Joining methods?

[faithpa76]

Those of you that do square afghans/blankets, what method do you typically use for joining?

 

I'm curious as to specifics; I hate sewing together squares - I'm putting together a comfortghan right now and am doing the ch 3/sc method that I found on CPC (can't remember where I found it now but I'll look if anyone is interested) - and I'm looking for other crochet methods for joining.

[Alosha]

Let's see, I've whipped stitched them together, used sc as well as slip stitch, & I have instructions for the flat braid method which I haven't tried yet. Is that the one you are doing?

Alosha

[Stacey]

The flat braid method (instructions here: http://members.aol.com/_ht_a/lffunt/flatbraid.htm ) is my favorite. I used to hate joining squares until I found those instructions!

[faithpa76]

Ah ha, so that's what it's called! Yep, that's the one I'm using for this ghan.

[Stacey]

I love using that join! It goes so much quicker, and it seemed to leave fewer ends than whipstitching, flatter than using sc or sl st, and it just plain looked nice.

[shelain22]

I just started an afghan that is done in squares and was going to post this question as well. I have never joiined squares so i really have no clue! the one im doing is just solid squares with no frilly border, which method would work best? it's this one http://www.michaels.com/art/online/projectsheet?pid=20262if anyone has ever done it.

[Aggie May]

:think Depends on what stitch I have made the squares in but, for example using Granny squares, I lay my squares out, on the floor, where I want them to be to get a good balance of colours. I then pick up one from row 1 and one from row 2 and place them right sides together and starting in the corner, work 1SC into same corner, (going through both squares) CH2, 1SC into space between next 2 groups of DCs. Continue to the end with a Sc into end corner. Now pick up the next 2 and carry on until you have all of row 1 and row 2 joined together. Lay them back on the floor beside the next row to make sure you still have it the right way around. Now start adding the 3rd row to this lot. Keep doing this until you have all squares joined.

Turn the afghan around and work the joining rows across the other way, with right sides together, working a SC each side of the joining stitches at each junction.

This way, you have less ends to finish off when you are done.

Work a border of the 3DC groups around the edge, doing what you think looks best at each junction of the squares, and making corners as in your squares.

I usually do the last row of each square in the same colour, and join with that colour too.

Hope this makes sense.

Have fun. :hug

Colleen

PS, I do like making afghans in rows so I do not need to put them together afterwards.

[mseavey2]

I have never heard of the flat braid stitch to join an item together. I have always whipped stitched them together and I tend to get frustrated because it takes so long. I can't wait to try the flat braid stitch. I'm gonna have to start a new project. Something that needs to be put together when done, just so I can try it out. Got too many WIP's going on now. Oh well, what's one more:laughroll

[princsstrish]

I love the way the flat braid joining method turns out, but it confuses me. The method shows 4 squares. What if you have 63 ?????

[faithpa76]

I love the way the flat braid joining method turns out, but it confuses me. The method shows 4 squares. What if you have 63 ?????

I don't completely understand - ? You just join whatever number of squares, in the order you want them to be attached. I've found it to be easiest to do the right hand strip first, then attach from the bottom and work my way up each strip, working from right to left. I think the one thing I've noticed with that method is that it's important to know before you start edging whether you'll have one or two sides to join.

 

Am I making any sense? I hope so - and if not, that someone else will make more sense explaining it. I think it may be one of those things that it's easier to try it than have someone explain.

[Stacey]

I joined something like 49 squares with it. Basically, if the next square you're attaching is only going to be touching one other side, you follow the instructions for attaching the second square to the first. If it'll be touching 2 other squares, follow the the instructions for attaching the 3rd square to the first two, and if it'll be touching three squares, follow the instructions for attaching the 4th square to the first three.

 

Does that makes sense It was months ago that I used it but I think that's how it worked. I made a row first, so used the instructions to attach the second square to the first all across the row, then started attaching the squares for the second row underneath the ones for the first row, etc.

[princsstrish]

Hmmmmmm.....i'm a doofus. I still don't get it. I'll try it and maybe it will make more sense. So you go in strips or rows, either or? .... but hmmm...i don't know....i'll just have to try it. It's too confusing trying to THINK it. This happens to me sometimes....

[faithpa76]

Trish, I found that I got less confused when I was actually working on it. THe beauty of it is you can fasten them on in any order you want - you don't have to go in strips, or even in the pattern of four that is on that website. I think it may make more sense to you when you actually try it.

 

Maybe if you think about it in terms of lots of different squares instead of just those that are in the pattern?? I have a bunch of different squares, then I edge w/ sc in a different color then do the chains - it's pretty adaptable.

 

I'm probably confusing you further - so I'll shush, lol.

[fruggs]

i whip stitch them or put right sides together and sc through all 4 loops. that way leaves a seam though.

[donnalynn2]

I really wish I would have seen this method sooner! One of the afghans I'm working on right now is made up of a bunch of little squares and I refuse to whipstich, takes way too long and I don't like the way it looks so I've improvised by using a method that I'm not even sure has a name. It's actually where you crochet the square into the next square around the corners and middles. It's a pain in the butt and I am half tempted to start over since I only have about 3 of my rows done so far. I just love the way these look.

[mbcabbie]

Again, another old thread, but one worth dredging back up since I see similar questions posted in new threads.

 

 

I love the flat braid joining that the link was posted for for joining.

 

If you don't want to work in strips, you can work in in squares...

 

Join 4 squares like in the tutorial... four 6" squares become one 12" square.

 

Join four 12" squares to make 24" squares...

 

...etc.

 

I find this easier to work with than strips, but then I work within the very confined space of my taxi....

[chickpea67]

Would this flat braid method of joining work for say... the grandmother's flower garden afghan, where instead of squares you have hexagons?

[Hounddog]

Wouldn't you say that this is basically chaining? I think it looks a lot better than whipstitching more like part of the pattern.

[sallenlouise]

Thankyou!!!!

[nightowl]

Hi Faith

 

There's a website here that has some interesting and neat-looking crochet joins -- I like the look of methods 2-5. These are all basically working in first one side then the other, so they'll lie nice and flat, as opposed to method 1, where you'd work through both layers at once.

 

The pics show the joins being used on machine knitted pieces, but I think they'd work even better on crochet I was thinking one of these could be great for a project I have in mind, an afghan with a patchwork star-type pattern, where I want a neat join but not a wide border between the pieces.

 

Salos just posted a method the other day that uses trc's and sounds intriguing: see the thread here.

 

For a fancier/wider join, I think the Lattice method Drew used on his Monet afghan is very pretty.

 

There's also a nice join I stole from a commercial pattern; it was used to join strips of an afghan together, in an accent colour,and it looks like a border with a little plait running up the middle. Here's what you do, paraphrased by me:

 

 

 

• Row 1 (right side): sc along the side you want to join -- make sure you finish up with an even number of stitches. Turn.
  
• Row 2 (wrong side): Ch11, skip first st, sc in next st; then *ch10, sc in each of next 2 sts*, rep from * to end, fasten off.
   
  
  

Work these 2 rows on each panel/square you want to join, then take 2 pieces side by side. Beginning at one end, pass the first right loop through the first left loop, then pass the left loop through the next right loop. Keep taking a loop from each side alternately and work to the end. Secure the last loop with a safety pin for now; it will be worked into and permanently anchored when you do your edging.

I'm not convinced it makes a difference, but the original suggests you begin joining the next piece by passing the left loop through the right loop and alternating like this on each piece until all are joined.

 

Hope some of these might be helpful