Hexagon How-to

My crochet Hexagons, I am LOVING them right now, can't get enough. For a brief spell I fell out of love, I got fed up with the fiddlesomeness of them, the fact that they are very hard to do whilst simultaneously doing anything else (like drinking cappuccino and nattering). They take concentration folks, but if you are prepared to concentrate then these will reward you handsomely. 

I'm not sure how this post will turn out, maybe a bit of a descriptive pattern/tutorial mixture, but one thing's for certain :: I will do my damndest to help you make these if you are interested. I made my own pattern to suit my own yarn, after not being able to find a pattern anywhere on the web in general. And as my pattern appears to differ slightly from others I've seen, I feel confident in finally sharing it :: ie no plagiarism/copyright issues involved I hope. But I must give absolute credit to Alex of Moonstitches who taught me (via her fabulous tutorial) the method of joining the hex's together. If you look on her blog, in the right hand sidebar, you'll see the tutorial waiting for you there :: it's called Block Meet. You will need to use this when you get to the joining stage.

Another valuable source of information and inspiration is the Hexagon Love pool on Flickr. It is quite simply full of fabulous hexagonal goodness.

And there is more info/blurb to be found in my own archives here and here.

I've had many emails during the past few months asking me for specific yarn info with regards to my various crochet projects. I do intend to put a permanent page in my sidebar where you can reference this info, but that will have to wait a little. For now, lets concentrate on these 'ere Hexagons.

For this blanket, I am using Rowan Handknit DK Cotton. It should cost in the region of £3.50 per 50g ball in the UK. I am using 16 different colours, although the deep yellow I chose for the centres is now discontinued. And as I know you like specifics, these are the other 15 colours I'm using ::

215 (Rosso)

219 (Gooseberry)

239 (Ice Water) 

254 (Bright Orange colour, now discontinued)

287 (Diana)

303 (Sugar)

309 (Celery)

313 (Slick)

314 (Decadent)

316 (Slippery)

318 (Seafarer)

324 (Bermuda)

327 (Aqua)

332 (Rose)

333 (Antique)

I'm crocheting on a 4mm hook, and the size of the finished hexagon as you can see above is roughly  hand-sized. Each straight side measures 6cm, and about 11cm across between the points.

Now I have never attempted to write out a pattern before. But lets just assume that if you're reading this in order to try your hand at crocheting hexagons, then you already know how to make basic stitches right? I'll try and not get too complicated, but as I do SO want you to be able to do it, I'll try to explain things as well as basic pattern-write.

First off chain 4 and join to form a ring. The hole in the centre of the ring will be smallish, but this is where you need to work from for the first round. Tweak it a bit with your fingers to open it out a little.

Chain 3, then work 11 double crochet stitches (US) or treble crochet stitches (UK) into the ring. Join with a slip stitch to the 3rd stitch of the initial chain 3 and fasten off.

You should now have a little whirly wheel circle with 12 stitches/spokes altogether.

 

Join in a new colour for round 2 :: knot the two yarns together, remember like I showed you for the Granny Squares? Remember you can crochet the ends in as you go with the hex's too, to save you darning ends  in at the end.

Pull the new colour yarn through to the front,  through one of the dc/tr stitches :: you are working out of the stitches in this round, not the spaces in between the spokes.

For this round, you're going to be making what I think is known as a Bobble Stitch. It's basically where you work two incomplete dc/tr's into the same stitch, joining them at the end by pulling the yarn through all loops.

I shall describe it to you :: yarn over, insert hook through next stitch, yarn over, hook back through stitch (3 loops on hook), yarn over and pull through 2 loops (2 loops on hook). Then yarn over and insert hook through SAME STITCH, yarn over, hook back through stitch (4 loops on hook), yarn over and pull through 2 loops (3 loops on hook), yarn over and pull through all 3 loops.

I know it sounds complicated, but honestly, it's really not. Try watching the little Bobble Stitch video I've linked to above, it might help if you see the stitch being made.

So this is the pattern for round 2::

Chain 2, then 1 US dc/UK tr in same stitch. Chain 1.

Work a bobble stitch into next stitch as described above, then chain 1 to space.

Repeat 10 more times until you get back to the beginning and have 12 "bobbles" in total. Join round with a slip stitch into the 2nd stitch of the initial chain 2.

OK, you still with me? Onto round 3 :: Nice and easy now, you're doing dc/tr clusters just like you do for granny squares. You are working out of the SPACES now, the spaces between the bobble stitch clusters of your previous row.

Join a new colour, pull loop through a space between 2 bobble clusters to start.

Chain 3 (counts as 1 dc/tr), work US dc/UK tr twice into same space, then chain 1.

Work US dc/UK tr three times into next space, chain 1.

Repeat 10 more times until you get back to the beginning and have 12 "clusters" in total. Join round with a slip stitch into the 3rd stitch of the initial chain 3 and fasten off.

Round 4 :: the chain-loop round ::

Join in a new colour and pull loop through a space between the dc/tr clusters of the previous row.

Chain 3, then make a slip stitch into the next space between your dc/tr clusters :: this anchors the chain loop.

Continue making little chain-3's, slip stitching them in place in the gap between the dc/tr clusters of the previous round. Join the last chain-3 with  slip stitch into the first chain stitch you made. Do not fasten off as you will use the same colour for round 5.

Round 5 is the final round that forms the hexagon shape. I'm going to tell you how to crochet this as a single hexagon before we talk about the joining-as-you-go method.

You are using the same colour as the last round, and you will be working the stitches under the chain-3 loops you created. So to begin, make a slip stitch under the nearest chain-3 loop.

Chain 3 (counts as one dc/tr), then US dc / UK tr twice. Chain 2 (this is the corner spacing), then in the SAME chain-3 loop,  US dc / UK tr three times. This is your first corner, it should look like a double cluster of 6 dc/tr's with a pointy corner bit in the middle.

Into the next chain-3 loop, work US dc / UK tr three times. This is a single cluster and makes a straight side.

Into the next chain-3 loop, work US dc / UK Tr three times, chain 2, then US dc / UK Tr three times. This is your second corner.

Continue working your way round making your clusters of 3 dc's /tr's, alternating between making a double cluster corner group (with chain 2 spacing) and a straight side single cluster. You should be ending the round on a straight-side group of three dc's/Tr's. Join the round with a slip stitch and fasten off.

See?????? It's not so hard?????? You've made your first hexagon!!!

Now if you're happy to make lots of single hexagons and join them all by stitching, then that's absolutely fine. But joining them as you go is fairly easy, although a little fiddly.

You will be working anti-clockwise, starting with a corner, as shown above.

To begin, you make a single cluster as before (chain 3, then dc/tr twice). Then instead of chaining 2 to make your corner spacing, chain ONE, then replace your second chain space with a slip stitch into the corner space of the ajoining hexagon.
Then working into the SAME chain-3 loop, dc/tr three times to finish your corner cluster.

Now you need to slip stitch into the next space of the ajoining hexagon to secure (see above). Basically, you have to insert hook into the space, hook the yarn from the back and pull it through to the front :: first through the space, then through the loop on the hook. It takes a bit of practice, it can be fiddly. But persevere.

You continue to work your way round, forming the hex shape in the same way as described above, but making sure that after each cluster you slip stitch into the relevant space on the ajoining hexagon which makes the attachment. When you get to a corner where you would normally chain 2, you make 2 slip stitches instead (in picture above, one slip stitch is made into the corner of the bright blue hex, and the next slip stitch into the corner of the sage green hex). This is quite hard to explain in words :: please do look over Alex's tutorial, she has some great photos to illustrate. But keep in mind that her pattern is different to mine, she uses more stitches so try not to get confused.

I so hope that if you are inspired to give this a go, then you will be able to follow my blurb. I've done my very best with this, tried not to be too wordy, and its taken me a very long time to write it all out. But you are worth it, every word! I am happy, SO happy to be spreading the Hexagon Love. And if just one of you manages to make a hexagon out of this post, then I am gonna be MiGhTy HaPpy :)

I'm going to put this post over in my sidebar so you can reference it easily :: look over to the left, down at the bottom, and it will be listed as a Page.

If you find you need further help, please just leave a comment and I will do my best to reply and help out.

HAPPY HOOKING!

Comments

[Susan Pitcher]

I love this pattern, and have used it for years. I know it has been up for a while, but I wanted to share my twist to make the second round more uniform. Rather than chain 2 to start, I make the first chain one pulling through BOTH the working yarn AND the tail. I then chain one with the tail and chain 1 with the working yarn separately. I slide the working yarn loop off the hook, chain the tail, slide the working yarn loop back on, chain it, then pull the working yarn through both of those loops. The result looks more like the bobble stitches on either side.

[Hala Alfi]

Hello
I love this hex design! Do you have a matching half hex pattern?
Thanks

[Glenna Ninos]

Great way to use up scraps.

[Helen Hardinge]

How can I print this beautiful pattern out please

[Anna]

Thankyou so much for this pattern I really love it It looks like a beautiful gypsy blanket .🌺

[Doreen Torres]

I made one of these blankets for my daughter when she was a baby. That was 38 years ago. I did it just by making a shape. Sewing them all together. The blanket came out beautiful. Now i have this pattern to follow. I wont have to try so hard. Thank you

[Wendy]

Hello, thank you for the pattern. I am making a blanket and would like to know how to do half hexagons to fill the gap to make my rug even on two sides. Appreciate your help.

[Glee Workman]

Sorry but 2nd row stitch is not a bobble or a popcorn stitch. It's just 2 sts join together.

[Lynn Warren]

Love your pattern, will be making them to make a pillow for Christmas. I am here in Texas now but was from Devonshire before we moved to the states.

[Kerry Persson]

Hi,
I am almost finished with the hexagons but wondered how to do the half hexagons? Please could you help me!
Kind regards
Kerry

[Dorothy Sankowski]

Thanks so much for sharing your pattern. A friend asked me to make her a blanket much like yours but I wasn't sure how to get started since I have never crocheted a hexagon before. I'm sure she'll be very pleased.

[Ed]

This is soooo cool!!!
I love it!!!
Makes perfect christmas presents!!!

[Angela]

I would like to extend this pattern another two rounds. It’s not straightforward though. Can you suggest how to do this? The closest I’ve come to flat sides is 2dc-sl for the shells instead of 3dc.

[Lyn]

Would do love a printed pattern !

[Beth Len]

I taught myself crochet to make your awesome blanket out of sock yarn leftovers. I need help figuring out how to do the half hexigons to fill out the sides of the blanket.

[Pearl]

I bought beautiful bright cotton but had not decided what to do with it. I came across your pattern and fell in love with hexagons. Thanks so much for sharing. :)

[Sandra]

Here's a link to half hexies to go with Attic24 hexagons:
http://meanyjar.blogspot.com.au/2013_01_01_archive.html

[adna m west]

To print, copy and paste the test to Microsoft word and print.

[Amber R Hoffner]

I did the pattern with a 5mm and continued on. Total there are 7 rounds. But it looks like a snow flake, the sides aren't straight. Am I doing something wrong? Should I maybe ch.1 in the corner instead of two..?
Thank you!

[Barbara Davis]

Hi Lucy,
I am new to this, but I love this blanket.
However, many of the shades are discontinued and I am not clever enough to substitute different colors. Could you offer alternatives for colors no longer available?

[sue mca]

Thank you so much, just started it so I can use it in my photography of babies and children as a prop, much appreciated.

[Sarah]

Hi Lucy - great pattern and I'm really enjoying making a hexagon blanket. Do you have a pattern for making half hexagons and flat triangles to make the blanket sides straight? Thanks Sarah

[Eleanor Kilduff]

Hi Lucy
I love your hexagons - and wonderful colours! I have made some hexagons in a similar pattern (but regret not having seen yours first!!) I will be putting them together using your method - so thanks a million for this. Please may I ask for your help about how to do the border. I would also like to know about a printed pattern.Can't wait to see my completed blanket for our expected grandchild! Eleanor

[Jenni Twigg]

Hi Lucy, my blanket is almost complete, can you please give me some advice about the border? Thank you for the amazing instructions, was so easy to follow xx
Thanks
Jenni

[Elizabeth]

I was looking for crocheting projects and suddenly I found myself in the description of your Hexagons on Ravelry. I specially love the way you can easily join the hexagons together. Thanks for sharing 🤗
Love from Norway 🇳🇴