Interlocking Crochet - Basics

What is Interlocking Crochet?

"Interlocking crochet is a colorwork technique where two separate mesh layers are worked alternately and interlocked to create a single, reversible fabric. It involves working with two different colors, one per layer, without carrying or mixing yarns, resulting in a fabric that appears to weave the colors together. This technique creates different patterns on each side of the fabric, often a mirrored image. "

(Src: Google Search Result)

Sample of Interlocking Crochet with dcf 1:1

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• In other words, it is like having 2 pieces of crocheted fabric, interwoven through each other, but not into each other.
• You will be working with 2 colours at a time.
• Each colour is ONLY worked into its own same colour.
• The crochet fabric of each colour is worked in some form of filet crochet which forms open grid-like fabric. Filet crochet is like creating "windows" in the fabric.
• It is through these "windows" that you will be working through.

The best way to understand the logic and idea of this technique is by walking through some Interlocking Crochet basics.

Note: while people tend to have their own terminology and way of doing things, I am showing you mine so that ..

1. you can more easily follow and understand my patterns, and
2. I hope to explain the underlying logic of the technique. I believe that once you get that, it is much easier to explore more complex variations based on the same logic and technique.

So let's start with making a sample using the very basic logic and stitches.

Most tutorials on interlocking crochet will start with 2 rows of dc filet, one in each colour, that are interlocked or interwoven through each other but that are in no other way attached to each other - viz each colour is never worked into the other colour.

I tend to start slightly differently so that both the colours are worked into one bottom most/foundation row. I not only find it easier but it gives a much neater edge/hem to all my designs.

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Sample: Most Basic Interlocking Crochet Exercise

To fully get this, please do follow along.

Prelim

Interlocking Crochet makes use of Filet Crochet stitches as its basis as Filet Crochet creates grids or "windows" through which the interlocking of colours are done.

Filet Crochet comprises of any number of a particular stitch (usually a dc), interspaced with a number of chains. And this is repeated in some fashion across the row.

Here, at its very simplest, we will work with dcf 1:1 (double crochet filet with a repeat of 1 dc, 1 ch).

As you can see, the dcf 1:1 is comprised of a repeat {1ch, 1dc}. Because I will only be using this dc-ch combination in our exercise, for simplicity I shall just refer to this as dcf.

In Interlocking Crochet, we work with 2 colours to form a Row. Hence I tend to add an "a" or a "b" suffix to my row counts. The "a" suffix means to work in one colour; and "b" suffix means to work in the other colour.

Hence Row 1 in colour #1 will be denoted as R1a: and
Row 1 in colour #2 will be denoted as R1b: etc

Interlocking Crochet - Sample Exercise (video)

For a flat piece, we will need an odd number of stitches.

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