Hello again! Today I have another option for joining your Vibrant Vintage CAL squares. It’s actually two options, because I have a Junior version and a Mini version of the Celtic Lace Join for you, so you can choose the perfect width join for your square size.
Try this pretty edging in a built tough, but super soft DK weight yarn like:
See all projects where I’ve used Celtic Lace Junior and Mini here!
For the VVCAL, you have edged your squares in DC – here I have (some of) them edged in pale orange. The actual VVCAL pattern calls for 5DC in each corner, but here I’ve used (2DC, Chain 1, 2DC) corners. It makes no difference!
My squares for this demo are a grid of 4×4 = 16 squares.
Okay, I’m going to jump right in, using a darker orange color.
Celtic Lace Mini Join
(great for smaller squares)
ROW 1, MOTIF 1
Round 1: Join yarn with a slip stitch in any corner stitch and 3 SC in corner. SC in all stitches around, putting 3 SC in 3 more corners, join with a slip stitch to first SC
Round 2: All in corner SC: (SC, Chain 4, 3TR), **(Skip 3 SC, (2DC, Chain 1, 2DC) in next stitch) 6 times, skip 3 SC, (3TR, chain 2, 3TR) in next SC to make corner, repeat from ** 3 more times, omitting final corner on last repeat. 2TR in first corner stitch to complete it. Join with slip stitch in second chain of round.
Round 3: [In corner chain space: (SC, Chain 5, SC), (chain 5, SC in next chain space) 6 times, chain 5] 4 times, join with a slip stitch in first SC. Cut yarn and finish off.
ROW 1, MOTIFS 2-4Â (join 1 side)
Rounds 1 and 2: work as for Motif 1
Note: For Round 3, we will be using a Flat Braid Join (FBJ) to join as we go. My original FBJ tutorial is here, but I’ll go ahead and document it again.
Round 3: Work 1 side of the square up to the first 2 chains of the second corner (see below)
Line up your squares because you’ll be joining on the next side.
For the third chain of your 5-chain loop, you’ll be using the Pull Loop Through (PLT) join. (Learn more here if you like!)
To do this, release working loop from  hook, insert hook through adjacent loop on completed motif (Motif 1), put working loop back on hook, and Pull Loop Through the chain space.
Then complete your third chain, so that the chain encases the corner loop.
Chain 2. Now you have your 5-chain loop complete. The next 3 photos show this process.
SC in same corner space to complete corner. Repeat the joining process for the next 6 chain-5 loops.
For the third corner, (SC, chain 5, SC). See below I did not join this third corner, because it lies on the “inside” of the blanket, rather than the perimeter. The second corner was joined immediately to its adjacent loop because it lies on the perimeter of the blanket. You’ll pick up these loose corners on the second row of squares.
Continue around your motif until you reach the beginning. Join and cut yarn. Weave ends.
Repeat for all of the squares in this row. I have 4. Notice all corners along the top are joined, and along the bottom are not.
Row 2, Motif 5 (join 1 side)
Rounds 1 and 2: Work as for motif 1.
Round 3: work 1 side to 2 chains of second corner loop as shown below.
Join the diagonal corner loop in the usual way, as shown below.
Continue around the square to the beginning, join, cut yarn and finish off.
Notice the bottom right corner of motif 1 is not yet joined up.
Row 2, Motif 6-8 (join 2 sides)
Round 3: work 1 side, and join second corner loop to diagonal corner chain as with Motif 5.
Work across, joining the second side, and join the third corner with that loose corner from Motif 1.
Join third side, do not join fourth corner yet. Continue around to beginning, join, cut yarn and finish off.
Now you can see a close-up of the former 4-corner meet up. This criss-cross “X” is a really lovely detail.
For all remaining motifs, join up corners as you have learned here. Perimeter corners join immediately and center corners are picked up by the diagonal square to make the X. So on The bottom row of squares, all corners will be joined up.
I will keep working on this orange blanket as time permits, but this should be good to get you going!
When I keep witching on this piece, I’ll add the photos in here 🙂
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Celtic Lace Junior
Round 1: Work as for Celtic Lace Mini
Round 2: [(SC, Chain 3, SC) in corner stitch to make corner, (Chain 3, Skip 3 stitches, SC in next stitch) 6 times, chain 3] 4 times, join with slip stitch in first SC.
Round 3: All in first corner chain loop: (SC, chain 4, 3TR), [(2DC, Chain 1, 2DC) in next 7 chain spaces, (3TR, chain 2, 3TR) in next chain space to make corner] 4 times, omitting final corner on last repeat, 2TR in first corner to complete it, join with slip stitch to second chain.
Round 4: [(SC, Chain 5, SC) all in chain space to make corner, (chain 5, SC in next chain space) 7 times, chain 5] 4 times, join to first SC, cut yarn and finish off.
For all remaining motifs, work as for Celtic Lace Mini, joining on Round 4 as you go.
Here is Celtic Lace Junior in action!Â
I did not edge these squares with DC, so there are fewer chain loops on the final round, but it’s the same pattern, just adjusted for square size.
