Invisible Join for Pin Loom Squares As You Weave

I love weaving squares on my pin loom, but I really don't like all the sewing required to join them together at the end. Even crochet joins take a lot of time and don't always look great. So I decided to figure out how to join the squares as I weave them. The process slows down the warping and weaving slightly, but means that the project can grow as you make it, rather than having an epic sewing task at the end!

Step 1: Materials

You will need:

Pin loom
Needles
Yarn

I used a 2 inch loom in the photos but any size will work.

I used two different colours of nice smooth yarn to make it easier to see what is happening, I recommend starting with similar yarn until you are familiar with the process!

Step 2: Weave Square 1

Weave your first square on your pin loom as normal.

Notice before you take it off how the square sits: the starting tail is in the bottom left and the end tail is top right. The bottom right corner is smaller than the top left corner. We want to keep all our squares in the same orientation.

Also notice how the edges have bumps where the square sits over the pins, and gaps between the groups of pins. This gives the squares a rather wobbly edge which we use to line things up in the next step.

Step 3: Position Existing Square

Remove your first square and transfer it to the side of the loom.

You want to put the pins through the holes in your weaving so that each bump on the edge sits across a gap between the pin groups with the crossed thread in the gap.

Make sure you get the pins neatly through the holes and don't split the yarn!

Step 4: Warping the Loom

Complete layer 1 as normal.

For layer 2 you need to start weaving into the finished square so you'll want to thread your yarn onto a needle. I use a smaller needle for this step than I do to weave.

Where you would normally place the yarn in the gap between groups of pins, you now want to pass the yarn under the crossed threads.

Where you would you place the yarn between pins in a group you want to pass the yarn under the available loop (placed over the lower pin).

Complete layer 2 with these extra steps and then complete layer 3 as normal.

Step 5: Weaving the Final Layer

Using the same rules as you did while warping, you want to go through the loops on the finished square as you weave:

When you go through the gap between groups of pins, also go under the crossed threads.
When you go between two pins, also go under the available loop (placed over the pin closer to the top of the loom).

Once you've finished you should see that every loop has been used once, and the crossed spaces have been used twice.

Step 6: Remove Joined Squares

When you remove the new square from the loom you should see that it has been joined neatly with the adjacent one. This join is very firm and invisible on one side.

Step 7: Joining Squares Vertically

If you want to join a finished square to the top or bottom edge of the loom, you need to weave into the square on layers 1 and 3 of the warp.

The process is the same as before - place your finished square over the pins ensuring you line up the bumps with the gaps and don't split the yarn. A needle placed through the hole can help jiggle it over the pin if you're struggling. Then thread the yarn through the square to join it as you warp the loom.

Remember: in the gaps you go under the two crossed threads, between pins you go around the loop on one of them.

There shouldn't be a loop on the middle pin in each group of three.