started each wing at the top of the wing, in the stitch nearest the center of the butterfly.

On this chart, I outlined the path that you would use to crochet the outline edging around the body and antennae. Start at the top, at one antenna tip, do one antenna, go all the way around the body portion and back to the second antenna. This way you have a smooth path, without having to end off and reattach.

You can add an outline edging, in this manner, to portions of any finished filet crochet item. Have fun trying it out!

Part 1: Example of Outline Edging
Part 3: Filet Chart of Butterfly Shown

This Outline Edging How-To is copyright 2000 by Sandi Marshall, licensed to About.com, Inc. Free for your own personal (not for profit) use only. You have permission to print out one copy of this page for your own personal use.

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