How to Join Blocks -- Finished Pictures

In yesterday's post I showed you a sample of the crocheted square block used in the pastel baby blanket and how to join the blocks using single crochet, stitching into the back loops of each stitch. Today I will show you some details of the finished baby blanket and give you some tips for an efficient way to join squares.

The above picture shows the finished crocheted block baby blanket with squares and rows labeled to help explain a method of joining the squares and rows which is very similar to strip quilting and saves lots of time and makes for a neater finished product.

First you lay out your finished squares right side up in the desired pattern. Starting with squares 1 and 2 right sides together, join them with single crochet as shown in the previous post's video. The only difference is when you finish joining these two, don't finish off your yarn. Instead, pick up squares 3 and 4 with right sides together and continue your single crochet row across these two blocks in the same manner. Continue picking up two more blocks, next would be 5 and 6, then 7 and 8 and so on, until the first two rows are joined together in one direction.

Then start another row of single crochet, joining block 17 to block 1 and continuing across with 18 and 3, 19 and 5, and so on until the third row is joined.

Continuing joining rows until all blocks are joined together in one direction, in this example horizontally.

Then fold row A onto row B with right sides together and stitch a continuous row of single crochet, joining the rows as you joined the blocks.

At each corner, make sure you crochet into the back loop of the corner stitch of each block in each direction.

This is what the intersection should look like from the front with nice sharp corners.



And this is what the intersection looks like from the back. The horizontal stitching was done first. The vertical stitching goes over the horizontal forming a neat sturdy seam between the edges of the blocks and at each corner.



In this picture you can see the little ridge line of white formed around each block by the joining stitches picking up only the back loops of each stitch. If you do not want this detail in your blanket, simply pick up both loops of each stitch when joining and there will be no ridge on the front.

Coming up next will be tips on finishing the blanket with a border of reverse single crochet which just happens to be one of my favorite ways to wrap up a baby blanket project. Come back tomorrow and you'll see why.

Click here to return to HookedOnNeedles.com