Filet crocheting isn’t hard like it appears to be! Today I will be going over the crochet dragonfly stitch which can add visual interest to any blanket, scarf, shawl or anything else you want to make with it!
I have always stayed away from filet crocheting because I assumed it was hard. Turns out it's pretty easy! All you have to know are single crochet, double crochet, chains and where to place them! Learning the crochet dragonfly stitch has opened my world of crochet filet designs and I am now ready to tackle more filet stitches and maybe even make a crochet filet blanket or two!
As long as you can count your starting chain properly (which can be sometimes difficult for me lol!) you can make any filet design you wish. If you are making your own design you may need to map it out first on grid paper, which can save you much of the struggle of figuring out how many chains you need to start with - or at least this helps me.
I will teach you how to crochet the dragonfly stitch with a detailed step-by-step guide, helpful tips, and frequently asked questions.
I will be making the crochet dragonfly stitch into a swatch for this project but very shortly I will be making a blanket with it mixed with another filet crochet stitch.
If you are looking for some more amazing crochet stitches check out these stitch tutorials that I have made. The cross treble crochet creates striking "X" shapes with bold depth. The larksfoot pattern uses dropped stitches for a dramatic, staggered look—great in two-tone yarn. The crochet rice stitch pattern adds tight, pebbly texture with front and back post work. For something airier, the crochet iris stitch pattern forms delicate, floral-like clusters with lacy openness. These stitches elevate everything from scarves to beanies.
Let’s start crocheting!
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✏️ Things To Note:
- Yarn: It’s best to use smooth, medium-weight yarn to really make the crochet dragonfly stitch definition pop, especially if you’re a beginner.
- Stitch Nuances: The dragonfly crochet stitch can vary from designer to designer, from having a shorter body, to making the stitch rightside up. I tried to go with the one that I see other crocheters use more often and that is with the elongated body and made upside down. I tried to make the dragonfly stitch rightside up and it did not work out for me, to me the wings were a bit harder because when working with chains I find it easier to taper than to widen it.
- Standing DC: Instead of chaining at the end/beginning of each row, I make what is called a standing double crochet which is made by stocking a single crochet on top of another single crochet stitch without the use of any chains. This leaves me with straighter edges and makes it easier to crochet an edge if I choose to do so. You can chain x2 instead if you do not know how to do this stitch.
🪡 Materials Needed
- Yarn of your choosing
- 5mm hook
- Tapestry needle
💭Abbreviations to Remember (US terms)
- Chain (ch)
- Single crochet (sc)
- Double crochet (dc)
- Slip stitch (sl st)
- Standing double crochet (standing dc)
🧋Variations
- The dragonfly crochet stitch can vary by adding more or less body segments to the dragonfly. I chose to go with 3 segments plus the head, but I have seen others use 2 or even 4 segments.
🍵Instructions for Crochet Dragonfly Stitch Tutorial
Chain 19. If you are making a larger project you want to make the starting chain divisible by 17, + 2.
Row 1: Dc in the 3rd ch from the hook. Continue to make dc stitches for the rest of the chain length (17). Then turn.
Row 2: Make a standing dc in the first stitch.
A standing dc is where you make a single crochet in the first stitch of the row without chaining, then make another sc on top of it by going through the left leg of the single crochet stitch (not the top), if this is too hard for you, you can just chain x2 where you see ive made a standing dc.
Then dc x7, ch x2 and skip 1 stitch and dc in the next 8 stitches (17). Then turn.
Row 3: Make a standing dc in the first stitch. Then dc x2, ch x11 (skip 11 stitches) and then dc in the last 3 stitches in the row. Then turn (17).
Row 4: Make a standing dc in the first stitch. Then a dc in the next stitch and a dc inc in the following stitch. Ch x4 and then make a sc over the ch x2 space from 2 ROWS below.
Then ch x4 and make a dc inc 3 stitches from the end of the row. In the last 2 stitches of the row make dc stitches. Then turn (17).
Row 5: Make a standing dc in the first stitch. Then dc x3 and then dc x4 into the ch space from the row below. Next ch x1 and skip the single crochet from the row below. Dc x4 into the other side of the row;s chain space. Then dc x4 in the last 4 dc stitches in the row. Then turn (17).
Row 6-7: Make a standing dc in the first stitch. Then dc x7, ch x1 and skip the stitch underneath it. Next dc x8 in the last 8 stitches. Then turn (17).
Row 8: Make a standing dc in the first stitch. Then dc x7, dc in the ch space from the row below, and then dc x8 to finish off the row. Then fasten off the yarn and weave in any ends.
If you use this swatch as a coaster or dishrag you can optionally sc around the edge of the piece to give it a finished look.
And now you know how to make the crochet dragonfly stitch! It's an easy stitch to learn and will get you wanting to do more filet crochet designs! The best part is that because it uses chains, it uses less yarn than a typical blanket (or other crochet piece) would. So its beautiful and economical!
If you loved this crochet dragonfly stitch tutorial and are looking for some more fun stitches to learn I suggest learning my crochet berry stitch. Unlike this stitch it is a bit of a yarn eater so plan accordingly. I also have a trio of tutorials for the herringbone stitches: single crochet herringbone stitch tutorial, half double crochet herringbone stitch tutorial and the double crochet herringbone stitch. All are cute and wonderful to use for an added texture for blankets.
Now that you know how to make the dragonfly crochet stitch, grab your hook and yarn, and let those dragonflies take flight!
🐌Expert Tips
- Hook Size: Use the hook size (or a similar size) recommended on your yarn label. This allows your dragonfly filet stitch to look its best without getting lost from too tight of stitches or from too loose of ones.
- Practice on a Swatch: Before starting a larger project, practice on a small swatch to get familiar with the stitch rhythm and spacing. Remember that if you are going to do a larger project to make sure it is divisible by 17 + 2.
- Use Stitch Markers If working on a project with many rows (like a blanket), place stitch markers at the end of each row so you know where to place your last stitch.
🧵Pattern FAQs
Yes! Since we flip our work from one side to the other it is pretty much indistinguishable from either side and you can use either one as the front of the pattern.
Yes! If you know how to make double crochets and chains you can easily do this crochet stitch. It looks complicated but is very easy to do.
Blankets, scarves, baby items, washcloths, and textured garments all work well with the crochet dragonfly stitch! I plan to use these swatches as coasters.
🧶More Crochet Stitch Patterns
If you tried this Crochet Dragonfly Stitch Tutorial (or any other pattern on my website), please let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. I'd love to hear from you!
Crochet Dragonfly Stitch Tutorial
Materials
- 5mm crochet hook
- tapestry needle
- yarn of choice
Abbreviations (US terms)
- Chain - ch
- Single crochet - sc
- Double crochet - dc
- Slip stitch - sl st
- Standing double crochet (standing dc)
Notes
- Yarn: It’s best to use smooth, medium-weight yarn to really make the stitch definition pop, especially if you’re a beginner.
- Stitch Nuances: The dragonfly crochet stitch can vary from designer to designer, from having a shorter body, to making the stitch rightside up. I tried to go with the one that I see other crocheters use more often and that is with the elongated body and made upside down. I tried to make the dragonfly stitch rightside up and it did not work out for me, to me the wings were a bit harder because when working with chains I find it easier to taper than to widen it.
- Standing DC: Instead of chaining at the end/beginning of each row, I make what is called a standing double crochet which is made by stocking a single crochet on top of another single crochet stitch without the use of any chains. This leaves me with straighter edges and makes it easier to crochet an edge if I choose to do so. You can chain x2 instead if you do not know how to do this stitch.
Instructions
- Chain 19. If you are making a larger project you want to make the starting chain divisible by 17, + 2.
- Row 1: Dc in the 3rd ch from the hook. Continue to make dc stitches for the rest of the chain length (17). Then turn.
- Row 2: Make a standing dc in the first stitch. A standing dc is where you make a single crochet in the first stitch of the row without chaining, then make another sc on top of it by going through the left leg of the single crochet stitch (not the top), if this is too hard for you, you can just chain x2 where you see ive made a standing dc. Then dc x7, ch x2 and skip 1 stitch and dc in the next 8 stitches (17). Then turn.
- Row 3: Make a standing dc in the first stitch. Then dc x2, ch x11 (skip 11 stitches) and then dc in the last 3 stitches in the row. Then turn (17).
- Row 4: Make a standing dc in the first stitch. Then a dc in the next stitch and a dc inc in the following stitch. Ch x4 and then make a sc over the ch x2 space from 2 ROWS below.
- Then ch x4 and make a dc inc 3 stitches from the end of the row. In the last 2 stitches of the row make dc stitches. Then turn (17).
- Row 5: Make a standing dc in the first stitch. Then dc x3 and then dc x4 into the ch space from the row below. Next ch x1 and skip the single crochet from the row below. Dc x4 into the other side of the row;s chain space. Then dc x4 in the last 4 dc stitches in the row. Then turn (17).
- Row 6-7: Make a standing dc in the first stitch. Then dc x7, ch x1 and skip the stitch underneath it. Next dc x8 in the last 8 stitches. Then turn (17).
- Row 8: Make a standing dc in the first stitch. Then dc x7, dc in the ch space from the row below, and then dc x8 to finish off the row. Then fasten off the yarn and weave in any ends.
- And now you know how to make the crochet dragonfly stitch! It's an easy stitch to learn and will get you wanting to do more filet crochet designs! The best part is that because it uses chains, it uses less yarn than a typical blanket (or other crochet piece) would. So its beautiful and economical!
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