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Oh man, when I first started out crocheting the invisible join was thorn in my side.
But don’t fret. It’s super easy, IF you know the trick!
The invisible join
The invisible join is a way of ending a circle without a slip stitch or a knot. Instead you weave the end in just right to create what I call, “a phony stitch.” Once it is complete the end is impossible to see. It’s “invisible” if you will.
The problem
One of the first crochet projects I attempted was a mandala. I had never heard of puff stitches or bobbles or shells. This pattern had them ALL. But most importantly it had the invisible join.
I looked it up on Youtube, as one does, and followed the directions. Mine looked right. However, the next row didn’t work out correctly.
As a result, I watched another video. This one said the same. Again I tried. Again it looked right but the next row didn’t work out. I repeated this process until the end of the Mandala. The thing was all lopsided.
The research
I researched the stupid finishing method for days. Finally I came across the answer I was looking for buried in a post from the Crochet Crowd. Thank you Michael for the crochet tip!
There are three ways to execute the join. Two of them add an extra stitch. One does not!
The video
So when I added the instructions “finish with the invisible join” to my crochet bead necklace I knew I could NOT let you go through what I had gone through.
I whipped up this video showing 3 different ways to join a circle worked in the round with joins and worked in the round without joins.
And most importantly I reveal the biggest, most important thing you need to know about the 3 different ways of making an the join: how it affects the stitch count of your row!
I hope you enjoy this crochet tip!
Excuse me
Oh, one more thing, please excuse my nail bitten fingernails (I’ve been chewing on my nails since third grade and can’t stop. I’ve seriously tried everything. Ugh!), my chapped hands (I live in Rhode Island and its sooooo dry here in the winter. Yes, I moisturize but it’s futile.), and my crazy son and husband wrestling in the background (They are just loud all the time).
More tips
Want more crochet tips? You can find more videos like this one on my Youtube channel.
Mary Beth Cryan has been designing crochet patterns for over 4 years. Prior, Mary Beth worked as a professional illustrator and product designer with a specialty in paper crafts for 18 years. She has authored and illustrated 17 paper craft books, countless pop-up greeting cards, and many paper craft kits. She received 3 LOUIE Awards from the National Greeting Card Association. Some of her clients included MoMA (Museum of Modern Art NYC), American Girl, Dover Publications, Peter Pauper Press, Ranger Rick Magazine, Highlights magazine and many others. She earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Syracuse University in 2000.