I'm not the first one to offer a photo tutorial on this specific topic. In fact, there is a good one provided by Tif from dottie angel right HERE (an "ordinarily extraordinary" blanket how to ...).
Tif creates a lovely "eyelet join", I'm more basic : my joining method is really essential. I know that some of you will love it, some others will ignore it, but I love to have more options to choose from and I love to share this method with you, just because you can have one more option to choose from, too!!!
The two squares shown in the above pictures follow a simple pattern (you can pick any kind of yarn and, consequently, any hook size for this) : chain 42 stitches and insert hook in 3rd chain from hook to crochet your first double crochet (=DC, using the US crochet terminology). Crocheting one DC in each chain, you will end the row with 40 DCs. Chain 2 and turn your work and repeat the pattern. For the first square, I worked the first 18 rows in turquoise, while from row 19 to the end (row 26) I've been using a pea green. The second square, joined to the first one while crocheting it, has the first 8 rows (instead) in green and the other 18 in turquoise. You are free to choose the design better suits your taste! ;oD
My photo tutorial will show you my joining method using smaller squares to practice with. It's quicker and gives you the right confidence with the technique!
The pattern for your first mini square is the following (in my case, some acrylic DK yarns and a 4mm hook):
make a slip knot on your hook, chain 12, push the tip in 3rd chain from hook to crochet your first DC, crochet other 9 DCs (total : 10 DCs), chain 2 and turn your work. Repeat this pattern other 4 times and at the end of row 5 don't chain 2, just fasten off and you will have something like this
Pick a new colour and follow the given pattern, but remember to stop (you are working the first row of your second mini square) when the 9th DC is done ...
At this point, wrap your yarn as starting a new DC and insert the tip of your hook in both last chain of the first row of your 2nd mini square-to-be and in the first chain of your "chain 2" made at the beginning of row 1 of the first mini square, as shown below ...
Then, wrap yarn on hook and pull it trough the chain of first mini square to the front of your work and through the chain of the base of first row of second mini square (you have just done a slip stitch) and crochet the last DC as usual ...
Now, you have to slip stitch in the top of first stitch of first row of the 1st mini square ...
To do that, insert your hook in that stitch (shown with the help of the white arrow, above), wrap yarn around the hook and pass it from the back to the front of the mini square ...
.... and through the loop on the top of your last DC of the 2mini square ... join done ..
Then, chain 2 ...
and make another slip stitch ! This time through the top of first stitch of 2nd row of 1st mini square ...
Turn your work and crochet 10 DCs for the 2nd row of your 2nd mini square and chain 2 ...
Turn again and start the 3rd row of DCs
slip stitch in top of 1st stitch of row 3 (1st mini square) ...
... chain 2 and slip stitch in top of 1st stitch of row 4 (still 1st mini square)....
Turn your work, crochet 10 DCs of row 4 of 2nd mini square and chain 2 ...
Turn your work again and work 10 DCs to complete row 5 of your 2nd mini square ...
Insert the tip of your hook in first stitch of row 5 of the 1st mini square ...
Make a slip stitch ...
... and fasten off !!!
Don't forget to trim ends, in ... ;oD ...
Bigger or smaller squares, the joining method remains the same ...
Let me know !!!!
xxxx Alessandra
Tif creates a lovely "eyelet join", I'm more basic : my joining method is really essential. I know that some of you will love it, some others will ignore it, but I love to have more options to choose from and I love to share this method with you, just because you can have one more option to choose from, too!!!
The two squares shown in the above pictures follow a simple pattern (you can pick any kind of yarn and, consequently, any hook size for this) : chain 42 stitches and insert hook in 3rd chain from hook to crochet your first double crochet (=DC, using the US crochet terminology). Crocheting one DC in each chain, you will end the row with 40 DCs. Chain 2 and turn your work and repeat the pattern. For the first square, I worked the first 18 rows in turquoise, while from row 19 to the end (row 26) I've been using a pea green. The second square, joined to the first one while crocheting it, has the first 8 rows (instead) in green and the other 18 in turquoise. You are free to choose the design better suits your taste! ;oD
My photo tutorial will show you my joining method using smaller squares to practice with. It's quicker and gives you the right confidence with the technique!
The pattern for your first mini square is the following (in my case, some acrylic DK yarns and a 4mm hook):
make a slip knot on your hook, chain 12, push the tip in 3rd chain from hook to crochet your first DC, crochet other 9 DCs (total : 10 DCs), chain 2 and turn your work. Repeat this pattern other 4 times and at the end of row 5 don't chain 2, just fasten off and you will have something like this
Pick a new colour and follow the given pattern, but remember to stop (you are working the first row of your second mini square) when the 9th DC is done ...
At this point, wrap your yarn as starting a new DC and insert the tip of your hook in both last chain of the first row of your 2nd mini square-to-be and in the first chain of your "chain 2" made at the beginning of row 1 of the first mini square, as shown below ...
Then, wrap yarn on hook and pull it trough the chain of first mini square to the front of your work and through the chain of the base of first row of second mini square (you have just done a slip stitch) and crochet the last DC as usual ...
Now, you have to slip stitch in the top of first stitch of first row of the 1st mini square ...
To do that, insert your hook in that stitch (shown with the help of the white arrow, above), wrap yarn around the hook and pass it from the back to the front of the mini square ...
.... and through the loop on the top of your last DC of the 2mini square ... join done ..
Then, chain 2 ...
and make another slip stitch ! This time through the top of first stitch of 2nd row of 1st mini square ...
Turn your work and crochet 10 DCs for the 2nd row of your 2nd mini square and chain 2 ...
Turn again and start the 3rd row of DCs
slip stitch in top of 1st stitch of row 3 (1st mini square) ...
... chain 2 and slip stitch in top of 1st stitch of row 4 (still 1st mini square)....
Turn your work, crochet 10 DCs of row 4 of 2nd mini square and chain 2 ...
Turn your work again and work 10 DCs to complete row 5 of your 2nd mini square ...
Insert the tip of your hook in first stitch of row 5 of the 1st mini square ...
Make a slip stitch ...
... and fasten off !!!
Don't forget to trim ends, in ... ;oD ...
Bigger or smaller squares, the joining method remains the same ...
Let me know !!!!
xxxx Alessandra
Excellent tutorial, thanx!!
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