HOW TO: Assemble a blanket of knitted blocks
The first step to assemble a blanket of knitted blocks is to decide the distribution of the pieces and block them. Some people prefer to block them first and then think about their distribution, and others choose to first decide the distribution and then block. I usually choose the second one because it allows me to block the squares in batches. This way, while the second batch of squares in the process of blocking is drying up, I start sewing the first batch 🙂 If you don’t know how to block your squares or want to see a step-by-step guide, I suggest you take a look at my article on blocking.
BLANKET ASSEMBLY EXAMPLE
To give you an example of the whole process I’ll share below the photos of the assembly of my “12 blocks for Xmas” blanket. If you want to knit more blocks to build more blankets, make sure to check my page “DISHCLOTHS / BLANKET SQUARES”! You can find there the links to ALL my FREE block patterns in one place.
1) DISTRIBUTION OF THE BLOCKS
Play with them, placing them in different places until the layout is just as you want it to:
2) JOINING BLOCKS
There are several ways to join the blocks, and I show below the ones that I use the most. Before choosing the method however, it is necessary to decide the direction of the joins that will be made first. I recommend that you always make the horizontal ones between blocks, for example, and then all the vertical joins. That’s what I usually do.
INVISIBLE HORIZONTAL SEAM
I use this seam to join one bound-off edge with one casted-on one (or two bound-off or two casted-on edges). You need to have the same amount of stitches in each piece because it is worked stitch by stitch, recreating a row. Here’s how to do it:
- Line up the edges of your pieces, with the right sides facing up.
- Thread a needle with a strand of yarn of the same thickness used to knit the blocks, and insert it from back to front into the first stitch of the bottom piece.
- Insert the needle under the first stitch inside the cast-on edge of the top piece. Tighten to join.
- Continue alternating between wrapping a stitch inside the bound-off edge of the block below and the corresponding stitch inside the casted-on edge of the block above.
- As you progress through the seam, gently pulling the thread to join both sides, the seam will “hide”.
SINGLE CROCHET SEAM
This seam uses single crochet stitch to join the pieces together. If you want to add some nice texture on the right side of your work, you can hold your squares with the wrong sides together when joining. This way, the single crochet seam will be visible on the right side. However, I give you below the instructions to join the squares leaving the seam in the wrong side.
- Hold the two pieces you want to join with their right sides together.
- Insert your crochet hook through both.
- Wrap your yarn around the hook and pull through.
- Wrap both yarns on your left hand (the yarn you will continue to use and the yarn tail you’ll end up weaving in :)…
- …and pull both through.
- Continue pulling out the yarn tail of the beginning and keep in your hook the loop made with the yarn you will continue using.
- Insert your crochet hook into the following stitch on both pieces, wrap the yarn around the hook and pull through. You will have two loops in your hook.
- Wrap the yarn around your hook and pull through both loops in your hook to make your first single crochet stitch.
- Repeat instructions 7 and 8 until you finish joining all stitches in your knitted pieces. In other words, make an entire row of single crochet stitch working each stitch through both knitted pieces.
VERTICAL SEAM
Once you finished joining your blocks with horizontal seams you’ll end up with strips of squares:
Now it’s time to join these strips. For an invisible seam you can use either mattress stitch (if you’re joining together pieces in stocking stitch) or, like I show you below, use edge-to-edge seam to join pieces with garter stitches at the sides.
EDGE-TO-EDGE SEAM
This is a flat seam (no bulky join at the wrong side!) that uses the side knots left by the garter stitches at both edges:
I hope you find all the info useful!
Love,
Cecilia
Hi there,
I’m from the UK and have enjoyed making the blocks for the beginner’s blanket. I wa just wondering if you could give me some idea as to how to did the finishing edge to the blanket?
Thanks,
Judith
Hello! I think I just answer you in Facebook (I was really behind answering messages), but just in case I’ll do it here too 😄
First, I joined my blocks with invisible horizontal seams and edge-to-edge seams (you can see the detailed process in my blog here: https://ohlalana.com/how-to-assemble-a-blanket-of-knitted-blocks/ ) And then I’ve made a crochet picot border with a 3.5 mm hook. Using UK crochet terms: ROUND 1: DC all around the blanket. ROUND 2: * 1 dc, 4 ch, 1 tr in the first of these ch, skip 3 DC from previous round *, repeat from *-* and finish with 1 sl st in first dc from beg of round. In US crochet terms: ROUND 1: SC all around the blanket. ROUND 2: * 1 sc, 4 ch, 1 dc in the first of these ch, skip 3 SC from previous round *, repeat from *-* and finish with 1 sl st in first sc from beg of round.
I hope this helps! 💖
That’s great! Thank you so much for your help! 😁💕
You’re welcome!
I knitted strips of garter stitch squares, now i want to join the sides with sc, can you assist…..
Hello Marlene!
If you want the SC to be visible from the right side, you should 1) use a crochet hook with the same size of the needles you use for knitting | 2) place two of your strips with their wrong sides facing each other | 3) join them by making SC between each garter ridge (make sure that your crochet hook goes through BOTH strips).
Basically, you need to do the same SINGLE CROCHET SEAM I show in this post for a horizontal seam, but in the vertical direction and using the ridges left by the garter stitches as a guide.
I hope this helps! Let me know if you have more questions.
xo
I love the way you do the edge to edge seam – it now makes perfect sense. Question: How do you do this if you have slipped your first stitch on every row – it doesn’t leave a knot to sew into?
Is there a way to knit 4 blocks in a row together so you only end up joining the longer strips? After I finish the 3 knit rows of block 1, instead of binding off, can I do 3 knit rows for the block 2 and continue on? I’m wondering if I will Be on the correct side of the pattern.
I have Made the 12 Blocks of XMAs as a KAL with a group of seniors and they loved it, anticipating the new block each week.
I want To make a new blanket for myself but would love to make the sewing together a lot easier.