Here is another way to join those panels together just in
case you forgot to leave the end needles out of work or if you haven't been
able to manage "seam-as-you-go." This method can be used to join panels
along the side edges as well as to join pieces along the top and bottom edges
and it is very easy to do. All it takes is a crochet hook suitable for the yarn
you are using. It's very likely nothing new to many of you, but maybe someone
just beginning will find it useful!
The picture shows five different versions of joining panels
using slip stitches, there are probably many more. I just started experimenting
with this a couple of days ago and thought this method was fast and easy.
Here's How:
The panels are joined together from the right side with the
hook on top, the yarn underneath the fabric. You always push the crochet hook
through the stitch loops from the right side through to the wrong side.
For all versions, push crochet hook through either one or both
loops of the very last stitch on the side, always skipping the bumpy little
stitch every other row. I must not always pull up the slack at the end of every
row because on some rows the little bump looks more like a regular stitch. When
that happens, I just skip every other loop.
Slip Stitch Version One:
On the right side, this looks like a row of stockinet stitches,
on the wrong side a bit like a running stitch. If you pick up both loops from
every other end stitch on both panels, the seam is a bit thick so I only picked
up the very last outside loop of each end stitch on both panels.
Make a stitch loop, put it on your crochet hook and put it
on top of the right side of the fabric, with the yarn running underneath it.
Push the crochet hook through the first loop on either side of the two panels.
Now switch sides and push the crochet hook through the first and outermost stitch
loop on the side edge of the other panel. See picture above. There are now three
loops on the hook, including the one you started with. Yarn around hook and
through all three loops - slip stitch made. In order to have a straight and
not wavy stockinet stitch, and skipping the bumpy stitch next to the loop you
picked up last, push the hook through the next loop on the same panel. Then,
again pushing hook from right side to wrong side, pick up the next loop - bypassing
the bumpy stitch - on the other panel. Yarn around hook and through all three
loops - slip stitch made.
For this version, always pick up the next larger loop on
the same panel where you just picked up the last one, then switch to the
other panel.
Slip Stitch Version Two:
Pick up either the very last or the second to the last edge
stitch loop from either panel, again pushing hook from right side to wrong side.
Two loops on hook. Yarn around hook and pull through both loops. Switch to other
panel, push hook from right side to wrong side and pick up very last or the
second to the last edge stitch loop - two loops on hook - yarn around hook,
pull through both loops. Go back to other panel and repeat from beginning, always
skipping bumpy stitch.
Note: I just now noticed that for this sample, I picked up
the second to the last edge stitch loop, that's why on the wrong side there
is a ridge along both edges of the zig-zag. If you pick up the very last edge
stitch loop, there will not be a ridge.
Slip Stitch Version Three:
This is the same as sample two above except that I picked up
both stitch loops of the very last edge stitch on either panel instead of only
one.
Slip Stitch Version Four:
For this version, I picked up one end loop on the side of one
panel - two loops on hook, yarn around hook and through both loops, chain one,
then on other panel (as always skipping bumpy stitch) push hook through next
loop - again from right side to wrong side - yarn around hook and through both
loops on hook, chain one and repeat, going back and forth between the two panels.
Slip Stitch Version Five:
This makes a fairly open seam. I picked up both stitch loops
of the last edge stitch, slip stitched, chained two, then skipped a purl bump,
stitch, and another purl bump on the other side and picked up both loops of
the next end stitch. Repeat.
Oh, by the way, if you come across any errors, please let me
know, I try to proof-read the pages but it's easy to miss something!
