Whip Stitch

★☆☆ - Beginner

This is one of the simplest joining methods around, the motifs are just sewn together using a simple whip stitch and is a great way to make an invisible join if your motifs all have the same colour on the last round.

The other advantage of this method is that you can join your motifs in any order you like.  You can finish them all before you start joining, or join a few and add to it later, or even join them into blocks and then join the blocks together, which can make things easier if you have long rows to join.

 It makes this join very flexible but you do have to be a little more careful if you are using different colour squares and don't want your joins to show.  You may need to use several different yarn colours to match in with the squares you are joining.

For this tutorial I'm going to show you how join the squares together front the front, using the back loop only, but you can join through both loops if you prefer too. I'll show you some examples at the end of each method.

If you'd like more help with making the square motif, please have a look at my Solid Granny Square tutorial.

PART ONE:  JOINING THE FIRST SQUARES

I usually start by joining the squares into strips, so that's what I'll show you here, but you don't need to if you don't want to.

Which ever two squares you'd like to join however, you should hold them with the right sides facing each other and the wrong sides facing outwards.

Thread a length of your joining thread onto a yarn needle (a blunt or round ended needle is best so you don't split the yarn of the squares) and pass the needle under the back loops of the corner stitches on each square.

As the squares are being held with the right sides together the back loops are the one's furthest away from each other.

Then working from the same side, pass the needle under the next two back loops and pull the thread so it is snug, but not really tight.  (I've left the stitches very loose so that you can see them clearly.) 

Continue all along the edge of the two squares, making a stitch in the same direction each time, until you get to the corner.  (I've pulled the stitches up a little tighter here, to show how they should look.) 

Now you can cut your yarn and weave in the ends of the joining thread.   You can now either keep adding more squares until you have a row, or just move on to the next set of squares.

PART TWO:  JOINING SETS OF SQUARES TOGETHER

 Once you have a row, or at least a few squares joined to each other, you can them start joining these together to make larger sections.

Start but putting the two pieces you want to join right sides together, with the wrong sides facing out as before.  Then start making stitches as shown above until you get to the corner.

To secure the squares nicely together, you want to make a stitch right into corner stitches.  So pass the needle under the back loops of the last corner stitches of the square.  (Each stitch will already have one joining stitch in where they were joined along the other sides.)

Then, if you are happy using the same colour yarn on the next set of squares, you can simply continue on with your stitches on the next square. Making sure to begin by making a stitch right into the corner of the new squares.  (Again, each should have a joining stitch where they were joined on the other sides.)

Then just carry on making stitches in the usual way along the next two squares.

Carry on joining in the same way until you have all the squares joined as you would like.

EXAMPLES OF WHIP STITCH JOINS:

Stitched through the back loop only

The stitch looks smaller from the front and the unworked front loops leave a little line which borders the square

Stitched through both loops

The stitches are larger, but when made in the same colour yarn, blend in with the crochet stitches giving an almost invisible look.

Next Steps:

✽  Find out how to Join As You Go

✽  Find out how to make Mattress Stitch Joins