Crocheting a throw blanket in sections

[Nana trudy]

I want to take some wool with me on a vacation but not the whole project.  Pattern is single crochet row, followed by a shell row (4 DC then skip three SC repeat, single crochet row, then a Shell row staggered of course. And repeat.  

The throw will be 60 inches long.  I have done a 15 inch piece and want to do more while traveling, but not cart around the whole throw. 

Any suggestions on the best way to join up the pieces without it showing a striped effect?  Could I end with a shell row and crochet onto the initial single chain row?  Seem to remember a way to crochet the first row so you can later pull away the yarn and crochet into it.    But that could have been knitting, I do both!  Help please and Thank you !!!

[Granny Square]

You can't pick out the underside of crochet easily like you can for knitting (for knitting what you described is a provisional cast on, and one method of making this is to start with a crochet chain that is not connected to the knitting, and 'unzip it' in the direction it wants to unravel when you need to work the other way, putting the loops on a knitting needle as you unzip). This is relatively easy, quick and tidy, you just need to make sure you capture the freed loops on a needle as you go.

Undoing crochet from the chain end when you have continued on is a laborious process of pulling out 100% of the picked-out yarn-end thru each loop of each stitch, one loop at a time.  I guarantee that you would rather set fire to it after a few stitches of pulling out the chain, or welcome only having to schlep a heavy blanket around on vacation instead  (sort of kidding, but sort of not).

Plus, if you started crocheting in the opposite direction from the first half, the fabric is going to look different.  Edited to add, and I'm not positive, but I think the free under-loops if you are successful in unpicking it, might be too loose to work into.  I know I've tried it, but can't recall all the details except I'd rather not do it again!

Your best bet for what you want to work with while travelling would have been to pick a blanket pattern with multiple motifs, so you are working on 1 square at a time, and assemble them at a later time.  But it's too late for that; perhaps find a couple of smaller patterns (hat, gloves, sox, potholder, doily) to take along instead while travelling?  

Edited April 8 by Granny Square