How to Work Join-As-You-Go Crochet Ribbing: A Beginner’s Guide
If you’ve ever wanted to add professional-looking crochet ribbing to your projects without the hassle of sewing it on later, you’re going to love the join-as-you-go ribbing technique! This method for creating back loop ribbing is a game-changer for beanies, sweaters, cardigans, blankets, and more.
What is Join-As-You-Go Crochet Ribbing?
Join-as-you-go crochet ribbing is a clever technique that allows you to create back loop only ribbing and attach it to your project simultaneously.
Instead of making a separate piece of crochet ribbing and sewing it on afterward, you work the back loop ribbing in rows while periodically joining it to your main project with slip stitches. It’s efficient, seamless, looks great, and eliminates the dreaded sewing step that many crocheters want to avoid!
Why Use Join-As-You-Go Ribbing?
- No sewing required – the crochet ribbing attaches as you work
- Professional finish – creates neat, even back loop ribbing that looks great
- Versatile – works on any project edge (hats, garments, blankets)
- Customizable – easily adjust ribbing depth to suit your project
- Meditative and enjoyable – once you get the rhythm, it’s quite relaxing!
Materials You’ll Need for Crochet Ribbing
- Your completed crochet project (ready for ribbing to be added)
- Yarn for ribbing (can match or contrast with your project)
- Crochet hook (possibly different size than main project – more on this later)
- Stitch marker (optional, but helpful for marking your starting point)
- Scissors for cutting yarn
- Yarn needle for weaving in ends
The Join-As-You-Go Crochet Ribbing Technique
Step 1: Join Your Yarn
Start by joining your yarn to your project where you want the crochet ribbing to begin. For circular projects like beanies, join to the last stitch of the first round to ensure your seam lines up neatly. If you’re adding the ribbing to a single edge of a project, start at one end.
Step 2: Create Your Foundation
Chain the number of stitches needed for your desired back loop ribbing depth. For a standard beanie, 14 chains works well, but you can adjust depending on your yarn thickness, tension and personal preference:
- More chains = deeper crochet ribbing
- Fewer chains = shallower crochet ribbing
Step 3: Work the First Row
Skip the first chain, then work one single crochet (UK double crochet) stitch into the back bump of each chain. This means that if you worked 14 chains for your foundation, you’ll make 13 stitches for this first row.
Step 4: Join to Your Project
This is where the join-as-you-go magic starts to happen! Make 2 slip stitches into the next 2 stitches around your main project. This secures the crochet ribbing to your work.
If you are working into the sides of stitches from your main project (as opposed to their tops or bottoms), space your slip stitches evenly along the sides of these stitches. For example, you could work 1 slip stitch into the side of a single crochet (UK double crochet) stitch, 2 slip stitches into the side of a double crochet (UK treble crochet) stitch, and 3 slip stitches into the sides of each pair of half double crochet (UK half treble crochet) stitches.
Step 5: Create the Back Loop Only Ribbed Texture
Turn your work and skip the 2 slip stitches you just made. Now work 13 single crochet (UK double crochet) stitches into the back loop only of the previous row. Working back loop only is what creates that distinctive ribbed texture in your crochet ribbing!
See this post for details of how to identify the back loop.
Step 6: Continue the Back Loop Ribbing Pattern
From here, you’ll establish a rhythm for your join-as-you-go ribbing:
- Turn your work, chain 1 (does not count as a stitch).
- Work 13 back loop only single crochet (UK double crochet) stitches along the last row of ribbing.
- Make 2 slip stitches into the next 2 stitches around your main project, to join the ribbing to your project.
- Turn, skip the 2 slip stitches, and work 13 back loop only stitches along the last row of ribbing.
Repeat steps 1-4 until you’ve worked all the way around (or along) your project.
Finishing Your Join-As-You-Go Crochet Ribbing
For Circular Projects
When you’ve worked your way back to the beginning of your join-as-you-go ribbing, you’ll need to join your last row to your first row:
- Hold the last row of back loop ribbing and the foundation chain together
- Work slip stitches through the front loop of the last row AND the back loop of the foundation chain simultaneously, joining them together.
- Make one slip stitch for each stitch in your crochet ribbing (13 slip stitches for our example)
- Fasten off and weave in your ends
The result is a join that blends beautifully with your back loop only ribbing!
For Flat Projects
Simply fasten off after your final row of crochet ribbing and weave in ends. No joining necessary!
An Example: The Whitaker Beanie
Want to see this join-as-you-go crochet ribbing technique in action on a finished project? The Whitaker Beanie is a beautiful example of a design that showcases join-as-you-go ribbing perfectly.
This stylish hat features tapestry crochet colorwork in the main body of the beanie, which is worked first from the bottom up. The back loop ribbing brim is then added using the join-as-you-go technique, creating a polished, professional finish without any sewing required. The pattern is available on both Etsy and Ravelry, and it’s an excellent project for practicing this crochet ribbing technique.
The contrast between the colorwork body and the crisp back loop only ribbed edge really highlights how effective this join-as-you-go ribbing technique is for creating a clean, finished look on your projects.
Pro Tips for Perfect Back Loop Ribbing
Watch Your Stitch Count
The most common mistake when working crochet ribbing is accidentally decreasing stitches in your back loop ribbing rows. Count your stitches regularly to ensure you maintain the same width throughout. Missing stitches will cause your ribbing to shrink!
Adjust Your Hook Size if Needed
Depending on your tension and the stitches used in your main project, you may need to use a different hook size for the join-as-you-go ribbing.
If you notice:
- Back loop ribbing pulling too tight – go up a hook size
- Crochet ribbing too loose or flaring out – go down a hook size
Test after working a few rows of back loop only stitches and make adjustments before you’ve gone too far.
Keep Your Slip Stitches Even
When working join-as-you-go crochet ribbing, avoid making your slip stitches too tight, as this can cause the fabric to pucker. Keep them relaxed and even.
Turn Consistently
Always turn your work in the same direction each time (either always clockwise or always counterclockwise) for the neatest, most consistent back loop ribbing appearance.
Common Applications for Join-As-You-Go Crochet Ribbing
This back loop ribbing technique works wonderfully for:
- Beanies and hats – classic back loop only ribbed brims
- Sweaters and cardigans – cuffs, hems, and necklines with crochet ribbing
- Blankets – decorative ribbed borders using join-as-you-go technique
- Cowls – cozy, textured edges with back loop ribbing
Watch the Full Join-As-You-Go Ribbing Video Tutorial
Want to see this crochet ribbing technique in action? I’ve created step-by-step video tutorial that walks you through every step of the join-as-you-go ribbing process. Watching the back loop only, join-as-you-go technique being demonstrated makes it much easier to understand, especially if you’re a visual learner.
Watch the full tutorial here: Join-As-You-Go Crochet Ribbing Tutorial
Master the Back Loop Only Technique
The key to successful crochet ribbing is mastering the back loop only stitch. This fundamental technique creates the elastic, stretchy texture that makes ribbing so effective. When you work back loop only stitches consistently throughout your join-as-you-go ribbing, you’ll achieve that professional ribbed appearance every time.
Remember: back loop ribbing gets its distinctive ridged texture from always working into the back loop only. The front loops you skip create the horizontal lines that give crochet ribbing its characteristic look.
Read this post to find out more about back-loop-only crocheting.
Final Thoughts on Join-As-You-Go Crochet Ribbing
Join-as-you-go crochet ribbing might feel a bit fiddly when you first start, but once you get into the rhythm of working back loop only stitches, it becomes second nature. The satisfaction of completing a project with perfectly attached, beautiful back loop ribbing – and no sewing! – makes it absolutely worth learning.
The key to mastering this join-as-you-go ribbing technique is to practice the back loop only method, maintain your stitch count, and not be afraid to adjust your hook size for the best results. Before you know it, you’ll be adding beautiful crochet ribbing to all your projects!
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