Knit and Crochet Ever After
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How to Whipstitch Join

Up next in my crochet joining tutorials is the Whipstitch seam. This is another great join when you want a flat seam and it is a really easy seam to make. All you will need are the pieces you want to join, a length of yarn to join them with and a yarn or tapestry needle to make the join. If you would like to see a video on this technique, you can click here to go check it out.

So to get started, you want to put the right sides together of the two pieces you want to join. Be sure to line up your “V”s (stitches) to be able to stitch through them easier.

Notice my stitches are lined up, now I can easily sew through both layers much faster.
Notice my stitches are lined up, now I can easily sew through both layers much faster.

Now I begin on the right side of my two pieces (you can start on the left side if you prefer) and insert my needle through just the outside loops of my bottom most stitches. I will be working from bottom to top with this join.

You can insert your needle through both loops, but I like the effect the outside loops give (you'll see what I mean at the end).
You can insert your needle through both loops, but I like the effect the inside loops give (you’ll see what I mean at the end).

I pull my yarn through the stitches and then bring my needle back across my pieces and insert it again from the right side of my project for the next set of stitches.

If you began on the left, be sure to go back over to the left side for the next stitch join.
If you began on the left, be sure to go back over to the left side for the next stitch join.

Then go through the outside loop of the second piece.

Go through both outside loops to join the next set of stitches.
Go through both outside loops to join the next set of stitches.

As you work, you can either tighten the yarn as you go or leave it slightly slack until the end of the seam.

I've left the seam slack here so I can tighten at the end. Notice for my next stitch, I again come from the right to start the join.
I’ve left the seam slack here so I can tighten at the end. Notice for my next stitch, I again come from the right to start the join.

You will repeat the steps of inserting your needle through both outside loops then coming back to the same side you started the join to make the next stitch. It is almost like stitching in a circle around your two pieces.

Continue the steps until you get to the end of your piece or the end of the seam you are joining.
Continue the steps until you get to the end of your piece or the end of the seam you are joining.

Once you finish the seam, if you haven’t already, take your tails and tighten the stitches down to get a tight, closed seam.

If you beginning tail isn't anchored to anything, hold each tail with one hand and pull to tighten. If is already anchored just hold onto the very beginning of the seam when tightening the tail.
If you beginning tail isn’t anchored to anything, hold each tail with one hand and pull to tighten.
If is already anchored just hold onto the very beginning of the seam when tightening the tail.

Once you tighten you are ready to open your seam and check out the handy work.

This is the wrong side of the work. You can see the bars from where we exited one side and went in the other.
This is the wrong side of the work. You can see the bars from where we exited one side and went in the other.

This seam is not as invisible as the mattress stitch join, but if worked in a matching color as the main piece it should be almost invisible.

Here is the right side and you can see the small bars that appear in the contrasting color I used for joining.
Here is the right side and you can see the small bars that appear in the contrasting color I used for joining.
Also notice the inside loops I didn’t join when stitching became a nice visual spot on each side of the seam.

The seam will be almost flat which makes this a nice seam for clothing where a raised seam may not be comfortable. If you have any questions, don’t be afraid to ask them below. I will get back to you as quick as possible!

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