I didn't know how to crochet (back when) and used a large tapestry needle with matching yarn to connect sweater pieces.

ins gal, thanks for answering. Do you overcast the seam or how? Barb

Here is a nice set of instructions:

Here is a link that might be useful: Putting a sweater together

Barb -- I like the seam as smooth (less bulk) as possible so I've never overcast. Usually I have a pattern st. so after 4-5 back and forth passes, I turn the pieces over and look at them from the right side to see that it looks well. To make sure I'm not creating a 'hole'.

ins gal - what are back and forth passes (sorry to seem so dumb). aliceinwonderland- your link wouldn't come through for me. Maybe I don't have something on my computer. Sorry. Barb

Your pop-up blocker may have stopped it. Try copying and pasting this: http://www.fibrespace.com/2012/10/putting-it-all-together/

Hi Barb ~~ I lay the back piece right side down and beside it the same with the side front piece (2nd piece) -- the sides to be joined are laying touching one another. I leave a long tail (8-10 inches). And start at the bottom. I push the blunt tapestry needle under a couple of edge strands of yarn of the last stitch of the bottom row of the back piece and under a couple of corresponding strands of yarn on the 2nd piece.

Staying on the 2nd piece, up one row, under a couple of strands of yarn. Over to the 1st piece and under a couple of strands. Then up a row on the 1st piece, under a couple of strands and over to the 2nd piece.

I turn it over after 3-4 back and forths to see that it looks smooth. Start over if I've gone under strands that create a hole when the 2 pieces are gently pulled (lying flat on the table).

I'm not going over the edges where the needle always starts from the same side (overcasting). My mother-in-law used that technique.

First of all, joining needs to be done carefully, so I advise you to sit where you can place your pieces together in front of you, such as at the kitchen table. I join in the same order as the great example above in Alice's message. I always leave very long tails to sew seams. I hold the pieces to be joined with wrong sides facing each other. Then I take one stitch into the edge going from the top to the bottom of the first stitch on that piece's edge. Then I go across and stitch from top to bottom on the top stitch of the other piece I am joining. Pull the yarn tail just snug but not too tightly, and repeat.

Once you put a garment together this way, it will seem easier to you and you can probably do it on your lap as you watch TV. If you don't have any binder clips to use, I use long corsage pins I have saved over the years from my daughter's corsages and her wedding and from my sons's boutineres. But I suspect that the binder clips are even better help.