Crochet Basics: Common Questions & Answers

Hello, my dear crocheters! I keep answering some of the most common questions you have and to anticipate some questions you didn’t know you had. Today I invite you to learn more about joining morifs. We’ll talk about the most common difficulties crocheters face while working with afgahn squares, separate motifs, I’ll share with you a zigzag chain technique and my favorite join-as-you-go method. You will also learn how to make a flat join, chain-and-skip seam, and a single crochet join. I hope that this information will lead you down the road to gaining the confidence that makes for good crocheting.

My goal in creating this section was to help as many beginners as possible because I know how frustrating it is when your crochet project just isn’t going right. So feel free to leave your questions below! Be sure to make them as detailed as possible, and I will try to help you as best as I can.

Q1. My afghan squares aren’t all the same size. Is there anything I can do about it?

Oops! If you notice the problem right away, before you finish stitching, check to be sure you are following the instructions correctly and that you didn’t accidentally change hook sizes. If the squares are done in different stitch patterns, however, you may have to use a different hook size for each stitch pattern in order for all the squares to come out the same size.

If you notice the problem after you’ve made all of your squares, maybe you can block them to match. Blocking can sometimes accomplish small size changes, but don’t count on brute force and a bit of steam to make a 10" square into a 12" square. Instead, try working an extra round or two on the smaller squares to bring them up to size. If just a few squares are larger than the others, perhaps you can take out a round or two to bring them into line, or restitch the large ones on a smaller hook.

Q2. How do I join separate motifs?

You have a lot of choices here. Your joining method is dependent on the look you want and on the type of stitch you used on the last round of your square. Do you want the join to be part of the overall design, or do you want it to be invisible, or almost so? Stitching the final round of each square in the same color makes invisible joining easier. A single crochet seam on the right side, on the other hand, makes the join a decorative element.

If specific joining instructions are not given in your published pattern or if you want a different look to your finished project than the original, experiment with each of the options listed below to determine which one looks best with your project. No matter which method you use, check from time to time to make sure you are working at the correct tension. The seams or joins should have a similar feel and fluidity to the rest of the fabric.

Wrong sides together, whipstitch through both loops.

Wrong sides together, whipstitch through inside loops only.

Wrong sides together, slip stitch or single crochet through both loops.

Wrong sides together, slip stitch or single crochet through inside loops only.

Right sides together, single crochet through both loop

Use a zigzag chain or chain-and-skip seam.

Join motifs as you go (JAYGo - I'm explaining this technique below)

Q3. How do I work a zigzag chain?

There are various ways to use chain stitches as decorative joins. Here is a zigzag chain that can be adapted to a number of situations:

Working with square pieces, arrange the squares in the desired pattern. Slip stitch or single crochet in the corner of one square to join yarn, chain 3, then slip stitch or single crochet into the second or third stitch from the corner of the adjacent square. Continue to alternate slip stitches or single crochets and 3-stitch chains back and forth between the squares, skipping one or more stitches between each joining stitch.

Q4. How do I work a chain-and-skip seam?

This is another useful and decorative seam that can be adapted by chaining and skipping the appropriate number of stitches for the situation. With right or wrong sides together as desired, single crochet through both loops of both pieces, chain 2, skip 2 stitches, sc through the next pair of stitches. Continue connecting the pieces with single crochet stitches separated by a short chain over the skipped stitches.

Q5. How do I join motifs as I go?

The join-as-you-go (JAYGo) method works best when the final round of each motif has a lacy or openwork edge. If you are working from a published pattern, the instructions may explain how to join the motifs as you work. If you don’t have finishing instructions, look at your motifs and see how they fit together. Draw a diagram, so you can see where the motifs touch. Do they meet at certain points only or do they touch along the entire edge? If they touch along the entire edge, you may choose to join them in every stitch, or only to join them in every other stitch, or some other interval that seems appropriate for the design.

For a basic JAYGo project, complete one motif. Work the next motif up to the final round; then on the final round, work to the spot where the motifs should touch. Insert the hook into the first motif at the corresponding connection point (possibly a chain space); work a joining stitch to join the two motifs, then continue to work the final round of the current motif, joining to the previous motif at appropriate points in the same manner. There are several choices for joining stitches; experiment, then choose the best one for your situation.

Q6. How do I join motifs with a slip stitch?

This is a fast and easy join that brings the pieces up very close to one another. The slip stitch sits on top of and dominates the stitch it is worked into.

1. Work to the point where you need to join the current motif to the previous motif.

2. Insert the hook from front to back (right side to wrong side) in the stitch or space of the previous motif at the point where you want them to meet.

3. Yarn over and pull up a loop through everything on your hook to complete the slip stitch, then continue working the next stitch on your current motif.

Q7. How do I make a single crochet join?

This join is a bit larger and more visible than the slip stitch join, and it allows a bit of space between the pieces.

1. Work to the point where you need to join the current motif to the previous motif.

2. Insert the hook from front to back (right side to wrong side) in the stitch or space of the previous motif at the point where you want them to meet.

3. Yarn over and pull up a loop, yarn over and pull through two loops to complete the single crochet.

4. Continue working the next stitch on your current motif.

Q8. How do I make a flat join?

If you prefer a more invisible connection between the two motifs, try a flat join. Work to the joining point on the current motif, drop the loop from the hook and insert the hook from front to back (right side to wrong side) into the corresponding connection point on the previous motif. Pick up the dropped loop and pull it through everything on the hook, then continue working the next stitch on your current motif. This is a quite beautiful and easy join that brings the pieces close together yet keeps the two pieces in balance; neither side of the join dominates the other.