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

[Auntie Squares]

Thank you for this excellent tutorial! I've just joined up my first granny square project using your instructions - without a hitch :D The front lies beautifully flat and the back is very smooth and tidy.

[Rachel]

Lucy, I have just started crocheting and a friend pointed me to your blog. I am becoming obsessed with crocheting but I am more obsessed with your blog! I want to thank you for the inspiration you provide but also for the wonderful tutorials that are guiding me towards competency. I am crocheting my first granny square blanket together, following your instructions and finding it easy peasy! Your blog is such a ray of sunshine. Grateful thanks, Rachel.

[Jo in Sydney, Australia]

This is an amazing tutorial - thank you! I have learnt how to crochet to finish a blanket my mother started before Alzheimer's meant she couldn't finish it, so it has meant a lot to me.

I have one question. When I joined all the horizontal rows, the blanket looks great. It lies flat and seems like all is perfect, but when I join the vertical rows it starts to buckle. The joins seem straight, but the body of the square seems to bunch up. Am I making the stitches too tight?

[Penelope]

There's a good method on Red Heart. I'm trying it and think it's a tad quicker than this one which I've also used.

[bernice]

Excellent tutorial Lucy, thank you.
I'm almost ready to start joining my 80 square blanket, but didn't know how to go about it, and your advice has been brilliant.
I'll let you know how it comes together.

[Frances Melanson]

This is so very helpful!!!! A million and one thanks got this!!! I have made one blanket with squares before and it is coming apart now because I did the whip stitch and apparently I did it wrong! I now am working on a baby blanket and have to join 35 squares this has saved my life!!

[Sue]

Hello Lucy
For some reason my squares are not looking the same.I am trying to hook a lot as I am making a double size blanket. I hope to have it slip stitched together by next winter.
Help me please Lucy.

[Sue]

Hello Lucy
Call me stupid but why is some crochet together and look normal then I attach another one and notice it looks upside down or crazy in any case.
How do I hold them together so they all look alike instead of one looking good and the next having the stitches show on the opposite side.

[dima nika]

Thank you so much! Good working!

[Mary Parsley]

I am attempting to learn crochet. I have tried many times but I always go back to knitting because it is easy for me. You have made this sound so easy I think I can do it. I tried to print out instructions but I could not make it print. You are a very easy to follow. Mary

[Elizabeth Curtin]

I wish you would write a book. Crochet books are stodgy and have boring colors.

[Tammy b]

Thank you! I wasn't going to try a granny square blanket because I didn't want to sew them together....but this is just the ticket for me to give them a whirl!

[Angela Anderson]

Thank you very much for your guide to attaching granny squares - very clear and easy to follow.

[Tammy Richardson]

Lucy, you are such a bright spark of inspiration!! I adore the way you decorate, the colors & patterns you choose, and the way you display them!! I have been crafting for years and crochet is one of my favorites! Thank you so very much for your detailed tutorials and your blog which brightens my day!!

Please continue to spoil us with your creativity & generous teaching! If you ever make it to the states, please consider visiting Las Vegas!! I would love to meet you and show you my city of lights!

Tammy Richardson
Charmingly Green, Inc

[Stephanie]

Wow! Finally! I crocheted a bunch of hexagon granny squares. They are beautiful! However, no matter which tutorial I followed, I couldn't figure out how to join them without a huge ridge in the middle.

I did finally figure out that if I crocheted a solid color border all around that at least if I joined them you wouldn't be able to see the difference between the blocks, but I still couldn't figure out how.

Until I found this site.

Thank you so much!

I bookmarked your site so I can donate when I get some money.

[Marie L. Tibbetts]

Dear Lucy your a life saver, I went through so many different ways of wording what I wanted and it just did not come out right. Then ooooh believe me so heart felt, when I say the words Attic24. I knew it was you. It is 10:39pm herein the USA, state of Maine which is on the East side, smiling. One says we are across the pond. I chuckled when I first heard that expression. I saw how you were joining granny squares together, and right off I knew that is what I wanted to do. I am so pleased I found your site again. I have you saved in my favorites now, smiling here laughing with myself.
Getting near my bed time. My name is Marie, I am 69, and have done different crafts over my life time. I love to still learn more new stitches and ways of doing other things, love getting things together to have a small garden this coming spring hopefully. I am on Pinterest if anyone would like to look me up. Bless your heart Lucy, you have set my mind at ease. Thank you ,, Nite now, take care. Nite all.

[huizen]

Lunch have to do the weekly shopping huizen onder water at lunch, so something from Harris Teeter. Dit blog is gemaakt om vakantie huizen te bespreken, om sites te zien die over vakantie huizen gaan en om nieuws te verspreiden dat mensen hebben over vakantiehuizen.

[linda]

Thank you, great explanations, great photos. As a member of the hearing impaired community, I really appreciate pictorial tutorials over YouTube. YouTube just frustrates me, as the closed caption never works and its rare to get a real link to the written pattern, recipe or formula. BTW, love your ripple afghan, that is my next project right after I crochet my granny square afghan together, now that I know the proper way. thank again!

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[GoodmorningBeautyful]

With more pictures always the best for learner like me, thank u so much for this post.
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[Laura walters]

Is there a tutorial on the basic granny square that anyobody could direct me to please?

[Barbara]

I found a bag of 50 grannies at Goodwill. No doubt somebody chose to donate them, rather than join them. They were the most wonderful shade of pink, with a moss green and white. I have been adding another round of white. Now I will uae white to join. Your instructions came just in time!

[lucia helena]

lindo e muito obrigada .Adorei seu blog.Vou visitá-lo sempre.
Lúcia Helena
Brasil

[Teresa]

This is still helping people in 2013 :) Thank you so much for your contribution to my best friend's 30th birthday present! My blanket (the first thing I ever crocheted, taught entirely by bloggers and youtubers!) is looking so much better now.

[Kelly P.]

Thank you SO much. I have always wanted to make a granny square blanket, but was intimidated by the thought of having to join all those motifs. I imagined hundreds of ends to darn in, and a bulky mess by the time I was finished. This makes it look easy! I will finally give it a go, thanks to you.

Oh, and you never post too many pictures for me, in your tutorials. The more the better!!! Yours are the absolute best I have ever seen. I adore your website!

Love from America!