JOINING SQUARES

Whipstitch, Backstitch, Mattress Stitch
Slip Stitch, Reverse SC
Join-as-you-go Granny Squares
Continuous JAYG by Susan Van Winkle
Lacy Granny
Joining with Single Crochet

JOINING SQUARES
Update c2004 Sandra Petit, http://www.crochetcabana.com

On this page:
Whipstitch
Backstitch
Mattress Stitch

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Joining Squares - General Info

IMPORTANT: When you join, use the same material to join that you used to crochet the piece. If you used cotton yarn, then use crochet cotton to join. If you used acrylic, then use acrylic to join. DO NOT use sewing thread or embroidery thread to join your crocheted items (unless that is what you used to make them.)

I have gotten a number of requests asking how to join squares. I thought I would give a very simple listing of the different methods available. Of course, anything that works for you and looks like you want it to look, is quite acceptable. You, after all, are the designer of your piece. These joinings (also called seams) are meant for simple squares, not those with fancy edgings.

There are a few points to think about before starting your joining efforts.

If you are making an afghan where you want your squares to be side by side (all the same size) then check size before you begin. Make sure they are all within a quarter inch. I have suggestions for making and assembling squares for charity.

1) Before joining squares, you might want to put a round of single crochet on your squares using the same color for each final round. This will make it much easier to join, using that matching color. However, if you have thousands of squares you received for a charity project, bordering every one would be a tremendous task so you might prefer to join without bordering. You can also use the border to make up any difference in size. For example, if you get a 5 1/2" square and you're aiming for 6" you could put a border of dc instead of sc or whatever you need to get it to the size you are looking for.

2) Join without bordering using the same color thread throughout. Depending on the type of join you choose, this could be a nice added decoration to your work.

3) Do you want to join your columns or your rows first? If it's a square piece then it doesn't matter as you will have the same number either way. If it's a rectangle, then it's your choice. There's not really any clear advantage to either method. If you do the shorter rows, you might be able to get away with one long strand to join the rows together where you will certainly have to use more than one on a longer column. That's not a really big deal though. It just gives you a couple more ends to sew in.

4) Speaking of ends, if when you border your squares you leave a long strand at the end, and place your squares so that long end is always in the correct place, then you can use it to join the squares together. If you leave another long strand when you finish the joining and place squares so that strand is in the proper place, you can use it for joining the rows or columns. That leave you with a few less ends to sew in when you're done.

5) Sew over as many ends as you can during the joining phase to save work later.

6) You can put squares together with wrong sides facing, or right sides facing, depending on the look you want. You could also lay the squares side by side and work the stitches on top where you can actually see what is happening as you go.

7) Be sure to line your stitches up. If you crocheted 3 stitches in your corners, you might begin with the center stitch of each square to join. Also, if your squares were done at different times, or are for a friendship afghan where different people have contributed to the whole, you may have to adjust for larger or smaller pieces. You might have to skip a stitch in some places or put two stitches in another. Skipping a stitch may leave a hole in your piece so you want to avoid this as much as possible. Try to get your squares to line up for a pleasing finishing effect. When joining rows and columns, I find it helpful to use the joining between squares as a guide, so my squares are not off center.

8) You could also choose to make a hodgepodge look afghan where the squares are not meant to line up. You just keep putting your squares together and when you get to the end, you can add some dc or sc to get the rows or columns to all end at the same place.

For the pictures in the general methods (not join-as-you-go) I've made some sample strips (not squares). I wrote up the directions for the little strip, with pictures, and instructions for making the border on the Border page. If you're unsure about how to border (using simple sc), then go to Borders.

Another great site with instructions and pictures of joining methods is About.com. If the link below ceases to work, just go to http://crochet.about.com   and do a search.
http://crochet.about.com/library/weekly/aa010999.htm

I might also mention that if you are making yo-yos, Chris Simon has a wonderful method of joining that you should check out.
Joining yo-yos (off-site, tutorial by Chris Simon)

Here's a picture of a project I did where I joined each square using a different seaming method.

You can see that the joining does make a difference in the overall appearance, particularly on the back. Of course, you would use the same yarn to join so it would not be as visible as it is here.

Whipstitch Joining

Put two squares on top of each other, right sides facing. I like to whipstitch in the back loops only (BLO) so I will have a pretty ridge on the right side of my squares. I also find going through BLO helps the squares to lie flat. If you do not want this ridge, however, it is okay to simply whipstitch through both loops.

Cut a long piece of yarn, about 18". Don't make your pieces too long as the constant rubbing as you sew it through puts stress on the yarn. (Don't we have enough stress in our lives? Hee Hee. Don't want to stress our yarn!) Thread through a large eye needle. I like the #16 needles. Starting at the same point on both squares (right hand corner works well), go in on the side farthest from you and come out closest to you, leaving a tail of about 4". I personally like to go back through that same hole again to secure yarn.

You'll continue in this same vein, enter through the back and coming out through the front (blo) all the way to the end of the row. You may sew over the tail as you go or sew it in later if you'd rather. When you get to the end, I like to go around twice in that last stitch as well to secure it and then cut the thread about 6 " from the end. You will weave that thread in later. Note: If you don't want to sew over the ends as you go, you might bring your thread over to the left as it keeps getting caught in the hanging threads and is just a pain.

Be careful as you are sewing that you are not missing any stitches. This is especially important if you are working with squares that are made the same. You don't want them to be off. You will have to fudge a bit in between squares so you don't have holes.

Backstitch Joining

Place project right sides together, thread needle with matching yarn. Secure yarn. The way I do this is to insert hook in spot where you want to join. Pull needle through both pieces, leaving a 6" tail. Reinsert hook in first piece and pass through again. Then begin the backstitch. * From front insert needle through both loops of both pieces, being careful not to split the yarn. Pull through. Skip next stitch, and insert needle from back to front through both loops on both pieces and pull through to front. Now insert needle from front to back into skipped stitch. Repeat from * until you have joined all you need to join. If the piece has not been bordered and has "rough" edges, just estimate the width of a stitch and go in and out as outlined above.

Here are some examples. They are not in successive order, but random samplings.

Using a recent Christmas project, here's what it looks like completed:

I pulled the edges apart to show you this. When relaxed, you can just barely see the white through the red.

This is the back that you can't see as you're working, seen from the wrong side

Mattress Stitch Joining (also called invisible weaving)

This is a tricky one to explain and to understand without someone standing there to show you. It took me the longest time to figure it out and I'm still not sure if I have it but it seemed to work as described. You will find it mentioned in many knitting tutorials, but not many crochet ones. It is supposed to be virtually invisible, especially using same color yarn. I used a contrasting yarn here and you can see that it does indeed sort of disappear. There will be a small ridge on the wrong side. It's supposed to be useful in sewing garment parts together but I have never made a garment, except for the poncho I made for my CYCA certification so I can't verify that.

Here's how you do it.

Place project with right sides facing you, edges together (not facing one another as in other methods but lying next to one another so that you see both right sides). Thread needle with matching yarn. Secure yarn through both sides at the edge where you intend to join. With needle pointing up, place the point into the last st (you might consider this the first stitch) and take a small st, leaving yarn loose. Go to the opposite piece and pick up the corresponding row. Return to the first side, enter the last point of exit and pick up a st. Be sure to keep the needle pointing up to the top of the work, rather than to the side of the work.

Tighten yarn in seam after picking up 3 or 4 sts. Yarn must be tight enough to disappear but not enough to pucker at the seam.

See how you can barely see the yarn from the first picture once you tighten it? It disappears. This stitch also works well on edges that are not finished as these squares were that I used for the pictures.

If you need further instruction in this stitch, Knitty has excellent instructions. Although it is for a knitted piece, it would work just as well for crochet.

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04/17/08


 

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