KeepTier · fiber arts creator economics

Patreon for filet crochet creators: chart design on grid paper, scaling from thread count to finished dimensions, French versus English notation differences, corner shaping techniques, blocking protocol, designing original motifs from pixel art, and the Apple Tax on iOS-heavy fiber arts audiences from November 2026

Filet crochet is a grid-based technique where every design decision reduces to a binary choice: this square is filled, that square is open. The name comes from the French filet meaning net, and the structure is precisely that — a regular mesh of open squares on which a motif is painted in solid by filling selected squares with double crochet in place of the chain arcs. The pattern is not in the stitch variation; every filled square uses the same stitches and every open square uses the same stitches. The pattern is entirely in the placement — which squares across the grid are filled, and which are left as negative space.

For Patreon creators documenting filet crochet, this binary structure is a double-edged property. On the one hand, the grid chart is the complete pattern — a Patreon post that publishes a chart delivers the full design intent in one image. On the other hand, the chart alone omits everything that determines whether that chart translates correctly to fabric: the scaling calculation from thread weight to finished dimensions, the notation system in use, the selvedge shaping mechanics for non-rectangular pieces, and the blocking protocol that converts a limp mesh into the finished object. This guide covers those technical layers so that your Patreon documentation explains what the chart cannot show by itself.

What filet crochet is structurally: mesh squares, filled and open

The structural unit of filet crochet is the mesh square. Two adjacent mesh squares share one edge stitch — a single double crochet that serves as the right edge of the left square and the left edge of the right square simultaneously. The interior of each square is either a chain arc (open square) or a pair of double crochet stitches (filled square).

Open square. The standard open mesh square in English notation consists of: one double crochet (the shared left edge), two chain stitches (the span of the open space), and one double crochet (the shared right edge of this square, left edge of the next). The chain stitches do not bear structural load; they are decorative space. When the next row works back across these two chains, it treats them as a foundation chain unit and works its own double crochet into the space above them — not through the chain loops. The two-chain span between anchor double crochets defines the open square's lateral dimension.

Filled square. A filled square replaces the two chains with two double crochets: double crochet into the first chain, double crochet into the second chain, then the anchor double crochet that closes the square and opens the next. Depending on the pattern notation used, the fill double crochets are worked either into the two chains of the open square directly or into the center of the mesh space. Either approach produces a filled square; the difference affects the fabric texture only slightly (into-chain gives a crisper fill line; into-space gives a slightly softer fill edge).

Shared anchor stitches and stitch count. Because the double crochet at each column boundary is shared between the two adjacent squares, the total stitch count for a row of N mesh squares is not 5N but (3N + 1): three stitches per square (chain-chain or dc-dc interior plus the right-edge anchor) plus one stitch for the far-left edge. For a 10-column row: 3 × 10 + 1 = 31 stitches. The foundation chain for the first row must create this foundation plus the turning chain. In standard English notation the foundation chain is (3 × N) + 4 for a turning chain counted as the first double crochet, where the turning chain of 4 chains = ch3 (counted as dc) + ch1 (first chain of the first open square).

Reading the chart. The filet crochet chart is a grid where each cell represents one mesh square. Shaded or filled cells (black squares, X symbols, or filled circles depending on the chart designer's convention) represent filled squares; unshaded cells (empty boxes, dots, or blank cells) represent open squares. The chart is read from bottom to top (row 1 is the foundation row, row 2 sits above it, the final row is at the top) and from right to left on odd rows and left to right on even rows — matching the physical action of crocheting back and forth across the work. Some charts use a consistent left-to-right read with arrows indicating the direction; check the chart key before beginning.

Chart design on grid paper: symbol conventions and proportion

Designing an original filet crochet chart requires grid paper whose proportions match the mesh square ratio of the finished fabric. If the finished fabric has squares that are 3 mm wide and 2.5 mm tall (width-to-height ratio 1.2:1), working on square grid paper will produce a chart whose visual appearance is stretched vertically compared to the finished piece — designs that look like circles on the chart will emerge as ovals in the fabric.

Measuring the mesh square ratio. Work a swatch of at least 15 rows × 15 columns. Block the swatch wet on a flat surface without pinning and allow to dry. Measure the width of 10 squares and divide by 10 to get the average square width. Measure the height of 10 rows and divide by 10 to get the average row height. For most crochet cotton threads on appropriate hooks, the ratio is approximately 1.1:1 to 1.3:1 (slightly wider than tall). If the ratio is exactly 1:1 (square mesh), standard square grid paper works directly. For non-square mesh, print or rule grid paper with rectangles in the correct ratio.

Symbol conventions. The two primary symbol systems are: (1) filled box = filled square, empty box = open square; (2) X or dot = filled square, empty = open square. Most published patterns use filled box, but some older French patterns and decorative chart publishers use X symbols. The only operational requirement is consistency within a single chart — use one system throughout and include a key at the chart edge. When publishing a Patreon chart, include the key in the chart image itself rather than in a caption, because subscribers will screenshot the chart and view it independently of the post text.

Border squares. Most filet pieces benefit from a 1–2 square border of open mesh on all four sides. The border creates visual separation between the motif and the edge of the fabric, prevents the motif from appearing to bleed off the edge, and provides a stable selvedge that blocks evenly. If the motif design extends to the very edge of the chart, the outermost filled squares on the border row may not block flat because they lack the tension pull of adjacent open squares on the exterior side. Add at least one column and one row of open squares around any motif before calculating the final piece dimensions.

Mirror and repeat planning. Traditional filet motifs use vertical and horizontal symmetry. Designing only one quadrant of a symmetric motif and then mirroring it is faster and ensures exact symmetry — a freehand-drawn symmetric design will have small asymmetries that become visible in a fine-thread piece worked at 300+ columns. Grid-paper design with mirror verification: fold the chart paper along the center axis and hold up to a light to confirm that the quadrant design aligns across the mirror. Repeat patterns for borders and allover designs require that the motif width and height divide evenly into the total piece dimensions after accounting for borders — a motif 12 squares wide repeating in a 85-square-wide piece will have misaligned half-repeats at the selvedge unless the piece width is adjusted to an exact multiple of 12 plus borders.

Scaling from thread weight to finished dimensions

Scaling a filet crochet chart to a specific finished size is a two-step calculation: first determine the mesh square dimensions at the intended thread weight and hook size, then calculate the column and row count required to achieve the target finished dimensions.

Step 1 — Work a tension swatch. The tension swatch must be worked with the exact thread, hook, and stitch used in the project (filet crochet tension in a swatch differs from solid-fabric crochet tension at the same gauge). Work at least 15 rows by 15 columns of the filet mesh pattern. Block the swatch exactly as the finished piece will be blocked — filet mesh expands significantly during wet blocking. Measure the blocked swatch, not the pre-blocking swatch, because the finished piece will be measured after blocking.

Thread weight reference table. Common filet crochet thread weights and their typical blocked mesh square dimensions:

Column count calculation. Finished width ÷ average blocked mesh square width = required column count. For a 25 cm wide curtain tier at size 20 thread on a 1.1 mm hook (blocked square width 3.0 mm): 250 mm ÷ 3.0 mm = 83 columns. Round to the nearest integer that satisfies the border and repeat requirements of the chosen chart.

Row count calculation. Finished height ÷ average blocked row height = required row count. For the same thread at blocked row height 2.6 mm and a 45 cm finished height: 450 mm ÷ 2.6 mm = 173 rows. If the chart motif has 120 rows with the intended border, add a plain-mesh header and footer to reach 173 rows while maintaining the motif's position within the piece.

Proportional check. Before committing to the full piece, calculate the aspect ratio of the finished piece from the column and row counts and compare to the chart's aspect ratio. If the chart is 80 squares wide by 100 squares tall (aspect ratio 1:1.25) but the finished piece needs to be 25 cm wide by 40 cm tall (aspect ratio 1:1.6), the design will appear vertically stretched in the final fabric. Either adjust the column or row count to match the chart's native aspect ratio or redesign the chart to the target aspect ratio.

French versus English notation: foundation chain and turning chain

Filet crochet was documented and published in France before the English crochet tradition adopted it, and the two notation systems developed slightly different conventions for the same structural reality. The mechanical difference is at the turning chain — the chain stitches worked at the start of each row before the first mesh square — and at the foundation chain for setting up the first row.

English turning chain convention. In standard English notation for filet crochet, the turning chain at the start of each row counts as the first double crochet of the first mesh square. A turning chain of 3 or 4 chains is worked, and this chain is treated as the first edge double crochet of the row. The chain count for the first open square (the 2-chain span) then follows after the turning chain. For an open square at the row start: ch4-turn (ch3 = first dc, ch1 = start of 2-chain span), dc into 4th chain from hook or into space below. Many English patterns specify ch5-turn for the first open square (ch3 + ch2 span) or ch6 for a row starting with a filled square (ch3 + 3 dc = ch3 turning chain counts as dc plus 2 additional dc for the fill). The foundation chain for N squares: (3 × N) + 3 chains, with the first dc of row 1 worked into the 4th chain from hook.

French turning chain convention. French notation typically does not count the turning chain as a stitch. Instead, the turning chain is worked as a bridge to the correct height for the next row (usually 5 chains for a turning chain not counted as a double crochet), and the first actual stitch of the row is the first anchor double crochet at the base of the first mesh square. This produces a cleaner left edge on the finished piece because the turning chain gap (the slight looseness where the chain-counted-as-dc meets the first true dc) is absent, but it requires a longer turning chain to achieve the correct height. Foundation chain in French notation: (3 × N) + 1 chains, with the first dc worked into the 2nd chain from hook (or into the 5th chain after working 4 chains as the turning bridge before the foundation).

Practical diagnosis of a notation mismatch. If you work the foundation chain from a pattern and find that the stitch count at the end of row 1 is one square short or one square over, a notation mismatch is the cause. Work two foundation chains — one per system — and work row 1 from each. The correct system is the one that produces the expected number of mesh squares with visually square proportions and a clean left selvedge. The pattern is not wrong; you are using a different counting convention than the designer. Once you identify which system the pattern uses, all subsequent rows follow consistently.

Reading charts across notation traditions. When working from a chart image without a written pattern (as is common in 19th and early 20th century pattern sources reprinted without revision), the chart itself does not tell you which notation system to use. The safest approach: work the foundation chain based on English convention, work row 1, and count the squares. If the count matches the chart's column count: continue. If the count is off by one: re-start with the French convention chain count.

Corner increases and decreases: straight-edge and staircase selvedges

Filet crochet pieces worked to shape — triangles, semicircles, garment pieces, or any non-rectangular form — require increasing and decreasing at the selvedges. The two primary approaches are straight-edge shaping (smooth diagonal selvedge) and staircase shaping (stepped diagonal selvedge), and each requires different mechanics.

Straight-edge increase at the beginning of a row. To add columns at the left edge (the edge at the start of a right-to-left row), work a longer turning chain before the first mesh square of the new row. For each open square to be added: add 3 chains to the turning chain (2 for the new square's span plus 1 for the new anchor dc at the start of the square). For each filled square to be added: add 3 chains (the new square's 2 dc equals the chain count, plus the same 1 anchor). After working across the row normally, the last stitch lands at the selvedge, and the new columns exist at the left edge of the current row only. In the next row, these new columns are worked normally. The result is a smooth sloped edge.

Straight-edge decrease at the beginning of a row. To remove columns from the left edge, slip-stitch across the number of squares to be removed before starting the working row. For each open square to be skipped: slip stitch through the 2-chain arc and through the anchor double crochet at the square's right edge (3 sl st). Then work the turning chain for the new reduced row. The slip stitches do not form mesh squares; they only move the working position across the selvedge. This produces a smooth decreasing edge.

Straight-edge increase at the end of a row. Adding columns at the right edge (the end of a left-to-right row) is done by working additional squares onto the last anchor stitch at the selvedge. After working the last normal mesh square of the row, continue working additional squares directly onto the selvedge using the foundation chain technique: ch2, dc into the same selvedge stitch base for a single additional open square; repeat for each additional square. This is structurally less stable than left-edge increases because the new squares have no row below them — they hang from the selvedge anchor. Blocking must pin these edge squares carefully.

Staircase shaping. Staircase shaping is mechanically simpler: decrease at the beginning of a row by working a standard turning chain and starting the row one square in from the selvedge, leaving the last square of the previous row unworked; increase at the beginning of the next row by chaining 3 additional chains in the turning chain and working a new square into the chain base. The result is a stepped edge with one step per row. For designs with a gradual slope, staircase produces a visible stepped outline; for designs requiring a smooth curve, straight-edge shaping is preferred even though it is more complex to work.

Corner management in rectangular pieces. Even fully rectangular filet pieces have four corners where the row direction reverses. At the turning corner, the anchor double crochet that closes the last square of one row also serves as the first anchor of the first square in the next row. If the last square of a row and the first square of the next row are both open, the turning chain provides both the height and the first chain span in one chain sequence; this is clean. If the corner combination involves a filled square on one row and an open square on the other (or vice versa), the turning chain count changes, and using the wrong count produces a corner that pulls in or fans out. Work corner combinations deliberately: for open-to-open turns, 5 chains; for filled-to-open turns, 5 chains (ch3 = turn + ch2 = first open span); for open-to-filled turns, 3 chains (ch3 = turn, then work 2 dc for the fill starting immediately); for filled-to-filled turns, 3 chains.

Blocking protocol: wet-set open mesh for dimensional stability

Filet crochet mesh has minimal structural stability in the unblocked state. The open squares can distort freely in any direction, and the finished piece will appear wavy, uneven, and compressed. Blocking is not optional — it is the process that converts the crocheted mesh into the finished dimensional object. A filet piece that has never been blocked has not been finished.

Materials. Blocking board (EVA foam, interlocking tiles, or a purpose-built lace blocking mat); stainless steel lace pins or rust-proof T-pins (never use plated or galvanized pins — they rust through thread on contact); a clean basin large enough to submerge the piece flat; no-rinse wool wash (optional but extends pin-set time by delaying drying); a clean dry towel.

Wet the piece. Submerge the filet piece in cool water and press gently until fully saturated — do not agitate, which causes tangling. Allow to soak for 5–10 minutes. Remove from the water and roll in a clean dry towel, pressing firmly but not wringing. Unroll and the piece should be evenly damp but not dripping. If using no-rinse wool wash, add the directed amount to the soaking water; no rinse needed after soaking.

Pinning sequence. Place the damp piece on the blocking board. Pin the four corners first to establish the correct orientation and the target outer dimensions. Using a ruler or tape measure, pin the outer edges at regular intervals (every 2–3 cm for medium thread, every 1–1.5 cm for fine thread) to achieve the target finished dimensions. The goal is to stretch the piece to the calculated finished width and height from the tension swatch calculation. For rectangular pieces, verify that opposite edges are the same length and that the diagonal measurements are equal before pinning the center area. For doilies and round pieces, pin opposite cardinal points first, then fill in between to maintain the circle's geometry.

Pinning open mesh squares. For fine filet crochet with small mesh squares (size 40 thread and finer), it may be necessary to pin through the chain arcs of individual open squares rather than only at the outer edges. This is time-intensive but produces the precise square geometry that makes a fine filet piece legible. Thread a stainless steel lace pin through each chain arc at the intersection of two open squares, and push into the blocking mat at the correct position. For a 150-column × 180-row fine piece, individual pinning is a multi-hour process — plan the session accordingly and work from the center outward or from one corner across.

Drying. Allow to dry completely before removing any pins — removing pins before drying releases the set and the piece returns to its unblocked shape. Drying time for size 10 thread on a standard blocking board is 4–8 hours at room temperature; fine #80 thread takes 8–16 hours. A fan set at low speed across the surface reduces drying time. Do not use direct heat (ironing, hair dryer at close range) on cotton thread without checking the fiber content — most crochet cotton is heat-tolerant but some silk or synthetic blends are not.

Blocking photographs for Patreon. The blocking process is high-value Patreon content for three reasons: it makes visible the transformation from crumpled mesh to finished object (the before-and-after comparison is compelling), it documents the pinning geometry (a technical resource for subscribers attempting the same pattern), and it records the finished dimensions achieved from the specific thread and hook combination used (calibration data for subscribers using different thread). Photograph the pre-blocking pile of damp mesh, the board with the four corners pinned, the fully pinned piece before drying, and the unpinned finished piece held or laid flat.

Designing original filet motifs: pixel art conversion and grid adjustment

Any image that can be reduced to a two-tone grid can become a filet crochet chart. The pixel art conversion process is straightforward and produces original designs without needing drawing skills beyond the ability to edit a grid.

Pixel art conversion method. Open any image in a pixel art editor (Aseprite, Pixilart, or the pixel pencil tool in Photoshop). Resize the image to the exact column count and row count required for your project (e.g., 80 columns × 60 rows for a 25 cm × 18 cm piece at size 20 thread on a 1.1 mm hook). Reduce to 2-bit black and white (image → indexed color → 2 colors, or equivalent in your editor). The dark pixels become filled squares and the light pixels become open squares. Export the result as the chart image. The main adjustment step is correcting for mesh square proportion: if the mesh squares are not exactly square (for example, 3.0 mm wide × 2.6 mm tall, ratio 1.15:1), scale the source image's horizontal dimension by the same ratio before pixelating so that the resulting chart will produce correctly proportioned figures in the finished fabric. A circle in the source image should produce a circle in the fabric, not an oval — apply the correction factor before reducing.

Source image selection. Images with strong silhouettes, clear outlines, and high contrast between figure and background convert best. Photographic images with gradients and textures produce noisy charts with many isolated single filled squares — these are technically crochetable but visually incoherent at typical viewing distances. Logos, icons, botanical outlines, animals drawn in flat silhouette, text in thick fonts, and architectural outlines (such as a château or cathedral in elevation) are high-performing source types. Avoid images with: fine internal detail (hair texture, feather barbs, grass blades) that produces disconnected dots; full-value photographs (which after 2-bit conversion become mostly solid or mostly open); and images with precise circular forms that will noticeably become octagonal at low column counts.

Grid editing after conversion. Most automatically converted charts require manual cleanup before crocheting. Common editing tasks: (1) connect isolated filled squares — a single filled square surrounded by open squares on all four sides creates a visible dot in the finished piece; joining it to adjacent filled squares with one or two additional fills often improves the visual coherence without changing the motif character; (2) thin isolated lines — a single column or single row of filled squares reads clearly in the chart but may not be visible in fine thread at normal viewing distance; double the line to two columns or two rows for legibility; (3) clean the border — ensure that the outermost rows and columns are entirely open (no filled squares at the absolute edge of the chart, to allow proper blocking at the selvedge).

Patreon documentation of original motif design. Subscribers to a filet Patreon pattern account receive the most value from the design process documentation rather than the finished pattern alone. A post that shows the source image, the uncorrected conversion, the edited chart, the finished piece, and the step-by-step correction decisions delivers permanent value — the subscriber learns a design process that applies to any future motif, not only the specific pattern released in that post. Structure the post as: source image selection rationale (why this subject works as a filet motif), conversion result before cleanup, cleanup decisions annotated on the chart image (circles around the isolated single squares that were connected, arrows showing where lines were doubled), final chart, swatch confirming the thread-hook-dimension calculation, and finished blocked piece.

Patreon episode structure for chart-based filet crochet documentation

Filet crochet creates a specific challenge for Patreon content: the pattern is a chart, the chart is a static image, and the finished object looks exactly as the chart predicts. There is no visible technical execution mystery that makes the viewer want to subscribe to see the outcome — anyone can see the finished photograph and download a free chart elsewhere. The value in a filet Patreon subscription must come from the process layer: the calculation, the design decisions, the calibration documentation, and the behind-the-scenes of working a fine-thread piece to completion.

Episode 1 — Motif design and chart construction. This post documents the origin of the chart: source image selection, grid calculation, pixel conversion, cleanup decisions, and final chart validation against the finished-dimension target. Include the chart image with a clean key. Document the scaling calculation explicitly: thread weight, hook size, blocked swatch dimensions, column calculation, row calculation, and the resulting finished target dimensions at the chosen thread. This episode is the subscriber's reference for every subsequent project using similar materials — the calculation methodology outlasts the specific pattern.

Episode 2 — Foundation and first rows. The foundation chain and first 5–10 rows are where most errors occur and where the notation convention check is essential. Photograph: the foundation chain with a stitch count visible (yarn tail marker at the first stitch, ruler alongside), the first row worked from the foundation showing the selvedge edge character, and a close-up of the first chart position verified against the physical mesh. This episode demonstrates to subscribers how to verify their own work at the critical early stage before hours of crocheting commit to an incorrect foundation.

Episode 3 — Motif emergence. The series of rows where the chart motif first becomes recognizable in the fabric is the highest-engagement content in a filet crochet series. This is the episode equivalent of the resist reveal in ikat — the abstract process of working rows of mesh squares suddenly becomes a legible image. Document: the work at the row where the first recognizable shapes appear, a side-by-side comparison of the chart and the in-progress work at that row, and a distance photograph showing the motif's emerging character. Many Patreon creators paywall this episode — the motif emergence is the most compelling single moment of the series and having it behind a tier creates subscriber conversion pressure for followers who see the pre-emergence process photographs posted publicly.

Episode 4 — Finishing and blocking. The blocking process transformation is the highest-value technical document in the series. Photograph every stage of the blocking protocol: the unblocked piece, the soaked and squeezed piece before pinning, the corner-pinned piece on the blocking mat with ruler showing target dimensions, the fully pinned piece, and the unpinned finished piece. Include the actual finished dimensions achieved versus the target dimensions calculated in Episode 1 — this calibration data is the most practically useful Patreon-exclusive content because it allows subscribers to replicate the exact finished size.

Tier structure for a filet chart Patreon. A two-tier structure works well: a free or low-cost tier (£3–5/$3–5/month) receives the finished chart image and blocking photographs; a paid tier (£8–12/$9–15/month) receives the full design process documentation (Episodes 1–4 above), the annotated chart with cleanup decisions, the scaling calculation worksheet, and the PDFs for all archived patterns. The paid tier's value is the design process and calibration data, not the pattern — the pattern alone is freely available in many forms. Subscribers who want to learn to design their own filet charts, or who want the exact material specifications to reproduce the creator's piece, pay for the process documentation.

Apple Tax on filet crochet and fiber arts Patreon audiences from November 2026

On November 1, 2026 Apple begins applying its 30% in-app purchase fee to all subscription payments processed through Patreon's iOS app. This applies to new subscriptions, renewals, and tier changes made from an iPhone or iPad. Patreon does not absorb the fee — it passes the full 30% through as a deduction from the creator's revenue on every iOS-originated transaction. The percentage of a creator's audience that pays via iOS determines the actual monthly dollar loss.

Filet crochet and lace-adjacent fiber arts audiences are among the most iOS-heavy in the craft space. The primary platforms for filet crochet content — Instagram and Pinterest — have device usage rates skewed strongly toward iPhone and iPad. Instagram filet crochet, needle lace, hairpin lace, and handmade lace accounts show 72–88% iOS among users who complete Patreon subscription flows; Pinterest crochet pattern, doily, and textile boards show 76–89% iOS; YouTube filet crochet and slow stitch tutorial channels show 62–76% iOS; Facebook crochet groups show 60–74% iOS.

At a blended iOS rate of 74% for a creator drawing primarily from Instagram and Pinterest, the Apple Tax deductions are:

At a higher iOS rate of 82% (typical for Pinterest-primary fine lace and crochet accounts), the same income levels produce losses of $24.60/month, $49.20/month, and $86.10/month respectively. The Apple Tax is not capped — it scales linearly with iOS subscriber count and income.

Web-only billing sidesteps the fee. When a subscriber visits Patreon's website directly (not through the iOS app) and completes the payment flow there, Apple's IAP system is not involved and the 30% deduction does not apply. Creators using KeepTier operate entirely on a web-only subscription page — there is no iOS app, so every subscription and renewal is a web transaction outside Apple's reach. The calculation of your specific monthly exposure is two inputs — your current Patreon revenue and your estimated iOS percentage — and takes under a minute at the KeepTier calculator.

Frequently asked questions about filet crochet for Patreon creators

What is filet crochet structurally, and how does the grid of filled and open squares produce the pattern?

Filet crochet builds a regular fabric grid where every unit square is either empty (open mesh, formed by chains) or filled (solid block, formed by double crochet in place of chains). The pattern emerges entirely from the placement of filled squares across the grid — which squares are filled and which are left open, with no variation in stitch type within each category. An open square uses two chains between anchor double crochets; a filled square uses two double crochets in place of those chains. Because each anchor double crochet is shared between adjacent squares, the stitch count per row is 3N + 1 for N squares. The chart is a grid where shaded cells represent filled squares and empty cells represent open squares, read from bottom to top and alternating right-to-left / left-to-right per row.

How do you scale a filet crochet chart to achieve a specific finished width and height?

Scale requires a blocked tension swatch: work and block 15 × 15 mesh squares in the exact thread and hook for the project, then measure the blocked mesh square width and height. Divide the target finished width (mm) by the blocked mesh square width (mm) to get the required column count; divide the target finished height (mm) by the blocked row height (mm) to get the required row count. Verify that the chart's column and row counts match or can be adjusted to match the calculated counts. Common mesh square widths: size 80 thread on 0.75 mm hook ≈ 1.5–2.0 mm; size 20 thread on 1.1 mm hook ≈ 2.5–3.5 mm; size 10 thread on 1.75 mm hook ≈ 3.0–4.5 mm. Correct the chart's pixel-art source proportions for non-square mesh (width-to-height ratio ≠ 1:1) before calculating to avoid distorted motifs in the finished piece.

What is the difference between French and English filet crochet notation, and why does it affect stitch counts?

The difference is in how the turning chain at the start of each row is counted. English notation counts the turning chain as the first double crochet of the first mesh square on the row (turning chain = ch3 counted as dc, plus ch1 for the first chain span). French notation does not count the turning chain as a stitch; the turning chain is purely structural height (5 chains), and the first actual stitch is the first true anchor double crochet. This produces different foundation chain counts: English uses (3 × N) + 3 chains; French uses (3 × N) + 1 chains for N mesh squares. If your row-1 square count is off by one, you are using the wrong convention. Work two foundation chains (one per system) and verify row 1 before committing to the full piece. Both systems produce identical fabric once the correct convention is identified.

How do you work corner increases and decreases for shaped filet pieces?

Two shaping methods: straight-edge (smooth diagonal selvedge) and staircase (stepped selvedge). For straight-edge increases at the row start (left edge): add 3 chains to the turning chain per open square to be added. For straight-edge decreases at the row start: slip stitch across 3 stitches per square to be removed before working the turning chain. Staircase shaping is simpler: decrease by starting the row one square in from the edge (leaving the last square of the previous row unworked); increase by adding 3 extra turning chains. Staircase produces a stepped profile; straight-edge produces a smooth slope. For garment shaping: straight-edge; for traditional geometric filet: staircase is the historical norm. Corner management at rectangular piece turning: ch5-turn for open-to-open; ch3-turn for open-to-filled; ch5-turn for filled-to-open; ch3-turn for filled-to-filled.

What is the Apple Tax on filet crochet and fiber arts Patreon audiences from November 2026, and what are the actual monthly amounts at typical creator income levels?

Instagram filet crochet and needle lace accounts run 72–88% iOS audiences; Pinterest crochet and textile boards run 76–89% iOS; YouTube filet crochet and slow stitch tutorials run 62–76% iOS; Facebook crochet groups run 60–74% iOS. Apple Tax deductions on Patreon iOS subscriptions from November 1, 2026: at $100/month with 74% iOS, $22.20/month ($266.40/year); at $200/month with 78% iOS, $46.80/month ($561.60/year); at $350/month with 82% iOS, $86.10/month ($1,033.20/year). Web-only billing at Patreon or moving to KeepTier's web-only subscription page prevents these deductions by keeping all transactions outside Apple's in-app purchase system.

START WITH THE NUMBER

Before you read about the tax, measure yours. Two inputs, one button, zero email capture.

Open the calculator →