Have you ever tried interlocking filet mesh with diagonals?

You can learn this technique with my free Interlocking Snowflake Coaster pattern.

General Rules

There are few general rules when you’re working on an interlocking filet mesh project:

• It’s very important to understand the difference between right side and wrong side, and front and back. Right side refers to the design side of the work, while wrong side refers to the hidden or non-public side. Whether you are looking at the right or wrong side, the front of the work refers to the side that is facing you, and the back of the work refers to the side that is facing away from you.
• Main color mesh stitches are only worked into main color mesh stitches and contrasting color mesh stitches are only worked into contrasting color mesh stitches; they are never worked into each other. Instead, stitches are pulled through the window of the opposite color to work in the front or back. This creates the interlocking effect.
• There is always one chain space between each mesh stitch.
• You always work two rows in one direction, one main color and one contrasting color, then turn the work and work two rows in the opposite direction.

Adding Diagonals

There are additional rules when working with diagonals:

• A mesh stitch is worked into every mesh stitch. Diagonals are always extra stitches that are combined with a mesh stitch to create one stitch. 
• Diagonals are always worked on the right side of the work. If the right side of the design is facing you, the diagonals will be worked on the front; however, if the wrong (hidden) side is facing you, the diagonals will be worked on the back.
• Diagonals are usually worked in the contrasting color. You can create completely different looks by switching the main (background) and contrasting colors as shown in the photos.
• When working around the diagonals with the opposite color, always push the diagonal toward its attached mesh stitch in order to access the stitch to work into.

Following is a short video clip, with a little added music, showing interlocking filet mesh with diagonals: