Some designs come together slowly, gathering meaning as they grow. This was one of those pieces.

For this project, I incorporated Maria Merlino’s Praying Hands into a design of my own, which I titled Prayers & Praise. I worked it in DMC Cebelia No. 30 and used Romanian cord to create the frame, giving the piece a more finished and structured setting.

What appealed to me most about this design was its quiet sense of devotion. Thread crochet can be delicate and decorative, but it can also carry a surprising depth of feeling, especially when paired with imagery that has such a long tradition in handmade work.

This piece also reminded me how often spiritual themes appear in vintage crochet publications. Filet crochet in particular has long been a natural home for these designs, with its crisp grids and pictorial possibilities lending themselves beautifully to symbolic and devotional motifs.

As I worked on this project, I was reminded of several vintage publications that include spiritual filet crochet patterns of their own. Magic Crochet and Decorative Crochet both featured designs in this vein, and it is always interesting to see how these themes were interpreted across different issues and periods.

If you enjoy this style of crochet, these older publications are well worth exploring. They offer not only beautiful pattern inspiration, but also a glimpse into the visual language and quiet sentiment that thread crochet has carried for generations.

Here are a few related vintage designs that came to mind while working on this piece:



Magic Crochet No. 108
A vintage spiritual filet design.

Magic Crochet No. 63
Another lovely example of devotional crochet imagery.


Magic Crochet No. 88
A reminder of the enduring appeal of faith-themed thread crochet.

Decorative Crochet No. 30
A vintage source of spiritual filet crochet inspiration.