Help With Whipstitch, Please

[D_SELLEARS]

Hi, I am a beginner! I have almost completed my first project, a baby blanket. You start the project by making two panels (for the top and bottom trim). When you finish the second panel you, begin to work your rows in the opposite direction, along the side of the second panel. (I hope this is understandable.) I have completed this part of the project. The last step is to whipstitch the other panel to the blanket. I cannot figure out how to do this and the book I was learning from does not give very good directions. Could someone please help me by sharing some step-by-step directions.

D_SELLEARS:think

[nightowl]

Hi D, and !

 

Here's a site that has close-up pictures on how to do whipstitch. (If you get a little window popping up asking you for a password, just cancel it -- you don't need to be a member to read the tutorials.) The example used is joining squares but the method is the same.

 

You might want to try out a few different methods of joining though, to see what will look best on your blanket. If the main piece was crocheted straight on to the bottom trim, maybe a crocheted join might be a better match? There are lots of different joining methods so you can choose what you think looks best. Be sure to post a pic when you're finished!

 

Smiles,

[D_SELLEARS]

Nightowl, thank you so much. Those directions were very easy to understand, but do you not have to tie the yarn off to keep it from coming loose.

 

The main piece was crocheted directly onto the bottom trim. How do you do a crocheted join?

[nightowl]

You're welcome, D, I'm glad it helped

 

You wouldn't want to tie the yarn and leave a knot, but you do need to weave in the ends to make sure they won't come undone.

 

There are many different crocheted joins, depending on what stitch you use and whether you want the join to show and be a decorative element or if you want it to be as unobtrusive as possible. Some people say that crocheted joins are bulky but that's only if you stitch through both layers together, as if you were making a seam. Then you will get a ridge (which can be decorative if you stitch from the front side).

 

What I like to do is use a method where you take the two pieces to be joined and stitch first in one side, then the other. This has the effect of making a narrow extra row between the pieces and the join will lie nice and flat.

 

Here's a site that shows some different ways: I like methods 2-5. It's shown on a piece of machine knitting, but works just as well for crochet And here's another clever way that TepperWear came up with. If you want something fancier, there's the Flat Braid Join or a lacy look like cupcake used in her afghan. . . really it just depends on the look you want and what would be the best match for the join you already have at the other end.

 

If you need more help on any of the specifics, just ask! There is always someone here who will know the answer and we love to help if we can.

 

Smiles,

[D_SELLEARS]

All of this will be of great help. Thank you.