Joining Granny Squares With the Join As You Go (JAYGO) Method

Last week I shared with you the pattern to make some traditional crochet granny squares and today I am going to show you how to join them using my all time favorite method … the Join As You Go (JAYGO) method.

No more sewing pieces together (yay!). In the JAYGO method, you join your squares together while working the final round of each square. It is super easy and also creates a beautiful design between your squares …

Joining Granny Squares With the Join As You Go (JAYGO) Method

Helpful Crochet Resources: Refer to my Crochet Abbreviations and U.S. to U.K. Crochet Conversion Chart as you work through the pattern.

For your first square only, work Round 4 as written.

Round 4: Join yarn in any corner ch-3 sp, ch 1 (does not count as st), *work [2 sc, ch 2, 2 sc] in corner ch-3 sp, ch 2, work 2 sc in next ch-2 sp, ch 2, work 2 sc in next ch-2 sp, ch 2, rep from * three more times, join and fasten off — 32 scs and 16 ch-sps.

Are you left handed? You can find a left handed crochet stitch diagram here.

To join your second square to the first, begin working Round 4 as above until you reach the first corner that will join, then:

Work 2 sc in the corner ch-sp of the second square, ch 1, drop the loop off your hook and insert hook from front to back into the corner ch-sp of the first square, pick up the loop and pull it through, ch 1, work 2 sc in same corner ch-sp of the second square,

ch 1, drop loop again and pull it up in opposite ch-2 sp of the first square, ch 1 again and work 2 sc in next ch-2 sp on the second square,

ch 1, drop loop again and pull it up in opposite ch-2 sp of the first square, ch 1 again and work 2 sc in next ch-2 sp on the second square,

ch 1, drop loop again and pull it up in opposite ch-2 sp of the first square, ch 1 again and work 2 sc in ch-2 corner sp on the second square,

ch 1, drop the loop off your hook and pull it up in the opposite ch-2 corner space, ch 1, work 2 sc in same corner ch-sp of the second square, finish working Round 4 on second square as written above.

You join your third square and each one that follows the same way as you joined the first two, except now you will be joining across two sides of the squares. Join squares along sides as shown for your first two squares. When you reach the corner, work 2 sc in the corner space of the square you are joining, ch 1, drop the loop off your hook and pull it up in the ch-2 corner space that is diagonal, ch 1, work 2 sc back in same corner ch-sp of the square you are joining.

Make sense? How’d you do?

Once you’re finished joining all your squares, you are ready to add the finished touch to your blanket with a pretty granny edging. You can find my free granny edging pattern here.