Using a join-as-you-go method to join crochet motifs is a great way to save time and effort.
With join-as-you-go, you don’t have any seaming to do at the end of the project, because you have joined all your individual pieces as your work. The flat join method of join-as-you-go gives a particularly beautiful and smooth connection.
Flat joins can be worked into chain spaces or into the top of stitches. With granny squares, the joins are usually worked into the chain-spaces.
Follow these step-by-step instructions, or scroll down to the bottom of the post for a video explanation.
This post contains affiliate links which don’t cost you anything but may provide a small income to me. The yarn pictured is Red Heart Chic Sheep by Marly Bird.
Join-As-You-Go Granny Square
We’ll be joining a classic granny square that has chain-2 corners and chain-1 side spaces. My sample square has three rounds.
Begin by working the entire first square. Weave in the ends.
Crochet the second square, stopping before you work the last round.
Begin working the last round of the second square, stopping when you get to the half-way point of a corner. In other words, stop after “3 dc in corner space, ch 1”.
Flat Join Join-As-You-Go
To work a flat join, draw up the loop on the hook until it is a bit longer than usual, then take the hook out of the loop. This is known as “dropping the loop”.
Pick up the first square with the right side facing. Insert the hook from right side to wrong side (from front to back) through a corner chain-2 space.
Pick up the dropped loop with your hook and draw it through to the right side of the first square.
Continue working on current square: ch 1, 3 dc in same space.
Continue working flat joins in the chain-1 spaces along this side, while working (3 dc, ch 1) in each ch-1 space of the current square. The last flat join will be in the chain-2 corner space.
Completing the Square
Once the squares are joined all along their sides, keep working along the remaining sides of the current square to complete the round.
Learn More About Join-As-You-Go
Join-as-you-go is such a time- and effort-saving technique! There’s a lot more to learn about this topic. If you want to make your crocheting life happier, check out my books and pattern page, as well as these resources:
There’s one thing that can tie a knitter or crocheter in knots: confusing wording in a pattern. And the most misunderstood thing about knitting and crochet patterns is how pattern repeats are described.
There are some commonly accepted ways of describing repeated sections in a pattern. If you don’t understand this conventional “patternspeak”, you might be confused. But even if you understand it, sometimes the pattern writer doesn’t follow the conventions, leaving you to figure out what they mean.
The problem occurs in both knitting and crochet patterns. I’ll show examples of both.
When the Pattern Creates Confusion
Here’s an instruction you might see in a pattern:
Row 1 (RS): *K4, p6; rep from * a total of 5 times, k4.
Row 1 (RS): Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in next 4 sts, *sc in next st, dc in next 2 sts; rep from * a total of 5 times, dc in each st to end.
As an experienced crafter, I’ve got to say this wording drives me absolutely crazy. How many times am I supposed to “k4, p6”, or “sc in next st, dc in next 2 sts”?
From experience, I think the pattern writer intends you to do the sequence of stitches—k4, p6 or sc in next st, dc in next 2 sts—a total of five times. But that’s not what the pattern says.
Using Brackets & Parentheses to Show Repeats
Brackets or parentheses can be used to group a sequence of stitches and to tell how many times to do that sequence, as they do in these examples:
Row 1 (RS): [K4, p6] 5 times, k4.
Row 1 (RS): (K4, p6) 5 times, k4.
Row 1 (RS): Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in next 4 sts, [sc in next st, dc in next 2 sts] 5 times, dc in each st to end.
Row 1 (RS): Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in next 4 sts, (sc in next st, dc in next 2 sts) 5 times, dc in each st to end.
Using Asterisks to Show Repeats
Asterisks are used to show a point of repeat, and are usually used together with “rep(eat) from * “to show the full repeat.
Row 1 (RS): *K4, p6; rep from * 4 times, k4.
Row 1 (RS): Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in next 4 sts, *sc in next st, dc in next 2 sts; rep from * 4 times, dc in each st to end.
Here, the number of times to do that sequence seems to have gone down, but in reality this is the exact same instruction you’ve seen above. How can that be?
In these examples, you do the sequence of stitches once, then you repeat that sequence four more times, for a total of five times. You can’t repeat something you haven’t done before.
Row 1 (RS): *K4, p6*; work between * * 5 times, k4.
Row 1 (RS): Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in next 4 sts, *sc in next st, dc in next 2 sts*; rep between * * 4 times, dc in each st to end.
Row 1 (RS): Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in next 4 sts, *sc in next st, dc in next 2 sts*; work between * * 5 times, dc in each st to end.
As an experienced pattern writer and a tech editor, I steer clear of this construction. It offers the same opportunity for confusion as previous examples, and it adds more *’s than the eye can easily track.
However, if you do see this “between **s” construction, pay careful attention to the wording used to make sure you are following the repeats correctly.
The “Repeat” Paradox
Let’s go back to our original confusing instruction:
Row 1 (RS): *K4, p6; rep from * a total of 5 times, k4.
Row 1 (RS): Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in next 4 sts, *sc in next st, dc in next 2 sts; rep from * a total of 5 times, dc in each st to end.
Can you see the contradictions? If you repeat the sequence of stitches a total of five times, you’ve done that sequence a total of six times. But if you do the sequence a total of five times, you’ve only repeated them four times.
You’ll have to use clues to figure out what the designer means to happen.
In the knitting example:
If you have 54 stitches on the needle, you can work the k4, p6 sequence five times, which will use 50 stitches, then knit the last 4 stitches, for a total of 54 stitches.
If you have 64 stitches, you’ll work the k4, p6 sequence once, then repeat it five times, then knit the last 4 stitches, using up all 64 stitches.
In the crochet example:
This one is harder to figure out, because the row ends with “dc in each dc to end”, which leaves the number of total stitches unknown. You will know how many stitches you have in the row. You’ll have a good idea of whether you are supposed to be working all the way across the row. Using this information, you will have to figure out what balances the stitch pattern on the row, and how many total repeats you can fit it, then go with that.
See? It’s not ideal wording.
A Solution
There’s an easy wording solution that helps clear up all of this confusion, and that is using the word “more”:
Row 1 (RS): *K4, p6; rep from * 4 more times, k4.
Row 1 (RS): Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in next 4 sts, *sc in next st, dc in next 2 sts; rep from * 4 more times, dc in each st to end.
See how easy that was? It reminds the crafter that they are doing the thing then repeating the thing a certain number of times.
Even if the word “more” is not included, now that you understand repeats you can head forth confident in your knowledge of how many times you’ll do those instructions.
Let’s spread the word that you can’t repeat something you haven’t done yet. It will clear up the confusion for everyone!
In Part 1 of this article, you read about how to prepare for a knitting or crochet class, and you’ve gotten yourself to class. The things you have done to this point will enhance your ability to learn new skills .
Now let’s explore what you can do during and after class to learn as much as you can, and to remember what you learned long after class is over.
During Class
This
isn’t rocket science. It isn’t school. There are no grades or tests. It’s not a
race, so it doesn’t matter how slow you are. You can’t fail; you can only
succeed to a greater or lesser degree.
The
teacher is there to help you. They want you to be happy. Your fellow students
want you to be happy. They aren’t paying attention to what you are doing or how
fast you are going, because they are too worried about the same things you are.
Breathe.
Relax your shoulders. Breathe. Roll your neck. Breathe. Stand up and stretch. Smile.
This is going to be fun.
If
you are chatting with your friend or seatmate, you may not be paying attention
when the teacher says something important. You may be distracting others or
making it difficult for others to hear.
Limit side conversations and comments to times when the whole class is working quietly. Keep those conversations low-key and low-volume. Save the chatty catching-up talk for after class, over a cup of tea—or a glass of wine.
If
you need help, it may be fine to ask your neighbor a quick question, but don’t
expect them to teach you.
If
your neighbor is bothering you, let them know politely. Rather than accusing
them of being too loud, try starting with a “me” statement –
something like, “I’m having trouble hearing. Could you please speak more
quietly?” If they keep asking questions and distracting you from your
work, say, “That would be a good question to ask (teacher’s name).” If that doesn’t work, have a private word with
the teacher; they may not have realized that there was a problem.
The teacher wants to help you, but there may be a lot of people in class needing help at once. If the teacher is making their way around the room, you may be able to wait your turn until they get to you. You may need to raise your hand to get the teacher’s attention.
If
you can’t see or hear tell the teacher, let them know.
If
you are frustrated or don’t understand, don’t stew in silence! Teachers try
their best, but they aren’t mind readers; let them know your needs. Chances
are, if you have a question, others have the same question. Asking it aloud and
having it answered will help the whole class.
At the same time, this isn’t a private lesson. The teacher is there to teach the whole class and has limited ability to help each individual student, depending on time and class size. Teachers can’t do remedial technique instruction for unprepared students. That’s what the prerequisites are for!
Be
patient with yourself. You’re learning something new, and you won’t be perfect
at it the first time—or the second, or even the third. You learn more by making
mistakes than by not making mistakes.
Learning as an adult is frustrating. We’re used to being competent in our daily lives. Typically we are not in a learning mode. Learning requires being vulnerable, and that’s an uncomfortable feeling. It’s OK not to master something immediately, and to feel unsure of what you are doing.
Realize
that every time you do something new, you’ll be achieving a new personal best. The
“perfect” student knows this and revels in their mistakes, because
they know they are learning!
When the teacher is speaking to the whole class, stop working. Listen and watch.
Stay
off your cell phone. Don’t record audio or video of the class without
permission. Recording is not only impolite and sometimes illegal, it also
distracts you from the instruction being offered. If you are taking notes on your
phone, let the teacher know that’s what you are doing.
If
you know much of what the teacher is saying, listen anyway. There is always
something new to learn. It may be in the way the familiar information is being
presented. You may pick up tips and tricks that refine a technique that you
thought you knew well.
After Class
Don’t just read the handout, do hands-on practice. Even better, start—and finish—a project using the latest technique you learn. That will cement the knowledge in your brain.
If you enjoyed the teacher and think they have more to offer, look them up online. Depending on the teacher, you may find a robust social media presence and a blog or website. The teacher might be teaching additional classes in your area or online. They may have YouTube, Creativebug, or Bluprint (formerly Craftsy) videos. They may have a newsletter you’ll want to subscribe to.
The more you love on your teacher, the more likely they are to be able to continue to create the kind of learning content you enjoy.
You
paid for a class, you attended the class, and you got a lovely handout that
will help you remember what you learned. That handout is protected both by
copyright and by ethics. The teacher spent hours preparing the class and writing
and designing the handout. It is their work. Photocopying and sharing the
handout (or using it to teach a class yourself) is not only illegal, but wrong.
Please don’t do it.
If
you want to share what you learned, give credit to the teacher.
If
an evaluation form was provided, please fill it out to the best of your
ability. Both the teacher and the class sponsor benefit from constructive
criticism. The better the feedback, the better the teacher becomes over time.
Here
are some phrases to get you started:
I appreciated it when the teacher … It would be helpful if … Would you consider … I’d like to see … The meeting space was …
If
you learned something new, share your success with others. Grab a friend and
explain what you learned in your own words. When we teach, we have to process
information differently than when we learned, and this helps cement the
information in our brains.
Announce
your new-found knowledge on your social media channels. Share where you learned
and who taught you. However, do continue to respect the intellectual property
of the teacher(s) and other resources you learn from. If you have any questions
about what you can and can’t (or shouldn’t) teach or share from a particular
class, contact the teacher for clarification.
Keep these tips handy! Download a free pdf poster of all 20 Tips.
What’s Next
Now that you’re ready to maximize your learning efforts,
what’s your next step? What kind of class do you want to take? Do you have any
classes scheduled?
Talk to me in the comments.
About Edie
I’ve been teaching knitting and crochet in person for over 25 years, at all levels and in all sorts of venues. I’ve taught one-on-one, in small groups, and in large classes with 30 students or more. During this time, I’ve observed thousands of students, and I’ve talked with my fiber teacher colleagues about what they have observed. I also take every possibly opportunity to be a student. This article has grown out of my own experience and those of my colleagues.
In this two-part series, you’ll find 20 tips to set yourself up for success in any knitting or crochet class you take. Wouldn’t it be awesome to make the most out of class? To squeeze every bit of knowledge you can from it? To nail that new skill? To be full of new knowledge and excitement for where your skills will take you?
These tips are aimed at in-person fiber arts classes, but they can apply to online learning as well. Learn what to do before class, when you get to class, during class, and after class to make the most of your experience. Find out how to learn in the most relaxed and enjoyable way possible.
Before Class
Every class should have a
description that specifies what is being taught. The teacher puts a lot of
effort into making sure the class description tells you what you need to know.
If the class
description says, “set-in sleeve shaping will not be covered”, don’t come to class
expecting the teacher to slip in a lesson about set-in sleeve shaping.
Contact the event organizer or email the teacher if you have questions about what is going to be taught or if the class is right for you at this time.
This would be Tips #2-6 if I were giving you ten tips instead of five. Skill prerequisites are there for a reason. Master the skills you need before coming to class because the class is going to proceed from that point.
If you are told you “must know how to knit on double-pointed needles”, that doesn’t mean you own a set of double-pointed needles. It doesn’t mean that you knit with them once upon a time five years ago. It means that you are comfortable casting on and knitting and purling in the round on double-pointed needles.
“Must be familiar with single crochet and double crochet” means you should know how to do these stitches without thought. Practice before class to make sure you know what you are doing. Don’t rely on looking up techniques on YouTube during class!
Teachers assign homework for
two main reasons.
The first reason is that you
will be using the homework in class. If your homework isn’t complete, you’ll be
scrambling to finish it while the rest of the class moves on. You’ll miss half
of what the teacher says, and you’ll be feeling left behind. That’s never a
good feeling.
The second reason is to make sure you are up-to-speed on the techniques used in class. Those prerequisites? The homework gives you the chance to brush up on them. If it’s been a while since you knitted on double-pointed needles or did anything beyond single crochet, now’s your chance. Use all your resources—books, videos, friends, yarn shop employees—to refresh your memory before having to use those skills in class.
If you struggle with the homework, reconsider taking the class. Instead, study more until you have mastered the technique. Or take an easier class.
The right yarn makes learning so much easier, both in preparing your homework and while in class. Your best bet is a smooth, light-colored worsted weight yarn (CYC #4-medium) in a color or colors you like.
Navy blue, dark grey or black may be your favorite colors, and you may be able to see the stitches perfectly at home. However, you don’t know what the classroom lighting conditions will be. Your teacher may not be able to see those dark colors well enough to help you. Stay away from variegated yarn for the same reason.
If the class materials list specifies a particular yarn weight or a specific yarn, take care to follow those instructions. If the yarn is supposed to be 100% wool, use 100% wool. The teacher had a reason for assigning it.
Some of you have dark, splitty,
scratchy, fuzzy yarn in a color you hate. You’d never use it in a project, but
you’ve been saving it for a special occasion. This class is not that occasion.
You’ll still hate the yarn. You’ll be unhappy with yourself, your yarn, and
everyone around you as you struggle to learn a new skill. You have my
permission to throw away that yarn.
Bring the
supplies specified in the class materials: yarn, needles/hooks in a certain
size, and other materials specific to that class.
Assume you’ll need scissors, a pencil, paper for taking notes, a tape measure, yarn needle, stitch markers, a calculator, and so on. These basic tool kit items should travel with you at all times.
Bring a variety of needles and
hook sizes. Students sometimes use a crochet hook or knitting needle that is
not the ideal size for the yarn. Having a selection of sizes to choose from
allows you to change to a more appropriate size.
If you need
reading glasses, magnifying glasses, extra lighting or other aids, bring them
with you.
When You Get To Class
You’ve done all the things you could think of to prepare for
a successful class experience. Now the big day is here, and it’s time for
class.
Leave
yourself enough time for traffic and parking. If you are at a large venue,
allow time to register and to find your classroom; sometimes it can be a
10-minute walk.
Get to class early enough to find a seat, get unpacked and settled in. You’ll probably want to get a drink of water and use the restroom so you’ll be comfortable and ready to learn.
If you have special needs such as extra lighting or special seating, coming early allows you time to get the space you need and the time to set up appropriately. Be sure to let the teacher know before class starts if you have vision or hearing disabilities. Offer suggestions of how they can adapt their teaching style to help you.
It’s
better to be a bit early than to get stuck in traffic and blow into class after
it has started. Coming late to class means you miss important information. It
can be difficult to catch up with the rest of the class, and you’ll feel
stressed, which makes it harder to pay attention.
Or
if you do come very early, don’t chat with the teacher. Before class, the
teacher is unpacking class materials, making sure they have everything they
need, passing out handouts, and getting any audiovisual equipment set up. After
all that, they need a quiet space to think about details they may have missed,
and to take a breath before starting class.
A
quick “hello” or “good morning” is fine, and if the teacher
starts a conversation, they may be ready and willing to talk. Don’t be hurt if
the teacher doesn’t appear super-friendly in that 30-minute period before
class.
Classrooms
can be hot or cold, especially in hotel conference rooms, so dress in layers.
You’ll be sitting still so you’ll feel the cold more than if you were moving
around. Plus, you can show off your beautiful hand-made creations to others who
will appreciate them!
Do
I need to explain this one? Get your last-minute social media fix and texting
done, then put the phone in your bag and ignore it. You are here to play with
yarn. Everything else can wait.
If
you have to be available because of work or family situations, turn the phone
to vibrate. Put it in your pocket. If it rings, you’ll feel it and can run out
to answer. Leaving it on the table is too much of a temptation to get
distracted.
Even if you have the handout in front of you, don’t start working before the teacher gives the go-ahead. The handout probably doesn’t tell you everything you need to know, and the teacher will have additional instructions for you.
During and After Class
In Part 2 of the series, you’ll learn the all-important things to do during class and after class to help you make the most of your class experience.
About Edie
I’ve been teaching knitting and crochet in person for over 25 years, at all levels and in all sorts of venues. I’ve taught one-on-one, in small groups, and in large classes with 30 students or more. During this time, I’ve observed thousands of students, and I’ve talked with my fiber teacher colleagues about what they have observed. I also take every possibly opportunity to be a student. This article has grown out of my own experience and those of my colleagues.
Let me know your thoughts. Have I missed your favorite tip? What do you do to get ready for a fiber arts class?
Show your colors with the Flame Stitch crochet stitch pattern! There are several variations of this stitch, but they are all great ways to use different yarn colors. Try it in vibrant hues, or more subtle gradient shades.
This pattern uses American crochet terminology. You’ll be using single crochet, double crochet, and long double crochet (also know as spike double crochet). Watch the video below for more details.
This post contains affiliate links, which won’t cost you anything extra but may provide a small income to me.
You’ll need at least thee colors of yarn, in any weight, and a hook in an appropriate size for the yarn. The yarn I’m using is Red Heart Chic Sheep by Marly Bird. I’m using a 5.5 mm Clover Amour crochet hook.
Flame Stitch
Worked in three colors: A, B and C.
With A, chain a multiple of 4 + 2.
Set-Up Row 1 (WS): Working in back bumps of chains, sc in 2nd ch from hook, *ch 3, skip 3 ch, sc in next ch; rep from * across, changing to B on last st, turn.
Set-Up Row 2: Ch 3 (counts as dc throughout), *dc in next ch-space, skip 1 ch of foundation ch, dc in back bump of next foundation ch; dc in same ch-3 space**, ch 1; rep from * to last st, ending last rep at **, dc in last sc, turn.
Row 1 (WS): Ch 1, sc in first dc, ch 1, skip 1 dc, sc in next dc, *ch 3, skip (dc, ch 1, dc), sc in next dc; rep from * to last 2 sts, ch 1, skip 1 dc, sc in last st changing to C, turn.
Row 2: Ch 3, dc in next ch-1 space, *ch 1, skip 1 sc, dc in next ch-3 space, dc in next sc 2 rows below, enclosing the ch-3 and ch-1 spaces, dc in same ch-3 space; rep from * to last 3 sts, ch 1, skip 1 sc, dc in next ch-1 space, dc in last st, turn.
Row 3: Ch 1, sc in first dc, *ch 3, skip (dc, ch 1, dc), sc in next dc; rep from * across, changing to A on last st, turn.
Row 4: Ch 3, *dc in next ch-3 space, dc in next sc 2 rows below, dc in same ch-3 space; rep from * to last st, dc in last st, turn.
Repeat Rows 1-4, continuing in established A, B, C color sequence, for desired length. End with a RS row.
Last row (WS): Ch 1, [sc in each dc and long dc, and long dc in sc 1 row below each ch-1 space] across. Fasten off. Cut other two colors.
Love this stitch? Want to see it in action? Want to learn more crochet techniques like this? The Skill-Builder Crochet Blanket pattern offers lots of opportunity to grow your crocheting skills. Written text with helpful notes, video tutorials and charts combine to make it easy to learn more than you ever knew.
This Easy Lacy Rib knitting stitch pattern is perfect for warm-weather knitting. With only a 3-stitch and 4-row repeat, you’ll soon get into the rhythm of the pattern without having to think too much.
Can’t you see this as a cotton summer wrap, or perhaps as a tunic to wear over your tank top or swimsuit? Or use a lightweight yarn to create a simple shawl for cooler weather.
That’s it! Watch the video for tips on how to read your knitting so that you can go “off pattern” and pick up wherever you left off.
Abbreviations k: knit k2tog: knit 2 sts together p: purl rep: repeat ssk (slip, slip, knit): slip the next 2 sts one at a time knitwise, insert left needle into the fronts of these two sts, then knit them together through the back loops st(s): stitch(es) WS: wrong side yo: yarn over
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Here’s an instruction you might see in a pattern:
Sometimes you’ll see asterisks used this way:
There’s an easy wording solution that helps clear up all of this confusion, and that is using the word “more”:
