Join Pieces of Crochet With Slip Stitches As You Go

Close up photo of a crochet scarf with a large plaid pattern in gray, pink, and purple. Text on the image reads: Join pieces of crochet with slip stitches as you go. Banana Moon Studio.

Join pieces of crochet with slip stitches

You can join piece of crochet with slip stitches as you work. This is great for color blocking, plaid, or patchwork style projects. The trick is to anchor the top and bottom of each row to the piece next to it as you work.

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What can I make with this joining technique?

This joining technique is going to be a great fit for crochet projects made in rows worked flat. It’s not a good fit for granny squares or any pieces crocheted from the center-out.

For example, just recently I released a new plaid crochet scarf pattern called Stratford Scarf. I used this joining technique for the Stratford Scarf, which is pictured below, and this video tutorial will demonstrate how to join the different sections as you work!

A woman wearing a plaud crochet scarf in gray, pink, and purple. Its a lightweight scarf with fringe. She wears it over a pale gray t-shirt and stands outside next to a tree. Text on the image reads: Banana Moon Studio.

The scarf is made in v-stitch. First you work the whole column of sections on the left. Then the center column of sections is worked and joined with slip stitches as you go to the left column. Then the right column is worked and joined with slip stitches as you go the center column. This means that there is no seaming to do at the end!

Written instructions for slip stitch joining

The process for joining pieces of crochet with slip stitches is explained step by step in the written pattern linked above and it’s demonstrated in the video below.

In general this joining process begins by working the leftmost section as usual.

Then you begin the next section to the right by slip stitching to the bottom, right corner of the first section. Next you work the number of chains needed to form the base of the second section. Then you crochet the first row of the second section. At the end of the row you should be back up against the edge of the first section, right above the slip stitch you made before beginning your chain.

You then slip stitch to the side of the first section to secure the top of the row to the first section. Then you will need to work a chain or two to equal the height of one row of your stitch pattern. You will then slip stitch to the side of the first section where you want to the top of the second row to meet it.

Then you turn and work the second row of the second section. At the end of the row, turn your work and crochet the third row. This brings you back to the edge you are joining. Again, you’ll slip stitch to the first section, work a chain or two if needed to get to the top of the next row, slip stitch to the edge of the first section again where you want the top of the next row to meet it.

Turn you work and crochet row 4, turn, crochet row 5, slip stitches, etc.

If you are working in a really short stitch like single crochet, you might just have one slip stitch per row. For a taller stitch like the v-stitch I used, you’ll need to have multiple slip stitches to secure both the bottom and the top of each row.

For a visual demonstration of how to join pieces of crochet with slip stitches as you go, check out the video below.

Join pieces of crochet with slip stitches video

Watch the tutorial video right here, and learn how to join sections of crochet as you work!

Crochet piece with two sections in yellow and peach in v-stitch joined as you work with slip stitches. A white banner over the image has text that reads: Join sections of crochet as you work. Banana Moon Studio. A red and white play button is centered over the image. — Click to watch it on YouTube!

I’d love to see what you’ve made with this technique! Share it on Instagram and tag me or join my Facebook group and share it there. I’ll see it in either place.

Happy stitching!