Update!! Instagram user (and crochet friend!) @StitchGwen has made an excellent mini demo video of this join on her feed – go check it out! Her motions are exactly how I do it, so two thumbs up!
See all of the projects where I’ve used PLT join HERE – over 100 blankets!
What can I say about this join? When I started to teach myself crochet as a way to pass the time in college, I came across the work of Priscilla Hewitt. Often, I refer to her as my Crochet Idol, because her methods really intrigued me. I loved that her patterns were so innovative and complex, and I wanted to use them as a springboard into my own spin on the craft.
Through working some of Priscilla’s patterns, I developed the PLT (or Pull Loop Through Join. Back then I didn’t have a name for it, and the closest I could come to describing it to everyone who asked was that it’s “like a flat braid join, but without the chains.” 🙂
I used this join in 2012 as part of my first published pattern, Gumball, and would continue to use it in all of my motif patterns, most notably, Geometric Lace. Finally, I gave it a name after folks started using it but not really knowing what to call it, and I realized it needed a label. So the PLT Join was born!
I love this join because it’s flat, straight, pretty, and involves no sewing and very little weaving ends. You can use it with any squares as long as the stitch counts are identical.
Below you’ll find a JAYG version, and the Continuous JAYG method will be in a separate post. Enjoy!
PLT Join (JAYG)
For this demo, I’m using KnitPicks Palette yarn and size E hook.
The PLT is just a simple maneuver to connect the motifs, so you can use it in many different ways, as you’ll see. I’m showing you the join with a certain granny square motif, but it’s just an example.
Since this is a JAYG, you’ll be joining on the final round. Work the first motif complete.
Then work one side on your unfinished motif. This granny square has 3 chains for the corner, so I worked one side, and the first chain of the corner.
Remove that chain from the hook. Insert the hook in the chain corner on the completed motif.
Place the working loop back on the hook.
Pull the Loop Through to the front of the completed motif and finish the stitch – in this case it’s the center chain of the corner space.
Work the final chain of the corner chain space, and work however much of the side you want to, up to where you want to start joining again. Here, I’ve worked the 2 DCs that go in the corner.
And here is the official “PLT Join” maneuver:
Remove the loop from the hook. Insert the hook through the exact corresponding stitch on the completed motif. So, since the stitch I’ve just worked on the motif in progress is the second DC of the corner, that’s the same stitch I put the hook through – reference the photo below.
Replace the working loop on the hook.
Pull Loop Through to the front of the completed motif.
Work the next stitch on the motif in progress – here it’s the next DC – notice you don’t work any chains or slip stitches. Just work the next stitch as normal.
Now, repeat the PLT maneuver – here in the next photo, I’m all ready to Pull Loop Through.
Keep repeating until you’re done with the stitches you want to join on this side. I didn’t connect the corner spaces on the left hand side, because I wanted to share a fun little X corner method. You can see the corner spaces on the right are conmected, and the left ones aren’t.
Here, I’m just working 2 columns of squares, so the green square below is the next column. Work 1 side up to the first chain of the corner – as before with the aqua square.
On the center chain of the corner space, PLT on the *diagonal* motif – here it’s the aqua. Complete the side adjacent to the first motif, and connect the top corner, since this is on the “perimeter” of our tiny four-patch. You can see how the bottom right corner is linked diagonally, and top corner linked with adjacent motif. The bottom left corner of the first (coral) motif is still hanging out waiting to be picked up.
Work 1 side of the fourth motif as before, PLT on the center chain of perimeter corner, work the second side, joining to adjacent square. When you get to it, PLT the center corner chain diagonally up – to the first (Orange) motif. The 4 corners make a cute X. Work the adjacent PLT join side to the motif above, and connect the left side perimeter corner. Now all corners are picked up and the tiny blanket is complete.
I hope the simple PLT maneuver was clear! Whatever you do with the corners is up to you. The adjacent sides are worked PLT.
Below I’ve shown several examples of the join.
Here is PLT Join with SC instead of DC.
Another DC one with pretty chain corners joined.
And you can play with the spacing of the joined stitches – you don’t have to join in every stitch. Try joining in every other stitch, or every third. Spacing out joined stitches creates a nice braided or spiraled/twisted look.
Have fun with PLT Join! Make it your own! 😊😊❤️❤️