The Tight Braid Joining method I use to join squares is very similar to the Flat Braid Joining method, but tighter and closer - not as lacy. I've used it to join the Mini Magic Mandala Motifs in the Magic Rainbow Baby Blanket, and in this video I'll demonstrate exactly how it works. But it can be adapted to any square, as long as you're willing to play with the stitch counts a bit - so I'll explain that as well!
Tight Braid Joining Tutorial Video
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- US – H, 5.0 mm hook (Furls Fiberarts Tulipwood used)
- Lion Brand Modern Baby (DK weight, yarn symbol “3”, 50% acrylic/50% nylon, 173 yds per skein)
- Yarn needle (Susan Bates Finishing Needles used)
The Tight Braid Joining method as used in the Magic Rainbow Baby Blanket uses two rows - one row to finish off the square pattern, and then a second row (in the same color) to make the joins. This means it's a Join As You Go method - love that! But if you are using it to join other squares, you can skip the plain row of sc sts, and just do the last row.
The first square of the Magic Rainbow Baby Blanket gets a final row as follows: Sl st to corner ch sp, ch 1, (sc, ch 2, sc) in ch sp, *[ch 2, skip 2 sts, sc in next st] 3 times, sc in next st, [ch 2, skip 2 sts, sc in next st] 3 times, finishing last repeat in ch sp, ch 2, sc in same ch sp; repeat from *3 times, break yarn and join.
However, if you were using this on another pattern, you'd join with your yarn to the corner space, and then proceed as above. But this is where you have to get creative, and flexible. You want a series of ch 2, skip 2 loops around the sides, with ch 2 loops in each corner. In order to make this work for the Magic Rainbow Baby Blanket, I put two sc sts right next to each other in the middle of each side of the square.
Depending on your square's stitch count, you might need to add a couple more, remove another... do whatever you need to do to get loops evenly along the sides. And if you're joining squares with various stitch counts in their final/outside row, you'll want to make sure to add the same number of ch 2 loops on each side of each square - fudge it as you go! Skip one, add one - in the end, it will all work out.
So when it's time to add the second square, work one side with the ch 2 loops as before. Then when you get to that second corner, ch 1, remove your hook from your 2nd square, insert the hook in the 1st square's corner, ch 1 (this will enclose the ch-2 loop of the 1st square), and then sc in the same corner of the 2nd square again. Then ch 1, remove hook, insert it in the next ch 2 loop of the 2nd square, ch 1, skip the next 2 (0r as needed) sts of the 2nd square, sc in the next st, and continue working down the sides, connecting the two.
Connecting a fourth square is where it gets tricky - turning the corner. Only it's not that tricky at all! Just join to the first square as before, then when you get to the corner where the 4 squares meet, ch 1, insert hook in the ch 2 sp of the square you've been joining to, ch 1, (skipping over the square diagonal from the current working square) insert hook in the ch-2 sp of the next square you're attaching to, ch 1, and sc back in the corner of the working square.
I know this can all sound complicated reading it, so please do refer to the video if you have questions. The Tight Braid Join is a simple and flexible joining method for squares that with a little math and a bit of bravery and ingenuity can be applied to nearly any motif or afghan blocks project! Remember too, that if are indeed using this method to join blocks with different stitch counts, that using the same color for all the joins will go a long way to hiding any fudging you've had to do!
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Sam says
Does this method create much space between the squares? I'm making a blanket with a checkerboard of 10-inch squares and 4 5-inch squares (like this 41.media.tumblr.com/004d05f436c784fd2360e6db45d68f00/tumblr_nha2u1gdmF1rm7b2no1_500.jpg), so i don't want much space created in between my squares. Do you think this method would work well?
Tamara Kelly says
This creates very little space! 🙂
TM says
When you use this tight braid join, do you block your squares first? Or will simply join them pull your squares into place?
Tamara Kelly says
I block my squares right after I make them, but the join will help hold them in place a bit. If the block needs a LOT of blocking, I would recommend blocking it first and steaming it after it's joined, but before washing. 🙂
Ann Graham says
I'm finishing my 2017 CAL. Have done an equalizing row of sc around 12 of the 24 squares. already. Should I do the ch2, skip 2, sc repeat on all 4 edges while I am at it? like....do the two rows all the way around each square at the same time?
Also, if I have done the above, then do I work my border into the ch2, skip2, sc or make sure those border edges only have the sc border on them? Hope I am making sense.
Tamara Kelly says
Hi Ann! You can do the ch2 sk2 loops on the first one, but after that you need to be joining them at the same time. In the past I wored my edging into the ch2 sk2 border edges, but you could certainly just work sc sts on the outer sides if you preferred! It's a good idea!
Vicki Greer says
Hi Tamara, i have all of my squares done for the rainbow baby blanket. I want to use the tight braid method. I understand i do the last round all the way around the first square but i dont understand how many sides i do on the rest of them. And do you have a tutorial on this tight braid method for left handers?
Tamara Kelly says
Hi Vicki!
For the subsequent squares, it's up to you. I usually like to do 2 sides before I join on the third side and then do the last side. But you could do it first, second, or last if you prefer - it doesn't really matter!
Jessica says
Can you use this (or the flat braid join) to join squares of different sizes?
I have a 22x22 inch mandala square, many 11x11 inch CAL squares, and 2 5x5 inch squares for each 11-inch square that I need to join together.
What is the best way to do this at the intersection of non-equally sized squares at their corner joining in the internal portion of the blanket?
Tamara Kelly says
Yes, it's very flexible! So if it's two corners, it shouldn't matter what sizes the squares are. But when you have a square that stops halfway through another square, you would simply treat the corner of the smaller/halfway through square like the very first corner join. Then, joining the third square, I would go into that same last space on the larger square, and then join to the corner of the smaller square. I hope that makes sense!