Zig Zag Slip Stitch Join

Get ready for what might be your new favorite join technique: Meet the Zig Zag Slip Stitch Join!

The Zig Zag Slip Stitch Join has a lot of things going for it. I love the raised texture.  The simple stitches.  And the interest it brings to an otherwise boring join.

If you’re like me, I can make square or motifs to join all day long.. but when it comes to joining… whelp… I dread it like nobody’s business.  It’s like doing dishes after a fine meal.  Necessary.. but fun?  Not so much.  Until THIS zig zag slip stitch join, that is!

There really is nothing easier than slip stitching a seam together and once you learn how, this one is fun and fast to do.  It uses the slip stitch which is the most basic of all the stitches.  But try to do this one on your own and you might quickly find your work looks nothing like the finished work!

The secret to the Zig Zag Slip Stitch Join is in yarn placement.  This tutorial will teach you everything you need to know and you’ll be zipping your way through the zig zag join in no time!   Let’s dive in!  First up.. start with a couple of pieces to join like these completed solid granny squares.

Next, make a slip stitch with the yarn for joining.  Note that the zig zag slip stitch join looks great in a contrast color or in the same color as your squares.  

Remove the hook, insert it into the first stitch where you’d like to start the join, then grab the slip stitch and pull it through.

Here you’re going to have to hold onto the slip stitch a bit because it will want to pull right through the stitch.  Be patient through the first few stitches and the zig zag join will come together.

Now go to the piece you wish to connect.  Insert the hook from the top DOWN into the top of the stitch.  Note that the working yarn stays UNDER the join.  This is a big secret to this technique..so be sure to keep the working yarn under the join at all times.

Next, make a slip stitch.  Just hook the yarn that is under your work and pull the loop through BOTH the stitch AND the loop on the hook.

A few things to note here:  You’re still holding the original slip stitch on your hook a bit so it doesn’t slide through, so this part might feel seriously wrong.  Just work slowly through this step.

Note that you pull through BOTH the stitch and the loop—which seems like it should be done in one fell swoop.  In actuality you might find it easier to pause and wiggle your hook a bit between the stitch and the loop.

When you’re done it looks like this… Now it’s time to go back to the first piece for the next stitch.

The process is repeated on the next stitch in the first piece:  Insert your hook from the top down into the stitch, keeping the working yarn under your pieces.  Scoop up the yarn and pull through both the stitch and the loop.

This slip stitch now slants towards the piece just worked like so:

Continue to repeat the last two steps, working from side to side, remember to keep the working yarn UNDER your work and to scoop up the yarn and pull through both the stitch and the loop on the hook for the slip stitch.

Here’s the complete Zig Zag Slip Stitch Join.  Beautiful, right?  To join multiple pieces, there are a couple of options. If you’re working pieces that will end up in rows, you can just keep going vertically with the next two pieces in the row above.  Then when done, fasten off and join the pieces together horizontally.  Or you can join each segment at a time and fasten off and start again with the next pieces to join.

Note how beautiful this join works in the Happy Hexagon Crochet Tote.  I love how it adds so much texture!

I love seeing your finished projects! If you love this Zig Zag Slip Stitch Join I’d love to see your project on Instagram, be sure to tag me @crochet365knittoo.  If you are on Facebook, stop over to the Crochet 365 Knit Too Facebook page or pop over to the Crochet365KnitToo Club and share a photo!  I’d love to see your work!

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