Bat with Swirl Border, Charted for Filet Crochet

An original design by Sandi Marshall


This charted design could be used to make a filet crochet piece that could be used as a banner. Another idea would be to use it as the center for a lapghan or larger afghan. Some will want it for Halloween display, while others will enjoy it for year round use. I've sometimes had requests for bat designs from crocheters who live in Australia, where bats are commonly seen. Other crocheters look for bat theme patterns to make as gifts for people who are collectors of items that display bats within the design.


The following instructions are written in US American English crochet pattern terms. If you are used to British English crochet patterns terms, the translation for the American English dc (double crochet) is a British English tr (treble).

In US American English crochet pattern terms:
For a 4-dc mesh, chain 111 for a starting chain and begin with a double crochet made in the 9th chain from the hook, to form the first (bottom right) open mesh of the chart. On this chart, the first row is all open mesh, so the second and all additional open mesh of the first row are made by making 2 chains, skipping 2 chains of the starting chain, then making a double crochet in the next chain of the starting chain. Follow the chart for placement of each open mesh and solid mesh; the first row on the chart was followed right to left and the next row will be followed left to right. Continue following the chart in this manner. Once a person is familiar with the basics of filet crochet, written instructions are not needed for each new chart.

For help photo, see Basics of 4-dc Mesh Filet Crochet

On the chart, the white squares indicate open mesh and the black squares indicate solid mesh.

Abbreviations: dc = double crochet

Solid Mesh - On the chart, for 4-dc mesh, if the first mesh of the row is a solid mesh being made over a solid mesh of the previous row, directions = ch 3 (counts as first dc), dc in each of next 3 dc or if the first mesh of the row is a solid mesh that is being made over an open mesh, then directions = ch 3 (counts as first dc), 2 dc in chain-2 space, dc in next dc. Any other solid mesh in the row = if made over a solid mesh, then dc in ea of next 3 dc or if made over an open mesh = 2 dc in next chain-2 space, dc in next dc.

Open Mesh - On the chart, for 4-dc mesh, if the first mesh of a row is an open mesh being made over a solid mesh, directions = ch 5 (counts as first dc and a chain-2), skip next 2 dc, dc in next dc or if the first mesh of a row is an open mesh being made over an open mesh, directions = ch 5 (counts as first dc and a chain-2), skip next chain-2 space, dc in next dc. Any other open mesh in the row, directions = if made over a solid mesh, then chain 2, skip next 2 dc, dc in next dc or if made over an open mesh, directions = chain 2, skip next chain-2 space, dc in next dc.

This is a copyrighted pattern. After seeing many copyright violations of my patterns over the years, I have learned the hard way that the following terms of use are necessary for those who are acting upon untrue myths, instead of facts, about copyrights or who don't realize the damage that copyright violations do to designers. Be aware that patterns that a designer chooses to place on the Internet as free patterns are protected by the same copyright laws as patterns that are purchased. Being on the Internet does not make it public domain! This pattern is free for your personal, non-commercial use only, meaning that you can make items using it for yourself or for gifts but that you may not sell items made using my design without my express written permission in legal paperwork form and payment of a fee for that commercial use of my design. Of course, per copyright law, the pattern (including the chart) is not to be reprinted on another web site or elsewhere and cannot be given to others as reproduced copies (which would be illegal, pirated copies). Instead, please give the link to this page so that anyone who wants the pattern may come to this site for themselves. Thank you. I appreciate it. If you wish to use any of my patterns on another web site, blog or in print publications, please email me to discuss a fee and exchange legal paperwork for that use.