InterLinked Crochet!

As promised I have finally got to this hugely fascinating topic. I actually used some interlinking crochet in my very first crochet design, 'Project Box', without realising what it was or that there might be any rules. As I'm a bit of a crochet anarchist anyway, that's probably just as well!! 
Bearing that in mind I am going to approach this subject with the widest possible parameters, why should we limit ourselves? So what do I mean by interlinked crochet? I mean any where that two (or more!) fabrics are made around each other without actually being joined (very much!).

In it's very basic form we could say that these circles are interlinked.

They are only locked into place when we add a further row of stitches.

In this design we can link two elements by making chain stitches wrap around the second element.

Once again we can add further rows.

Both of these designs and more can be found in Eddie Eckman's 'Connect the Shapes, Crochet Motifs'.

I fell over the next examples on the internet.

You can see how the chain stitches weave through to link the rows.

So now we move on to interlinked mesh. It uses the most basic square mesh made of Treble and Chain stitches (Dc & Ch-USA). It is made of two layers, which are linked together by being created simultaneously. So Colour A, row 1 is followed by Colour B, row 1 then back to Colour A for row 2, and so on.

This design is taken from Tanis Galik's 'Interlocking Crochet'.

Because of the way they are made the designs tend to be reversible. Sometimes they look the same on both sides, and sometimes they don't!

This pattern is used for two projects in Nihon Vogue's 'Japanese Wonder Crochet'.

Should you want to get really wild(!) you could step away from that simple  mesh and try something a little more complex. This design is called Kyoto, (if you're wondering why try googling a Toji temple.)

It's from Melissa Leapman's 'Indispensable Stitch Collection for Crocheters' as are the next two;

 

Interlocked Stripes,

And my favourite, Interlocked Diamonds.

For something less filet-mesh like you could try this reversible design from Nihon Vogue's 'Japanese Wonder Crochet'.

  Most of these stitches have been based on rows but it is possible to work in the round as with my final offering once again from Edie Eckman's 'Connect the Shapes, Crochet Motifs'.

By the time you get here you might be thinking, "Oh, you don't mean interlinked crochet, you mean..." Yes you're probably right! I have found this is one of the most confusing subject matters, with the most names and varied descriptions EVER! If you want to find more patterns, watch videos and see what you can make with it, here is a list of search terms you might want to try.
Interlinked, interlinking, interlocked, interlocking, locked, locking, intermeshed, layered, reversible, filet, double filet, mesh, Crochet!!!  Seriously, it's worth the effort because there are some truly stunning designs to be discovered.

A word of caution, these designs are very addictive!

 Fastening off...

P.S. If you are reading this anywhere near the date of posting, you may also be 'locked' down along with the rest of us. In which case please take care and be kind to each other. If you are reading this at some time in my distant future, well it's great to know we all came through. But still, take care and be kind to each other! Xx
P.P.S. Thanks D, for all your help with this post!