Geek-A-Long, How to Knit, Patterns
The Lattes and Llamas Join
I’m not going to say that the GAL squares aren’t fabulous by themselves. They are. But let’s face it, how many massively oversized coasters does one girl need? You could make them into pillow cases by sewing 2 of them back to back I suppose, but really, what will you do with 24 throw pillows? I put a lot of time and energy into figuring out a way to not do work. I swear to you I did. But after days of consideration, I’m afraid there’s no recourse but to join them together into a blanket. On the upside, when you’re done, it’ll look like this:
For our blanket I wanted to do a double sided join. I was unable to find such a technique, so I have invented one. I was going to call it
The Megan-Anne and Jac are super pretty and fashion forward double sided knitting join.
However, I was informed by the peanut gallery that it was maybe a bit long-winded. So we edited it down to the Lattes and Llamas Join (LLJ). You can say it in a single breath, so I figure we’re on the right track.
For this technique to work, you will need to knit backwards on every other row. I know this isn’t called for often, and many of you may not have had a reason to do it before, but if you have to flip this every other row, you will want to kill me by the end of the blanket. And I do not want scores of angry and tired crafters wielding pointy sticks showing up on my lawn. Plus, it’s a pretty handy tool to have in the notions bag of your mind. It can save you tons of time on projects that would otherwise require tons of turning your work.
To get this joining party started I put together a small project so that you can familiarize yourself with the LLJ. I’m going to edge and frame mine, but we will get to edging next week. For now, let’s get SAsSY!
:::The Lattes and Llamas Join:::
FIRST
Download the PDF pattern for SAsSY wall art. Knit four of the squares and then come back for step two.
NEXT
Choose two squares to join and assemble your tools. I started in the middle, but there is no particular advantage to where you start. Also, you may choose to join your SAsSY squares as a square rather than in a straight line, which will allow you to practice joining the squares both vertically and horizontally. You will need the squares (obviously), scissors, a crochet hook, a tapestry needle (optional), two lengths of waste yarn that are at least 1.5 times as long as your squares, and yarn for your joins as well size 6 (0r the size used to obtain gauge on your GAL squares) and size 7 (or one size up from the needles used to obtain gauge) DPNs.
Note:
The larger DPNs are for the horizontal join, which is not pictured here, but does have written instructions in the pattern and at the bottom of this post. The technique for the horizontal join is exactly the same as the vertical join, except with needles that are one size larger.
THEN
First, we will work joins on the right side of the squares. Afterwards, you will flip it and work them on the back. Once you have joined a strip of squares you will work the horizontal joins to connect the strips.
Beginning at the top right corner of the second square, use a crochet hook and the join yarn to pick up one stitch for each row of the square. You will slip these stitches onto a length of waste yarn to hold them until you are ready to work them. I generally pick up five to ten sts and then slip them onto the waste yarn with the crochet hook or tapestry needle.
- Slip crochet hook through the first stitch and grab the yarn.
- Pull yarn through to create a stitch and leave it on the hook for now.
- Continue picking up stitches in this way until there are several on your hook.
- When the hook gets too full to work with comfortably, transfer sts to waste yarn.
Proceed until you have picked up one stitch for every row, then break yarn. Repeat on the next square (the one you will join this one to) by working up the left side of the square. Once you have picked up all the sts it should look like this:
Now that you have two squares with stitches picked up along the edge you will knit them together.
Knitting Backwards
This is done by inserting the left hand needle from left to right through left most stitch(es) on the working needle. Loop yarn over the inserted needle in a counter-clockwise motion and pull the yarn through. Essentially, you are purling along the back of your stitches from left to right. It may take a few tries before this feels natural, but it’s worth the effort and can save you a ton of time on turning heavy projects. It’s worth noting that if you try it out and just hate it there is no reason you can’t flip and purl, it will just mean a lot of flipping.
LLJ STEP ONE
Using the smaller DPNs: Slip the bottom most stitch picked up on the right square onto DPN and cast on three more stitches.
LLJ STEP TWO
Slip the first stitch at the bottom of the left square onto the needle. Pick up the second stitch on the left square and knitting backwards knit these two stitches together. Knit backwards across three stitches (one stitch left on working needle). Pick up the next stitch from the holder on the right square and backwards knit this stitch together with the last stitch on the working needle. Five stitches on needle.
Need a little more help? Here are numbered directions corresponding with the picture tutorial below.
- One stitch from the holder, plus 3 cast on.
- First stitch picked up from left square.
- Second stitch picked up from left square.
- Needle inserted from left to right through the back loop of the first 2 sts to backwards knit two together.
- Working yarn wrapped counter-clockwise around the inserted needle.
- Stitch pulled though, 1 stitch on left needle, 4 on right needle.
- Continue knitting backwards across the row. At the last stitch pick up one from the right square and backwards knit it together with the last stitch on the working needle.
LLJ STEP THREE
Pick up the second stitch from the holder on the right square (six stitches on needle). Knit two stitches, slip two as if to knit together, knit the next stitch. Pass the two slipped stitches over the knit stitch and knit to end. Pick up the next stitch from the holder on the left square and knit it (five stitches on needle).
Repeat LLJ steps two and three up the square until there are no more stitches to pick up. At the top of the square bind off across the five join stitches. Turn the work over and repeat the process on the back side so that the join is double sided. Don’t worry about your yarn ends, just knot them to secure them and tuck them into the joins when you’re done.
Horizontal Joins
These are worked in the exact same way as the vertical joins done above. You will pick up one stitch for each stitch across two strips of joined squares. Depending on the bindoff method you used for your squares you will have the option to either pick up the last worked stitch at the top of a square, or to pick up the front of the bindoff on the front and the back of the bindoff on the back.
Using US7 DPNs and the same color used to do the vertical join, pick up the stitches along the front bottom of the joined strip of squares, working from right to left. (I will call this strip one.) Break yarn and put these stitches on a holder. Pick up the stitches along the top of the second strip working from left to right. Place stitches on a holder, but do not break yarn. Slip the bottom most stitch (the one attached to your working yarn) onto DPN and cast on three more stitches. Repeat LLJ Steps 2 and 3 all the way up the squares until there are no more stitches on the holders. Bind off across the join using the bind off method of your choice.
Whew! I know that was a lot of work, but it looks so pretty. The way I see it, why bother doing all the work for a double sided blanket that has a wrong side on the joins?
~Megan-Anne
“I don’t want dolphin’s peeping at my bod”-Jac
This is pure genius. Thank you so much. I think I just might take a break and get SAsSY :)
Any chance on a video of this. … would really help
Yes! We’re hoping to release a video later in the month.
Hey there, was there ever a video made? I’m having a really hard time with the joins, and a video might help.
Unfortunately, it ended up on the back burner these past couple of months. But we are shooting more tutorial videos over the next two weeks and it is one of the first ones we plan to film. :)
Missed opportunity to call it the Lattes and Llamas Cool Join, or LL Cool J.
OMFG. We have failed this city by missing that pun. I will try to atone, but I’m not sure I ever will be able to. :’D
I really have a hard time to understand how to proceed… I tried… but i’m sure something went wrong but cannot get the reason why…
Not started this yet – still got another 38 squares to knit – but a couple of questions:
1) how long did it take you to join your blanket?
2) how would it work if you did want to turn your work? (I’m always up for a challenge but this seems reaaaaaaaally confusing at the moment)
3) when joining rows/columns together, can you just join all the way across rows of 5 squares or is that too difficult/time consuming? (I hope that makes sense)
A video would be amazing!
Many thanks in advance
1. It is not a short process. I did have help with it, our “intern” (read: little sister) picked up sts on one row of squares while I joined another row, and that saved me a lot of time. I think that if I were doing it alone it would have taken me an hour or so per square, maybe longer.
2. If you are turning your work, just sub “purl” for “knit backwards” on the instructions for every other row. It should be simple, just more time consuming.
3. Yes. That’s how I did it.
We know. I swear we aren’t withholding one out of spite. ;) We had some issues in the cutting room on the one we did and need to make a new one, but it WILL be up before it’s time to join the 2015 blanket, so by December at the absolute latest. We’ve been out of the office a lot, but as soon as we are in the same place it will happen. Also, we will be bringing out a new method that was devised after feedback from last year’s method for 2015. So by December you’ll have 2 options to choose from.
Thanks so much!
I forgot to say how much I am enjoying making my own blanket – I’ve even created some of my own patterns and it’s certainly keeping me busy. Never thought I’d ever be trying to teach my mum a knitting technique though – it was her that taught me originally!
Can’t wait to see what new squares you come up with!
Quick Question, did you block your squares? I’m finding that with some of my yarn, while it’s the same company, my squares are varying slightly in size. Did you block them, or did joining the squares make them uniform? I just want to make sure that I do it just right! I’m having a lot of fun with this project!
Our experience has been that the joins do most of the work in making things uniform as long as they’re not drastically different. Good luck! And if you’re on instagram, don’t forget to use #geekalong tag so we can admire your hard work. :D
Thanks! I jave been using the hashtag as well! I appreciate your guys’ hard work!
I know this is a bit late (just found you on Ravelry), but I love your squares! I’ve modified the SAsSY charts so they read correctly from both sides when you flip the finished piece. Would you like to see them? Please let me know.
Do you do the horizontal joins twice as well?
Yes, we did, and it made both sides identical. But you don’t necessarily have to, if you don’t care/want them to be identical on both sides. Live your best knitter life :D
Completely lost here. A video would help. Don’t know why things have to be done backwards.