Joining motifs

Before joining

• Block all the motifs to the same size. A join between a 15 cm square and a 16 cm square never lies flat.
• Weave in the ends, or leave them if the join will trap them; decide before you start.
• Lay the whole blanket out on the floor and photograph it. Colors that looked balanced in a pile rarely are.
• Number the rows of squares with sticky notes or safety pins so you can pick them up in order.
• Join in strips first: all the squares in row one, then row two, then join the strips. The long seams go fast once the strips exist.

Whipstitch

Hold two motifs right sides together and sew through the back loops only of the matching stitches with a tapestry needle, over and over the edge. Flat, nearly invisible, very fast, and uses little yarn. Working through the back loops only leaves the front loops on the right side as a neat pair of lines. It is the join to use when the squares should look like one fabric.

Slip stitch join

Hold the motifs right sides together and slip stitch through both loops of both edges with a hook. It makes a firm ridge on the wrong side, and the front shows a faint line. Quicker than sewing and stronger, but less stretchy; it suits cushions and bags more than drapey blankets. Worked with wrong sides together instead, the ridge sits on the front as a decorative line.

Single crochet join

Same as the slip stitch join but worked in single crochet, wrong sides together, so a raised seam of the joining color runs between the squares on the front. It is the classic look of a granny blanket with a contrast lattice. It uses more yarn and adds bulk, and it is the strongest join of all.

Flat braid and lace joins

A round of chain loops is worked around each square, then the squares are joined by working the loops of one square into the loops of the next as the round is made, creating an open lace between motifs. It adds size cheaply and looks light. The zigzag or celtic lace join is a variation with a distinctive braided look. These suit shawls and summer blankets; they are too open for a warm throw.

Join as you go

On the last round of each square, instead of the usual chain 1 between clusters, the chain is replaced by a slip stitch into the corresponding space of the neighboring square already made. The square is joined as its final round is worked, and when the last square is done, so is the blanket. It takes a little concentration on the first few squares to get the corners right, and the last round of every square must be the same color if you want the join to look continuous. Once learned, it is the method most people never leave.

Choosing

After joining, a border round of single crochet then a decorative round tidies every edge and hides the last ends. The seaming article covers the stitches for joining garment pieces, which are the same tools applied to longer, shaped edges.