Joining Granny Squares

When I join my Granny Squares together I always choose to crochet them rather than stitch them. Its just the way that appeals to me, although many of my hooking buddies prefer the stitching method. I guess it's a personal preference.

And as many of you have asked me to supply this information, here you have it :: my take on joining the Grannies, in usual Attic24 style with waaaaay too many pictures I suspect. But hey, I want you to get it and not struggle with it, and I think pictures do the job better than words.

 

Ok, firstly put your two squares together, Right Sides together. See how you can see the "v" of each stitch? When crocheting the squares together, you will need to work under the OUTSIDE LOOPS only, the part of the V on the outside as you look down on the stitches from above. This is important....for a long while I was working through the inside loops when I realised I was doing it wrong. It makes a big difference.

So your hook goes through the outside loop of the square nearest to you....

...then through the outside loop of the square farthest away. Does that make sense??? Good-o, lets begin then.............

 

Start at the right hand corner, you are working right to left.

Put hook through OUTSIDE LOOPS of the corner stitches, and hook your yarn through both loops.

(Note :: I am using a contrasting red yarn here to join so you can see it easily, but best to use a matching colour. Obvious yes)

You will be making a SLIP STITCH.

So insert the hook through the next two outside loops of the V stitches and yarn over the hook. Then pull the yarn back through both blue loops and then through the red loop stitch already on the hook...

You end up making a little slip stitch chain, pictured above.

Work your way along, working slip stitches into each of the stitches, remembering to check you are going through the outside loops.

Again in words :: Insert hook through two blue stitches, yarn over hook, pull yarn back through two blue stitches and then  through red stitch on hook. It's only Slip stitching folks, its a doddle, it has it's own rhythm...HONEST!!!

When you reach the end of the row, if you are joining more than 2 squares together, DO NOT FASTEN OFF, you will be carrying on!

You should have a neat little ridge of chain stitches which will be on the WRONG SIDE of the work (above picture)...

...the RIGHT SIDE (above) should look nice and neat, the Granny Squares sitting beautifully flat and happy together. You should only see the stitches if you pull the squares apart.

If you are joining more than two squares together, you will work along in rows, making all the horizontal joins first, then all the vertical joins.

So after joining the first two squares, simply move on to the next two. Put them right sides toegther as before and simply carry on the slip stitch chain :; insert the hook through the corner stitches (outside loops only, remember?)....

 

...and make your slip stitch, as above.

Keep going, working right to left, making your chain of slip stitches.

Now, for this tutorial, I'm only working on joining four squares...I'll explain about joining more at the end.

You have just worked the horizontal row, so now you will need to spin the squares round 90 degrees and work the vertical row in exactly the same way. Fold the crochet so that the squares to be worked are sitting right sides together and begin at the right hand corner.

Work slip stitches exactly as before, making sure that when you get to the centre, you work right into the very last stitch on each side of the first chain ridge you made (as above). You might just like to check from the right side that you haven't left a "hole", that you've slip stitched every stitch.

Your second chain ridge will be made across the top of your first chain ridge (as above)

And there you have it...the above picture shows the WRONG SIDE, the picture below the RIGHT SIDE.

Now say you were making a square cushion cover and you have 25 squares total (5 x 5).

The way to join them is to make all the horizontal joins first. So line up 10 squares ready and think of it as joining up rows 1 and 2. Follow instructions as above and keep going, moving on through 5 pairs of squares placed right sides together. You will only have two tails to darn in then at each end of the long row.

Then move down and join in your 3rd row to the bottom of the 2nd row, working horizontally from right to left. Then your 4th row then your 5th row.

Then you can spin the whole lot through 90 degrees and do the same thing again, working in four long rows.

Its hard to explain this in words and I couldn't photograph to show you as I only had 4 squares available and not 25!! But hopefully it makes sense. For my Granny blanket, I had 88 squares altogether in a 8 x 11 formation, so I was joining veeeeeeeery long rows. But it means that you don't have to keep joining tail ends of yarn in the middle of your blanket, and the less joins the better really. 

If you are giving this a go and you get stuck in any way, please do leave me a comment on here and I will do my very best to help you out.

Good luck, and happy hooking!

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Comments

[Martha H.]

I forgot how to join Grannies. Did a search & found you. Love the pictures. Lots of times, I can look and do. But, is also nice to have the directions too. Years ago, made a Grannie for my daughter with her 1s & middle initials, oldest Granddaughter doing same, 2 colors but 1st & last initials. (2 shades of purple) Then, I will be starting on youngest Granddaughter, same way (blues, 2 shades).Thanks for your tutorials.

[Heather Clay]

Hi Lucy, I love your work! Quick question about granny squares...do I need to block them before I join them together?
Thanks, Heather x

[Ms.kittiekat]

Thank you so0o much! Everybody only shows 2 squares.
Then I found this. True gift saver.ha ha . I understand with the pictures and your wording. I'm very grateful.

[Jeannie Lowrie Mallett]

I have been working on this project on and off for about 6 or 7 years. But I am almost done. Just have to decide what border to do. 🤔
Thank you so much. I sure enjoy your blogs and patterns and all the TA-da moments. I imagined you today crocheting and watching Queen Elizabeth’s internment, just as I was doing. God bless!

[Suzanne Hilton]

Hi Lucy,
This method of joining squares is great,thank you.
During 2021 Covid lockdown I finished a rug I started with my Mother in 1980s.
I gave it to my niece who loves it.

[Louwtjie Beck]

Ahh thank you, but as a novice, I do not know which side is the right sisde. It realy looks the same to me. HELP!!!

Regards

Louwtjie Beck from windy Stellenbosch . South Africa

winter is coming

[Nikki Kiss]

Thank you. Easy to follow :-)

[Jill Goebel]

Thank you so much! My Covid squares had been languishing , Pinterest just bamboozled me with options, finally I thought to check out your tutorials and of course there it is, super well explained.Just what I needed and I'm away again, this blanket will be completed after all.

[Tammy]

Thank u soooo very much, this is easyer and looks so much better. I'm a left handed crocheted that is teaching myself to crochet

[Lori]

Thanks very much for this helpful tutorial. I enjoy your work very much ... you are an absolute genius when it comes to color. I often look through your projects on Ravelry for color inspiration. Thanks for all you do!

[B low]

Going to give this method a try. Very good explanation.

[Ruth Scott]

Thank you for your tutorial - easy to follow. By the way, I'm in USA, but married to a Yorkshire man from Featherston. I fell in love with Yorkshire and wish we could spend 1/2 our year there - maybe one day.

Again, thank you.

[Elizabeth]

My problem is that the squares are a bit rounded. How do you sort them out?

[Clare Myers]

Thanks for these great instructions. I think I'm going to try to crochet some knitted panels together using this kind of principle. Hopefully it will work!

[Gail Delente]

how much yarn is needed for a 55" x 60" afghan, squares are 5?" Thanks.

[Ann]

I love your page. You have such a great way of explaining everything. Used your ripple pattern and tutorial to make a blanket for my son. lol be your little granny squares. Now using this too.

[Katherine]

I joined squares using this method and it worked great, except the sides of the granny squares that are on the outside are curved. So when I crochet around the whole thing it’s not a square, but more like a square shaped text bubble. Do you have a soluntion for this?

[CarolynR]

Your explanation and photos takes the intimidation out of my first attempt at joining squares. I didn't particularly care for the appearance of sewn edges, and this offered the perfect method for achieving a simple, clean appearance without competing with or diminishing the work in the square itself. I'm a fan of yours from now on ... thank you!!!

[Niki]

Can't believe my luck. Was looking for an easy, clear explanation on joining granny squares by crochet and got your tutorial first up. Super easy, great photos and clear instructions Thanks.

[Bev]

Thank you for the pictures. But I’m wanting to make a join that doesn’t leave a seam, least not one that has a fold out area like this one.
If anyone has an example of one way to join that is more smooth I’d like to know thank you. Like I could do dc all over but it too leaves a seam.
[email protected]
Thanks

[Beth Schneider]

you are amazing.

[Laurie]

How much yarn will I need to join the harmony afghan?

[Dimitra Tzamtzis]

Thank you for this tutorial. Just finished joining 15 squares for a lap blanket. Super easy and fun.

[Jackie]

You are my 'go to' place for help! Love the clear instructions, and you can never have too many photos to help the uninformed! Thank you!

[Carolyn]

The easiest and simplest way of joining granny squares. The squares sit nice and flat, and look neat on the right and the wrong side. Thank you for your help.