Mesh Stitch

Mesh stitch makes a light, open grid from double crochet posts separated by chain spaces. The simplest version repeats a double crochet, a chain, then skips a stitch, so each little square of the grid is a chain space bounded by two posts, and the next row places its double crochet into the post below and its chain over the gap. Working the posts into the gaps instead of the chains gives a diagonal mesh; working into the tops of the posts gives a square filet grid. That square grid is the foundation of filet crochet, where you fill some squares solid and leave others open to draw pictures and lettering. On its own, mesh is prized for being fast, airy, and very economical with yarn, which suits market bags, summer cover-ups, and light curtains. It is genuinely beginner-friendly since it uses only chains and double crochet, and the main thing to watch is keeping the chain spaces an even length so the grid stays regular.