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Seamless Crochet: A Guide to Join-As-You-Go Crochet for Granny Squares
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Feb 21, 2024
More info and diagrams https://www.jspcreate.com/seamless-crochet-join-as-you-go-square-magic Zippy Tutorial https://youtu.be/p1d1xKBCEWw Change up your square edging to ch st https://youtu.be/LEUUrRKWskM Zippy Square Free Pattern: https://www.jspcreate.com/beginner-friendly-whip-up-a-zippy-crochet-square Seamless Crochet: A Guide to Join-As-You-Go Crochet for Granny Squares #seamlesscrochet #joinasyougo #crochetsquares All my patterns are available with full symbol charts in my shop https://www.jspcreate.com/patterns/ contains affiliate links at no cost to you Find more Classes from me over on Skillshare
View Video Transcript
0:00
Hey gang, Jane here and I'm back today with another fun crochet tutorial
0:05
And this one's been on the much requested list. We're going to do some joining of our granny squares using a method that I find to be one
0:11
of the easiest ones I've tried yet. I get a lot of questions on how I join my crocheted squares together for my projects
0:17
I use a variety of methods depending on the desired finished look, but only recently did
0:22
I try working with the join-as-you-go method. I like this idea of crocheting my squares together as I work them, and I still got a
0:28
seamless look and a lot less ends to work in. I've done a few tutorials on how I do my lacy joins, and this method definitely has its
0:36
pros, but there are ends to work in at every juncture of the squares
0:40
So I played around with the join-as-you-go method and tried using my lacy join stitch
0:44
with this concept. I think I've kind of developed a method that I really like
0:48
So now I'm hooked, and now I'm going to share it with you. I'm going to be using my little zippy square today to make a throw with this method, but
0:55
it will work with any granny square. The edging of the squares for this particular tutorial will need to be my single crochet
1:01
chain 1 or 2 edging, and I do have a tutorial on how to change up the edging of any square
1:07
I'll drop that below. So if you have a bunch of crocheted squares you've been putting off joining because you
1:11
hate sewing, then this is the tutorial you've been waiting for. I'll be using a white worsted weight yarn today
1:18
It's the same yarn I used in my zippy square, as well as a 5.5mm crochet hook, which is
1:23
the same hook I used to make the square. Other tools you'll need are a pair of scissors and a darning needle to work in the odd end
1:30
but trust me, this method does not have many of those at all
1:33
You can find more information on this technique and also the free pattern for the zippy square
1:38
over on my blog. I'll leave the link in the description below. So gather your supplies and your pile of granny squares, and let's get started
1:46
In this tutorial, I'm only going to work a small sample piece. I'll be joining 6 squares, 3 on the first row, and 3 on the second
1:53
I'll refer to the squares by numbers 1 through 6. We'll start in the top right corner and work around the edges of each square, joining them
2:01
with the lacy crochet stitch. When you get to the end of the row, we'll work back across the unworked edges to the right
2:08
Let's start by looking at how this works on a diagram so that we can get a visual in our head
2:14
We start in the upper right corner and work across square 1 using a simple edge stitch
2:19
and then down at the left edge. Then we join square 2 by working our lacy join stitch, working back up to the top
2:27
Then we do that same thing for each square across the first row, and that is an outer
2:31
edge, so it's only worked on this row. When we get to the end, we work back across the entire bottom edge of our row, back to
2:38
the edge we started at. We start the next row a little different than the first row, joining square 4 to square 1
2:46
Then we work an edge stitch down the side, and then we join square 5 to square 4 up the
2:51
next edge, and then we join square 5 to 2 along the top edge
2:56
This is what we repeat to the end of the row of squares. Then we work across the bottom edge again
3:02
This second row is what you would repeat for every row in a blanket, and then you would
3:07
finish off your blanket by working up the final side that was left unworked back to
3:12
where you started. I'll put this little diagram on the blog post for this tutorial
3:16
Now that you have a visual of what we're going to do, let's get into the tutorial
3:22
Now let's start with square number 1, and I'm going to use off-white to join all my
3:27
squares together. You can use whatever color you want. The nice thing with this is that you never have to cut it
3:33
You can just keep on joining, so I always have a ball specifically for the joining
3:38
and as I make my squares, I join them. So I use the same hook that I used for the square itself, so I'm using a 5.5 here, and
3:45
I'm going to go into this top corner of the square, into the chain space, and I'm going
3:51
to pull up a loop, joining my white yarn. Now I want to chain 1, and I want to work a single crochet into that same space
4:04
Then I'm going to chain 1, and I'm going to work my way across the top of this square
4:09
So working only into the chain spaces, I'm going to chain 1, single crochet, chain 1
4:19
single crochet, all the way across, only into the chain spaces, until I get to the next corner
4:26
The nice thing with this method is it's pretty much single crochet, chain 1 throughout, except
4:32
for a few of the corners, which are just a basic single crochet, chain 2, single crochet
4:37
but still no complicated stitches involved. Once I reach the next corner, I work a single crochet into that corner, chain 2, because
4:48
I'm going to work my way around the corner, and then single crochet into that same space
4:54
Now keep in mind, this is the top edging, nothing will be joined to this edging, so
4:58
it's going to work as part of our border. So once I've worked my way around the corner, I'm going to chain 1, and I'm going to continue
5:05
to work to the next corner in the exact same way. Single crochet in the chain spaces, and chain 1, all the way down this second side of square
5:17
number 1. This edge will be one that I will join to the next square
5:35
When I've reached this bottom corner, I will work a single crochet into it, and then I
5:40
will chain 1. And now I am ready to join the next square
5:45
So I've worked across the top edge, I call it the top edge because it's actually going
5:49
to be the outside border, it could also be the bottom edge, and then I've worked down
5:53
this edge, which is going to be joined to the next square. So let's grab our next square
5:59
So what I want to do is hold wrong sides together, and I want to join them along this edge
6:09
So right sides are facing outwards. And in this second square, I'm going to go ahead and work a single crochet into the corner
6:22
and then chain 1. And at this point, I start joining to the first square, which is at the back
6:29
And I go into the first chain 1 space that I actually created on that last row, that
6:35
last edging. I'm going to go in there from wrong side to right side, and I'm going to pull up a loop
6:43
and work a single crochet, and chain 1. So now I'm going to come back to this second square, which is on the front, working from
6:52
right side to wrong side, I'm doing a single crochet, chain 1
6:59
And then to the back square, I go into the next chain 1 space, wrong side to right side
7:07
and work a single crochet. So you might recognize this as my lacy join
7:14
So we're just going to continue to work up these two squares, back and forth
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First I work into one square, chain 1, then I come back to the other square, single crochet
7:29
chain 1. And we do this back and forth until we reach the next corner
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You can work this as a true join as you go and add squares as you make them
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Or what I prefer is to make a batch of squares and then add them in all at once, then make
7:46
another batch of squares. It lets me change things up when I get bored making squares
7:50
I can join them and see how it's going. And it's kind of rewarding to see it taking shape
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Now I've reached the last corner on our front square, which is the second square
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I will go into that one and single crochet, chain 1, then I go to the back square, which
8:14
is square number 1, and I work that corner. And it's a single crochet
8:23
And now I'm going to chain 1. And then I'm going to work back into the corner that I just worked into
8:35
And that is how I work that corner. So as I come around this corner, sometimes I work a chain 2 in that last part where I
8:43
just worked a chain 1. But I think the chain 1 works fine. If you're finding it pulling in too tightly, you could do a chain 2
8:51
But keep in mind that you will be adding a border to this and it will be chain 1s all
8:56
the way across as well. So you should be fine there with just working a chain 1, even though you're going around
9:01
the corner because you have this extra bit of fabric going on
9:05
So now we're ready to keep on working across this edge and down this part of the square
9:11
just like we did over here. So again, it's just simple chain 1, single crochet across the top edge until you reach
9:21
the corner. When I reach the corner, I work a normal single crochet, chain 2 to turn my corner, and then
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I'm going to work my way down this edge as well. So single crochet, chain 2, single crochet, and then a chain 1
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And now we're going to work our way down the next edge
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And this is how you will join each square and you can join as many as you want
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The nice thing is, is you can measure your work as you do it to find out what width you
9:59
like for your blanket. And when I reach that last corner, I will single crochet and chain 1
10:12
And now I'm ready to join my next square. So you can see I'm not working this edge
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This edge will get worked on the way back. So you're just going across, down, back up, across the top, down, back up
10:24
So let's join one more square before we go back and work our next strip
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Now we grab our next square and we hold wrong sides together
10:38
Get my yarn there. Wrong sides together. And I'm going to join along this edge
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And I want to do a single crochet in that first corner of the new square, chain 1, and
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then I want to single crochet in the back, chain 1, single crochet in the front, always
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working into the chain spaces, chain 1, always putting a chain 1 in between the single crochets
11:11
So you're zigzagging your way back across this edge, joining the new square
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And work that way until you get up to the corner
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When you reach the next corner, you work a single crochet into that corner, chain 1
11:36
work a single crochet into the back square corner, chain 1, and then you want to work
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a single crochet into the same corner that you just worked on on the last square
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And you've turned the corner and you're ready to go across the top edge
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So always have that chain 1 and then single crochet, chain 1, single crochet, chain 1
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all the way across the top edge of this square until you get to the corner
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When you get to that corner, single crochet, chain 2, single crochet, and again we work
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down to this corner. So chain 1, single crochet in the chain spaces, chain 1, all the way down to the next corner
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I really love how simple this stitch is. And you don't have to cut the yarn, which is really great
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Now when we reach this bottom corner, you want to single crochet in it
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And if we're done adding squares, so let's say I have a nice long strip here of maybe
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10 squares. I like the length of it. That's how long I want my blanket to be
13:08
I'm ready to come back across this strip. Let's turn it and take a look
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So this is the outer edge of my blanket along here. You can say top, bottom, it's an outer edge
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What I want to do now is come back across this strip because I'm going to start to join
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squares to that. So the next thing we want to do is just come straight across this strip
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Okay, so we'll continue to work on square number 3. Coming around the corner here then, so we want to chain 2 and single crochet in the
13:37
same space. You can see an end poking out there. Single crochet in the same space that we just worked in and that turns our corner
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Now we want to chain 1 and again, working only in the chain spaces, single crochet
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chain 1. And we're going to go across like that until we hit our first join
13:59
This is actually a relaxing process when it's done on your lap with your feet up watching
14:03
a good movie. That's why I'm demonstrating on a short piece because it's easier to maneuver on my desk
14:08
and not so much to move out of the way for the camera
14:16
So now we've reached the first join. We have our corner here, so work a single crochet into that corner, chain 1 and now
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what we're going to do is we're going to work into the space right there of the join
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So this is a zigzaggy join. You want that space right there
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You're going to work a single crochet into that one. And then you're going to chain 1 and then you're going to work into the corner of the
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next square. And that's how you work across the join. You work in this corner, chain 1, single crochet into the center of the join, there's a space
14:59
there, chain 1 and work into the next corner. Now we're going to work as we did to this corner
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This method will work for any square really. It does work easier I think on a square that you can have the single crochet, chain 1 or
15:12
2 border on it. Even if the square border is a chain 2, you can still work this chain 1 as it pulls in
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your squares nice and neat. If you're finding it pulls in too tight, you can always switch up that chain 1 for a chain 2
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Crochet is a very flexible and personal thing, so you do what works for you
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Experiment and have some fun with it. So you can see now that we're making our way across this strip
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So I've worked across this one and I'm back at the next join
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So having worked my chain 1, I will now work into the corner square
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See how I already worked into that stitch when I did the side joins
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And now I work into it again. Chain 1. And now let's find that space on our join
15:57
There it is there. You've got these first two spaces that either side and then there's a space in the middle
16:04
right there. You want that one. Single crochet, chain 1, single crochet in the corner of the next square and we worked
16:15
across our next join. And you will do that all the way across your strip until you get to the final corner of
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the first square. So I'll meet you back here. Go ahead and do chain 1, single crochet into all the chain spaces, just like we've been
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doing all the way around these squares. The nice thing is it's pretty consistent, except when you reach the corners
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And here we are at our last corner. We're going to go ahead in and single crochet and chain 1
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Now we're not going to work up this way because what's going to happen is eventually we're
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going to work all the pieces together and then you're going to work around and end up
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here at the very end of joining your squares. So let's start joining the next strip
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So I'm bringing in my next square that I want to join here
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And if you're looking at the diagram, this is actually currently upside down. And then I'll have another one that I want to join here
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So we'll just push that one to the side for the moment. To join this one, it's just like we did for these ones here
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So you're going to turn your work. So now it matches the diagram
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You will again put wrong sides together, right sides facing out, and we're going to join
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along this edge, just like we did for all the others. So there's no difference here
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You're going to single crochet into the corner of this square, square 4 on the diagram, chain
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And then you're going to go back to the back square, square 1, working into the chain 1
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space next to the corner, single crochet, chain 1. And we're going to work our way across what would normally be the top edge, but now we're
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joining so this square is going to fall into the center part of our throw
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Keep working across the next square, joining as we did before. You see this is a recurring part of the process until you get to the next corner
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As your throw gets bigger, this will be much easier to do on your lap. That's why I'm demonstrating on a short piece because it's easier to maneuver on my desk
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and not so much to move out of the way for the camera. I actually find this process so relaxing to do with my feet up when I'm sitting on the
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couch and I'm watching a good movie or listening to a good audio book
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So at this point, we've reached the corner and I'm going to work a single crochet into
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that corner and then a chain 1. Then we look to the back
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So this is where the join happened for these two squares. And you can see there is, you can see that the single crochet is right in the center
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and there's a chain 1 on either side of it. You're going to be working into this chain 1 on this side
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So when we look at it from the back, it's actually the next chain space after the one
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that we've already worked into. So it's easy to find right there
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And then I'm going to single crochet that one, chain 1, and then we're going to start
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working down this part of the square. So you go back into the same corner, the second single crochet into that corner to make the turn
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Then you chain 1 and now we're going to work down this side just as we did before with
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single crochets in the chain 1's and a chain 1 in between each one
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So work your way all the way down until you get to the corner
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Once you reach the corner, you want to do a single crochet and a chain 1
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Now let's just take a quick look here where we are and you can see that we've joined this
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square to the first square and now we want to put a square in here
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So I'm going to grab my square, square number 5, and as always, turn my work so that right
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sides are out and wrong sides are together. We're going to join these two strips across this edge
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So working into the front corner on the new square, work a single crochet, chain 1
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Then we go ahead and work to the back square, joining the same way we have all along, just
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joining up the edge until we get to the corner. This strip is going to be how all the strips are going to go
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The first one being on the edge is a little different, but this one is going to join squares
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on three sides. It takes a bit to get the feel for this joining method, but once you do, it really is a nice
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way to put your squares together and definitely gets easier as you do it
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And now we've reached the corner and we want to work a single crochet into that corner
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chain 1. Now we're going to go to the square behind and we're going to look for the next chain
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space after the one that's been worked into, which is right here
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So you're going to go into that one and single crochet. Then you're going to chain 1 and now we want to go into the next chain 1 space that hasn't
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been worked into. So it can seem a little awkward, but it's the chain 1 on the other side of that single
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crochet join. So it's right here, right before the corner. It actually looks like the corner, doesn't it
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So then we work a single crochet into that, chain 1, and then we come back to the front
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and we work into this corner again. Single crochet, chain 1, and now we're ready to join this square to the top square, which
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on the diagram is square 5 joining to square 2. So let's work our way across that way and then we'll do this again and I'll show you here
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We'll take a look at these squares. I wanted to give you a close up image of what the four squares look like joined together
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I was thinking maybe I could put some arrows on this, but I really think it's going to be more confusing by putting the arrows on
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So it's easier if you just follow the tutorial, but I wanted to give you an image of what
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the finished piece looks like so that you can compare yours and it might help you understand
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where you're working into and what it's supposed to look like. I always find sometimes it's helpful to have a close up of what my work is supposed to
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look like and then I can work towards that. This stitch just really takes practice, so just keep at it and once you get the hang
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of it, it'll be so worth it. It is so much fun to join your squares using this method
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So I worked my way across joining these two squares, square two and square five
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And we're going to do this again. So let's go single crochet into this corner, chain one, then you're going to look to the
24:02
back square and you don't want to go into the one you already worked into, you want to go into the next chain one space, which is right there
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So we're going to go into that one and single crochet and that is the chain one space on
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this side of that single crochet. See the single crochet that went right into the center of the join
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This is the chain one on this side of it. When we come back, we're going to work into the chain one on that side of it
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So that's the one you're going to head for after we work down and back up again
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So now we come back and we want to go a second time into this corner because we are turning
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our corner and a single crochet, chain one, and we're going to work our way down this square
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So when we reach the bottom, we do a single crochet in the corner and a chain one and
24:57
we grab our next square, square number six. So I have my next square here ready to go and I'm going to put wrong side of the chain
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wrong sides together. Turn it so I can work on it. I like to have the new square facing me
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Because we're going to be working from this side to this side. And we want to work a single crochet into the corner of the new square
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Chain one and then again, work our way back up just like we've been doing
25:28
So you see how this is the bulk of the stitch right here, joining the edges
25:35
With this zigzag lacy join. Now that we've come up to this corner, we do a single crochet in this corner, chain
25:45
one, going to the back square, we want to single crochet in the next space that we haven't
25:51
worked into. And chain one. Now we want to move over and single crochet into the space on the other side of that single
26:02
crochet that attaches to this square. So you look like you're missing stuff, but you're not because you've worked into those already
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So look for that single crochet in the join. That's the easiest way to do this
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And then go into the space beside it. And then work a single crochet, chain one, and then come back to the square that you're
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joining and then work into that square. You want to work into that same corner
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So it's the second single crochet into that corner. And then you want to chain one
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Now we want to work square number six to square number three
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So you want to hold them wrong sides together. And you're going to work along this edge now
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So we go to the back and we work into the next chain one that's available
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Single crochet, chain one. And then you come to the front and work into the next chain one that's available
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And we're going to work that way all the way across to the corner. Now we've come back to the corner
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You want to single crochet in this corner right here. Chain one
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Single crochet in the back corner. Chain one. Then you're going to turn your work and go back into the same corner of your newest square
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Single crochet. Now you've turned the corner and you're going to work your way down to this corner
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So chain one. Single crochet in the next chain space. Chain one
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Single crochet in the next chain space until you reach that bottom corner
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And now we're going to work into that bottom corner. Chain two
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And you're going to turn your work and we're back to working along the long edge
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just like we did for this edge. And when we get back to this corner, we will join another strip one square at a time
28:17
So that is the pattern to the join as you go. So we started with square one and joined the squares working across
28:25
down and up, across, down and up, across, down. Then we worked all the way across this edge and then we started to join this square
28:37
Then we went down, joined this square, and then joined it to here
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Then we worked our way down and joined the next square and then joined it to the top
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Then we work our way down and then all the way across the bottom again and it repeats
28:56
That's how you do join as you go and you can make this as wide as you want
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Join as many squares on that first row as you want. Then you work your way back and that's the width of your throw
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And then you'll start joining the next row. And finally, as I showed you in the diagram, you'll work up your final edge back to where
29:15
you started working the same way you work across the long edges of each row
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I didn't show you on the sample, but you can see it here on the final blanket. I worked using these squares
29:24
To finish off our round, we'll work a single crochet into the same chain two space we joined in
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Then we'll chain two. And then we'll slip stitch into the first single crochet of the round to finish off
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And there you have the lacy join version of the join as you go. You can add an additional border around the outside if you'd like
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I have a tutorial on border ideas that's part of my daisy square throw series
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I'll drop that link below as well. Now that you know how easy and fun it is to join your squares
30:02
you're free to go and make many, many more. If you enjoy this tutorial, please give it a thumbs up and remember to subscribe to my
30:09
channel so you're sure to catch all my tutorials as they come out
30:13
Thanks for joining me today. I'll see you in the next tutorial
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