Join As You Go Squares - Part 2

I managed to join 4 granny squares together this morning but had to go do some chores.  So after I came back and tried to recreate what I did, here it is.

make a two row granny square as pictured below :)  i have chain 2 in my corners.

We now start a second granny and work round 2 until we get to the first corner, work 3DC and a chain 1 into that corner then stop.  We are now going to start connecting it to the first granny

This next picture shows where we need to start connecting, length the loop on your hook so it doesn't get lost, then remove your hook from this working loop.  Insert you hook through the top-most loop of the chain closest to the 1st DC on the side we are going to be joining as in the picture below.  In this picture we are joining from the red stitch marker to the blue one. 

when you have the hook there, pick the working loop back up and pull it all the way through the chain loop on the first square.  I call this connecting the loop, its how you join every stitch to its opposite.

Now you chain one and again lengthen the loop on your hook and remove it.  Insert your hook, as before through the top loop of the first DC on the side we are connecting and pickup the working loop and pull it through, ie connect the loop as before.  Now you can yarn over and make a DC into the corner space of square number 2 as you normally would.  The picture below shows where we are so far.

You should be OK now to connect the loop to the top of the next DC and then make a second DC into the corner space.  Then again for the third DC in the corner of square 2, remembering to connect the loop before starting each stitch.  This next picture shows 3 DC connected and the loop is connected ready to make a chain 1.

when you get to a chain space, connect the loop as before to the top loop of the chain on the 1st square then chain one, then connect the loop to the top of the next DC before carrying on.   Every DC and every chain is connected to its mirror on the first square.


Now we get to the corner, connect the 3DC that form the first part of the second corner as you have been doing.  Now connect the loop after making the 3rd DC through the loop of the first chain in the corner of square one then chain one.  Don't chain any more than one, seriously :).  Now you can continue to finish the second square as normal as that was the only side we were connecting.  you should have something that looks like the squares below, as if you whip stitched them together.

So to try and summarise, connecting on one side, after 3dc chain 1 on square 2:

• drop the loop and connect it the the chain next to the 1st dc, then chain 1
• connect this loop to the 1st dc on the 1st square, then dc in corner or sq2
• connect loop to 2nd DC in 1st square and make a 2nd dc in the corner of squ2
• connect loop to 3rd DC in 1st square and make a 3rd dc in the corner of squ2
• connect loop to chain and chain 1
• connect loop to 1st dc in next cluster on square 1 and make a dc in appropriate place on sq 2
• connect loop to 2nd dc in next cluster on square 1 and make a dc in appropriate place on sq 2
• connect loop to 3rd dc in next cluster on square 1 and make a dc in appropriate place on sq 2
• connect to chain on square 1 and chain 1
•  carry on as normal to complete the square

I am going to jump ahead and join a 3rd square on as it just the same as we just did. Begin the 4th square as you did the last two, get to the first corner on round 2 and begin connecting it as you have been along the side from the red marker to the centre.

When you get to the centre you should connect the first 3 DC's that form the corner of square 4 as you have been already, then again connect the loop to the chain on the square you have been connecting to and chain 1 (same as you did before).  now on the next square you are connecting to there should be a chain available just prior to the first Dc you will be connecting to.  I want you to connect to that chain and chain 1, then you should be able to carry on connecting this second side as you have been doing and finish off to complete the last square. 

The above pic shows where i was after i connected the chain on the first side and i have pulled the working loop through the chain on the second side.

The last picture shows a completed join of four squares, i love how neat this looks :) it lays nice and flat.