Filet crochet patterns — Easy Step-by-Step Tutorial

Heart Bookmark Crochet Pattern With Vintage Charm

filet crochet patterns are one of my favorite ways to turn simple open-and-filled squares into something that feels surprisingly detailed, and this little heart bookmark is such a sweet project to prove it. I designed this one to be slim, lightweight, and beginner-friendly while still giving you that pretty vintage filet look. According to The Spruce Crafts,The heart grows right out of the mesh, so there are no separate motifs to join and no complicated shaping to sew together. Grab your hook, settle in with your favorite yarn, and enjoy watching the heart appear row by row!

A Sweet Heart to Crochet in an Afternoon

This delicate filet crochet heart bookmark is quick to make, easy to customize, and useful enough that you’ll want one tucked into every favorite book.

Materials Needed

Sport-weight 100% cotton yarn: approximately 25 g / 100 m in dusty rose

Crochet hook: 3.0 mm (US C/2)

Tapestry needle: 1, blunt-ended needle for weaving in ends

Small sharp scissors

Blocking mat: optional but highly recommended

Rustproof T-pins: optional, for blocking

Measuring tape or ruler: for checking finished dimensions

Gauge (Approximate): 10 filet squares = approximately 5 cm (2 in) across; 10 rows = approximately 5 cm (2 in) high after light blocking

Quantity: 1 finished bookmark, approximately 5 × 10.5 cm (2 × 4.25 in), excluding optional tassel

Color: dusty rose

Abbreviations / Terms Used

ch — chain

ch-sp — chain space

dc — double crochet

sc — single crochet

sl st — slip stitch

st/sts — stitch/stitches

sk — skip

sp — space

RS — right side

WS — wrong side

O — open filet square

F — filled filet square

mesh — the open grid created by dc stitches and chain spaces

block — a filled filet square made with 3 dc

turning chain — the chain made at the beginning of a row to bring the yarn to working height

Free Pattern: filet crochet patterns

This heart bookmark uses a 20-square-wide filet grid, with open mesh surrounding a centered filled heart.

1. Build the Foundation Mesh — filet

This first section creates the seven completely open rows that form the airy frame beneath the heart.

Row 1: Foundation Mesh

Make a slip knot and ch 61. Do not count the slip knot as a stitch.

Ch 5; this counts as the first dc plus the first ch-2 space.

Dc in the 4th ch from the hook.

Repeat 19 times: ch 2, sk the next 2 foundation chains, dc in the next chain.

Turn.

Stitch Count: 21 dc and 20 ch-2 spaces.

Row 2: Open Mesh

Ch 5; this counts as the first dc and ch-2 space.

Sk the next ch-2 space and dc in the next dc.

Repeat 19 times: ch 2, sk the next ch-2 space, dc in the next dc.

Turn.

Row 3: Open Mesh

Ch 5.

Turn.

Row 4: Open Mesh

Ch 5.

Turn.

Row 5: Open Mesh

Ch 5.

Turn.

Row 6: Open Mesh

Ch 5.

Turn.

Row 7: Open Mesh

Ch 5.

Turn.

Pro tip: Keep your chain-2 spaces relaxed rather than tight. Consistent spaces make the heart much easier to read once the piece is blocked.

2. Crochet the Heart Motif — filet

Now comes my favorite part! The filled squares gradually build the heart while the surrounding open squares keep the bookmark light and lacy.

For the rows below, read the 20-cell chart string from left to right as written. Each O is an open square and each F is a filled square.

When an O is worked over an open square below, work ch 2, skip the ch-2 space, and dc in the next dc. When an O is worked over a filled square below, ch 2, skip the next 2 dc, and dc in the following dc. When an F is worked over an open square below, work 2 dc into the ch-2 space and 1 dc in the following dc. When an F is worked over a filled square below, work 1 dc in each of the next 3 dc. This keeps the filet grid aligned.

Row 8: Heart Begins

Work the 20-cell sequence OOOOFFFFOOOOFFFFOOOO.

For each F cell, fill the corresponding square using the filled-block method described above.

Turn.

Stitch Count: 37 dc and 12 ch-2 spaces.

Row 9: Heart Lobes

Ch 5.

Work the 20-cell sequence OOOFFFFFFOOFFFFFFOOO.

Keep the two filled groups centered and separated by exactly 2 open squares.

Turn.

Stitch Count: 45 dc and 8 ch-2 spaces.

Row 10: Heart Joins

Ch 5.

Work the 20-cell sequence OOFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFOO.

The filled sections now meet across the center, creating the upper body of the heart.

Turn.

Stitch Count: 53 dc and 4 ch-2 spaces.

Row 11: Full Heart Width

Ch 5.

Work the 20-cell sequence OFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFO.

Work all 18 consecutive F cells as filled blocks, keeping each block aligned with the grid below.

Turn.

Stitch Count: 57 dc and 2 ch-2 spaces.

Row 12: Full Heart Width

Ch 5.

Repeat the same filled-block technique across the center.

Turn.

Row 13: Begin Tapering

Ch 5.

Keep 2 open squares at each side of the heart.

Turn.

Row 14: Taper the Heart

Ch 5.

Work the 20-cell sequence OOOFFFFFFFFFFFFFFOOO.

Keep 3 open squares on each side.

Turn.

Stitch Count: 49 dc and 6 ch-2 spaces.

Row 15: Continue the Point

Ch 5.

Work the 20-cell sequence OOOOFFFFFFFFFFFFOOOO.

Keep 4 open squares on both sides.

Turn.

Row 16: Narrow the Center

Ch 5.

Work the 20-cell sequence OOOOOFFFFFFFFFFOOOOO.

Keep 5 open squares at both sides.

Turn.

Stitch Count: 41 dc and 10 ch-2 spaces.

Row 17: Narrow Again

Ch 5.

Work the 20-cell sequence OOOOOOFFFFFFFFOOOOOO.

Keep 6 open squares on both sides.

Turn.

Row 18: Shape the Lower Heart

Ch 5.

Work the 20-cell sequence OOOOOOOFFFFFFOOOOOOO.

Keep 7 open squares at both sides.

Turn.

Stitch Count: 33 dc and 14 ch-2 spaces.

Row 19: Final Taper

Ch 5.

Work the 20-cell sequence OOOOOOOOFFFFOOOOOOOO.

Keep 8 open squares on both sides.

Turn.

Stitch Count: 29 dc and 16 ch-2 spaces.

Row 20: Almost at the Point

Ch 5.

Work the 20-cell sequence OOOOOOOOOFFOOOOOOOOO.

The single filled pair sits directly in the center.

Turn.

Stitch Count: 25 dc and 18 ch-2 spaces.

Row 21: Heart Point

Ch 5.

Work the 20-cell sequence OOOOOOOOOFOOOOOOOOOO.

The single F cell creates the very tip of the heart.

Turn.

Stitch Count: 23 dc and 19 ch-2 spaces.

Pro tip: If the heart looks slightly uneven while you crochet, don’t panic. Filet mesh often looks much better after gentle blocking because the chain spaces open and square up.

3. Finish and Block the Bookmark — filet

This final section gives the bookmark clean edges and the crisp vintage look that makes filet crochet patterns so pretty.

Edge Round: Simple Sc Border

Do not cut the yarn after Row 21.

Ch 1; this does not count as a stitch.

Work 1 sc in each dc across the top edge, placing 2 sc in each visible ch-2 space so the edge remains flexible rather than pulled tight.

At the first corner, work 3 sc into the corner space.

Along the long side, work 1 sc around each row-end turning chain, then add 1 additional sc in the adjacent edge space of each row where needed to keep the side flat.

At the second corner, work 3 sc.

Repeat the same edging across the foundation-chain edge and down the remaining side.

Join with a sl st to the first sc.

Fasten off, leaving a 10–12 cm (4–5 in) tail.

Weave the tail securely through the wrong side of the stitches with your tapestry needle.

Finished Size: approximately 5 × 10.5 cm (2 × 4.25 in) after blocking.

Blocking the Bookmark

Soak the finished bookmark briefly in lukewarm water.

Gently squeeze out excess water without twisting the crochet.

Lay it flat on a blocking mat.

Pin the four corners first, then gently straighten the long sides.

Adjust the heart so its filled blocks are evenly shaped.

Allow it to dry completely before removing the pins.

Finishing Check: The mesh should lie flat, the heart should be centered, and the bookmark should have straight parallel sides.

Quick Reference

Row 20-Cell Pattern Filled Squares DC Count Ch-2 Spaces

1 OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO 0 21 20

2 OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO 0 21 20

3 OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO 0 21 20

4 OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO 0 21 20

5 OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO 0 21 20

6 OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO 0 21 20

7 OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO 0 21 20

8 OOOOFFFFOOOOFFFFOOOO 8 37 12

9 OOOFFFFFFOOFFFFFFOOO 12 45 8

10 OOFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFOO 16 53 4

11 OFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFO 18 57 2

12 OFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFO 18 57 2

13 OOFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFOO 16 53 4

14 OOOFFFFFFFFFFFFFFOOO 14 49 6

15 OOOOFFFFFFFFFFFFOOOO 12 45 8

16 OOOOOFFFFFFFFFFOOOOO 10 41 10

17 OOOOOOFFFFFFFFOOOOOO 8 37 12

18 OOOOOOOFFFFFFOOOOOOO 6 33 14

19 OOOOOOOOFFFFOOOOOOOO 4 29 16

20 OOOOOOOOOFFOOOOOOOOO 2 25 18

21 OOOOOOOOOFOOOOOOOOOO 1 23 19

📺 Watch the Video Tutorial

Final Thoughts

And there you have it—a little heart bookmark made entirely from simple filet mesh! I love how this project starts out looking almost plain and then suddenly becomes a recognizable heart as the filled squares appear. It is a lovely introduction to filet crochet patterns for beginners, but it still has that delicate, vintage-inspired finish I adore. Before using your bookmark, make sure it is completely dry after blocking, and gently reshape the edges with your fingers if they curl. I hope you enjoy making this one as much as I did. If you make it, I’d love to see your finished heart—share it and tag the blog so I can cheer you on!

Tips for a Better Experience

Keep your ch-2 tension consistent. If your spaces become noticeably larger or smaller, the heart can look stretched even when your stitch counts are correct.

Mark every 5 filet squares. A removable stitch marker placed along the foundation row makes counting the 20-square width much easier, especially when you’re new to filet crochet.

Watch the center of Rows 8–12 carefully. The two lobes in Row 8 are separated by 4 open squares, the gap narrows in Row 9, and the heart joins in Row 10.

Resize it without redesigning the heart. For a longer bookmark, add extra completely open mesh rows before Row 8 or after Row 21. For a wider version, add equal open squares to both sides of every chart row.

FAQ

What are filet crochet patterns?

Filet crochet patterns use a simple grid of open and filled squares to create pictures, words, borders, and motifs. This heart bookmark uses open mesh around strategically placed filled blocks.

How do I read filet crochet patterns?

Read each row of the chart as a sequence of open and filled squares, working from the bottom upward. An open square uses a chain space, while a filled square uses double crochet stitches to close the square.

Why is filet crochet good for beginners?

Filet crochet patterns for beginners are especially approachable because the design is built from just a few repeated stitches. Once you understand how an open square and filled square work, you can follow everything from simple filet crochet patterns free online to more intricate vintage designs.

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