Time to Join! Celtic Lace Join (Part 2)

Celtic Lace Join is one of my favorites!

Here is a link to the original CLJ post from my website.

You may want to take a peek at Option No. 1 – Flat Braid Join. It is an easier join, and you’ll be able to see how the diagonal pieces come  together with the partial squares.

Again we will be using the layout and joining order in the diagram below.

To begin, take square #1.

Round 1 (SC round): Join yarn with a slip stitch in any corner loop. 3SC in same loop. SC through back loop only all around, putting 3SC in each corner loop. Join to beginning SC and finish off. Note: When I work through back loop only, to make a more secure stitching, I also grab the horizontal bar located behind the stitch.

Round 2: SC in center stitch of corner. Chain 4, 2DC all in same stitch. DC in next stitch, **skip 3 stitches, (DC, Chain 3, DC) all in next stitch (V-stitch made). (skip 3 stitches, V-stitch) 6 more times, skip 3 stitches, DC in next stitch, (2DC, Chain 3, 2DC) for corner. Repeat from ** 3 more times around to beginning. DC in same stitch as first corner, and join to first chain of initial chain 4.

 

Round 3: SC in corner chain loop, Chain 4, 3DC in same chain loop. 5DC in each v-stitch as below, make (3DC, Chain 3, 3DC) corner.

  Repeat around to beginning, 2DC in beginning corner to complete it. Join in first chain of the initial chain 4.

Round 4: SC in the first corner loop, Chain 5, SC in same corner loop. (Chain 5, SC in center DC of 5DC group) 7 times, Chain 5, (SC, chain 5, SC) in corner loop.

 Repeat around to beginning, and join to beginning SC. Finish off.

Take square #2, and work rounds 1-3 like normal. Work one side of round 4 up through 2 chains of the 5-chain second corner. Line up the motifs ready to join. See photo below.

Release the loop from your hook, insert hook in the corner loop of motif #1, put the loop back on your hook. Finish the 3rd chain stitch in your corner, Chain 2 more.

SC in same corner of motif #2, chain 2, perform join by releasing loop from hook, inserting hook in corresponding loop on completed motif, and putting the loop back on your hook.

Here is a zoomed out photo of where you should be.

And here is a zoomed in shot. Here, you’re ready to complete your center chain of the 5-chain loop. This is how your joins will be performed. I’ll label it as FBJ from now on, since it is the same process as the Flat Braid Join.

Complete your chain, chain 2 more, and SC in center stitch of 5 DC group.

Chain 2, FBJ to next loop on completed motif, Chain 2, SC in center stitch of next 5DC group. Continue in this manner until all 7 chain loops are joined up. SC in corner loop, Chain 5, SC in same corner loop.

Now, work down the third side, joining all 7 loops. (SC, Chain 5, SC) for final corner, work side 4 plain, join in beginning SC, and finish off.

Notice which corners are joined and which are not. The un-worked corners will be picked up by their diagonal buddies when those squares are joined.

Quarter-Motif

Row 1: with right side facing, Join yarn in first corner loop. 3SC in same corner, SC through back loop only across, 3SC in final corner, turn work.

Row 2: SC in center stitch of corner. Chain 4, 2 DC in same stitch, DC in next stitch, (skip 3 stitches, V-stitch) 7 times, skip 3 stitches, DC in next stitch, (2DC, chain 3, DC) in center stitch of corner. Turn work.

Row 3: SC in chain 3 loop, chain 4, 3 DC in same chain loop, 5 DC in all 7 V-stitches across, (3DC, Chain 3, DC) in final chain loop. Turn work.

You can see I have now flipped the entire work so I can join the partial motif, since this row is worked with wrong side facing. You can hardly tell the difference, and it saves so many yarn ends to just turn the work!

Row 4: SC in chain loop, chain 5, SC in same chain loop, (chain 2, FBJ, chain 2, SC in center stitch of next 5DC group) 7 times to join all loops. (SC, chain 5, SC) in final corner, finish off. Flip work to right side and admire your work!!

Half-Motif

Row 1: With right side facing, join yarn with a slip stitch in first corner loop. 3SC in loop, SC through back loops only in all SC, putting 3SC in following 2 corners, turn work.

Row 2: SC in center SC of corner, Chain 4, 2DC in same stitch, **DC in next stitch. (Skip 3 stitches, V-stitch in next stitch) 7 times, skip 3 stitches, DC in next stitch, (2 DC, chain 3, 2DC) in corner stitch, repeat from ** to end, putting (2DC, chain 3, DC) in final corner. Turn work.

Row 3: SC in corner chain, chain 4, 3 DC in same corner chain, 5 DC in all V-stitches across, (3DC, chain 3, 3DC) in corner chain, 5 DC in all V-stitches across, (3DC, chain 3, DC) in final corner. Turn work.

Flip entire work as before, and line up, getting ready to join.

Here’s a close-up of what you should be looking at. We’re about to do some fancy footwork with this join!

It may be a little tough to see in the photo, but I have pulled the loop from the left hand motif *through* the center loop, that way when I join the half-motif, the center loop won’t be left un-worked.

SC in the corner loop, chain 2, FBJ in the loop that you pulled through, chain 2, work down this side as you have been, up to the center corner.

Work the 5-chain corner, pausing to FBJ on the center chain. Remember, you are working on the wrong side of the piece, so on the front side, you need to have vertical corner joins lying on top.

To make this happen, scoop up that un-worked corner loop from the motif below, and insert your hook in it from behind the horizontal corner join  you can see this in the photo below. The chain is ready to be pulled through the completed loop for the FBJ.

Work back up the other side of the half-motif, and leave the final corner loop un-worked because it will be picked up when you attach your next half-motif.

Pay attention in the photo below to which corners are worked and which aren’t. In the photo, I have flipped the work back to the right side facing.. You can see that the join where we pulled the loop through is worked, and the rest are awaiting their diagonal counterparts.

Don’t forget that the vertical joins need to be lying on top when you cross your corners. You could also put all of the horizontal joins on top – the main point is to make them all the same.

I hope y’all enjoy this join! I just love it, and although joining partial motifs and this diagonal business seems intimidating, it’s truly a new way to freshen and appreciate the square motif!

I have had a very long love affair with the hexagon, to the point where squares just didn’t do it for me anymore. But now, by turning the square on the diagonal and chopping motifs up into partial motifs, I’m in love with the square once again!

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