How to Join Crochet Motifs.

A few possible ways to connect motifs.

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Crochet motifs (or crocheted squares) can be joined to each other in one of the classical ways, shown below. There are no "correct" or "incorrect" ways for joining motifs together.

It is only matter of your preferences. Try them all and choose the one you are comfortable with the most.

1.Use a yarn needle

This is the easiest method of joining motifs. Hold two motifs together (right sides facing each other). Using a yarn needle and matching color and thickness thread sew motifs together through the back loops only. (A new window opens for your reference.)

	Wrong side of the joined crochet motifs. A contrast color thread was used for the better visibility.
	Right side of the joined crochet motifs. It looks very neat despite a darker color of the thread, which was used for sewing.

2. Use a crochet hook.

Motifs can be joined by a crochet hook. This method has more technological flexibility and decoration features than joining crochet motifs with a yarn needle. You can use slip stitch, single crochet or chains to join elements to each other. Two motifs can be placed right side-to-right side or back side-to-back side. Decorative effect will be different.

	The elements are placed right side to the right side. You make joining through the back loops on the back sides of the motifs.
	The elements are placed back side to the back side. You make crocheting through the front loops on the right sides of the motifs. It makes a neat, decorative ridge on the right side.

3."Join-as-you-go" method

. Connect motifs while crocheting their last row. Method works the best if motifs have arches on the outside edges. This way connection will look the most decorative and the least noticeable. Here is a good example where this method to join crochet motifs(or squares) will work perfect. I used it for crocheting a lacy crochet shawl many years ago.

4. Some special cases for joining crochet motifs.

All methods of joining crocheted elements, mentioned above, will work if elements create a regular repeating pattern. When won't they work for joining motifs? Two cases at least can be mentioned here.

• Motifs are pretty large of have complicated shape. If you join them using any one of the methods above, a final pattern will have the big openings between elements.
  
  
• Motifs have to be included into composition consisting of a few differently shaped elements like in Irish crochet, for example.

a)Crochet motifs are large.

Let's consider joining of motifs #2 from Irish Crochet page. 8 petals allow to join 4 more motifs to each motif. Sew 4 motifs together on better use "join-as-you-go" method to join them. As a result, a pretty large space is created (see the picture below), which has to be filled in case you would like to have more dense crochet fabric. A good solution is to use an additional small motif-insert. It looks more natural if the inserting element is a fragment of a major motif.

Follow directions in a table below to make the inserts.

	Crochet 6 chains, join them in a ring using 1 slip stitch. Crochet 16 single crochets inside the ring, 1 slip stitch to make a circle. Place and pin insert in the middle of the opening.
	Connect the ring to each crochet motif using chains: from insert to the 1st motif, back to insert, to the 2nd motif, back to insert, and so on. In case if more dense pattern is required, increase the number of links between inserts and crochet motifs.

b)Motifs are parts of the composition.

Sometimes motifs, which have to be joined to each other are the elements of the pretty complicated composition (like in Irish crochet laces). None of the methods presented above will work. The joining requires some special techniques. Usually motifs are inserted in some background. In most cases, this kind of joining crocheted elements looks almost like a "rocket science" even for the pretty experienced crocheters.-:)

There is a very good saying :"Our eyes are afraid, but hands just do it!" You can try one of these methods on your own together with me. Here is a link to follow: Motif Pattern page.-:)

Besides that, you can look at the real master pieces presented in the Russian Crochet magazine Duplet . The newest issue of "Duplet" can be seen in the column on the right.

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