The Zig Zag Slip Stitch Join

The Zig Zag Slip Stitch Join is a great technique for joining squares or strips of crochet together. It is absolutely full of texture and is much easier than it looks!

Actually, it was a couple of our testers who showed me the technique in early December when they were finishing up testing the Easy Peasy Poncho for me. (Note, this pattern was in an event hosted by Marie over at Underground Crafter and will be officially released at the end of summer 2021.)

I used the zig zag slip stitch join technique when I assembled my version of the Friendship Blanket which was a mammoth CAL I hosted from January 15th to April 18th 2021. It was perfect for this project, whose theme was texture. What do you think?

If you are interested in finding out more about our Friendship Blanket CAL you can do so here.

Hints and tips for working the Zig Zag Slip Stitch Join:

There are some points that I would like to make before we dive in to the tutorials.

1. If you are making a blanket with the squares then I would recommend taking a photo of how you would like your squares to be ordered.
2. Having a consistent tension is important.
3. There is a right and a wrong side to this join – you must join your squares / project with the right sides facing you at all times.
4. You will work completed rows one way before turning your project and working the rows which flow in the opposite direction. To illustrate this all of the blue lines (representing joins) would be worked first and the the orange lines would be worked afterwards (or vice versa).
5. When working this technique you will ALWAYS insert your hook from the front to the back of your project.

6. You will alternate which square you are working into on each stitch as per the photo below.

Video Tutorial links:

Below we have the written instructions for this stitch and photo tutorial. If you would like the video tutorial we have both a right handed and left handed version.

Right handed version –

Left handed version –

Written tutorial:

Abbreviations:

ss – slip stitch

yo – yarn over

rep – repeat

1. Make a slip knot
2. Insert hook from the front to the back of your first square and draw the slip knot through.
3. Place hook into the first stitch on the square you are joining this one to, yo and bring up a loop, pull through first loop on hook (slip stitch made)
4. Insert hook into the next stitch on the square you are joining this one to, yo and bring up a loop, pull through first loop on hook (slip stitch made) as per the photo above.
5. Repeat step 4 until all of your stitches on this row have been slip stitched together in this manner.
6. After you have worked the last stitch in the row, fasten off and weave in ends

Repeat steps 1-5 for all rows that go in the same direction as per the diagram at 4. of the hints and tips section above until your squares are all attached.

Turn your work and then do the same for all of the rows that run perpendicular to the ones just worked.

Photo tutorial:

You will need to keep in mind the hints and tips above!

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