Hexagons - a new tutorial

Ellen - over at Growing Gills has asked for my help on a crochet shape. She sent me the directions she had - which I did not use. Once I figured out that she wanted a multi color hexagon - I went back to my old standby book Readers Digest Complete Guide to Needlework. It is not a fancy - brightly illustrated - pretty book , but if you can find this - I recommend it for beginners in many needlework areas as well as a reference manual for those who are experienced.

This is the pattern I chose. Each row is a slightly different stitch variation and with changing colors, I think will solve Ellen's dilema for what she is trying to do. I would post the "real instructions" but I varied from them a tiny bit as well.

So here we go - notes: I used 4 different colors - worsted weight yarn and a size G hook. My block ended up at about 6-1/4 inches point to point - unblocked. I also weave in all of my yarn tails as I go. I hate to weave in ends - I have discovered that if I do it as I go, there not nearly as much frustration in finishing an item. (My mom is the exact opposite - she waits and does all of the weaving at the very end)

ROUND ONE --- COLOR ONE

Chain 6 - Join with a slip stitch to form ring.

Chain 3 ( this will count as one double crochet in the first cluster) Complete 2 dc into ring. (cluster complete).

Chain 3, then 3 dc in ring, chain 3 (completes 2nd cluster) Repeat this until you have 6 clusters - then join with slip stitch to the top of the first chain. End off.

Look at your motif - see below - you should have 6 clusters and six chain spaces.

ROUND TWO --- COLOR TWO

Note - this introduces a different stitch the treble crochet - trc. To complete a treble you simply yarn over twice before you start and work off your stitch just like a dc - only using three steps.

Add on your new yarn color using your method of choice in any of the chain three spaces.

Chain 4 ( this will count as one trc in the first cluster) Complete 2 more trc in the same chain space. Chain 2 then complete three more trc in the same chain space you are working in. (One corner point completed). DO NOT CHAIN BETWEEN THE CORNER POINTS.

Complete the 3 trc, ch 3, 3 trc corner points all the way around. Slip stitch to the top of the beginning chain 4. End off.

Look at your motif. You should have 12 three stitch clusters and 6 chain two spaces. Ignore the little spaces between the points.

ROUND THREE - COLOR THREE

Add on your new yarn color using your method of choice in any of the chain two spaces.

Chain 3 ( counts a one dc in the cluster) dc in same space. Chain 3 - 2 dc in same space. (Completes a corner point for this row.)

Look at the picture below. Complete on dc in the top of the next six stitches from your previous row. (Note - if you look down on a stitch from the edge, it looks like a row of chains. Each of those chain "links" is the top of a stitch. Pick up both "sides" of a link for this step. If you pick up just one, it will leave a ridge and that is not attractive in this motif)

Complete two dc, chain 2, two dc in the corner point once you get there.

Repeat the process all the way around. Join with slip stitch to the top of beginning chain 3. End off.

Look at your motif - you should have a solid line of stitches with ch 2 corner points.

ROUND FOUR --- COLOR FOUR

Note - this was confusing to me until I got going. Bear with me. You are making double crochet crosses. I will use this stich again -I like how it came out.

Add on your new yarn color using your method of choice in any of the chain two corner point openings. Chain 3 (counts as a dc). Skip a stitch (one of those little "links" I mentioned earlier) and do a dc in the top of the next stitch.

Dc in the top of the stitch you skipped. Bring the hook in front of the stitch you completed and enter from the front of the stitch. (one crossed dc completed.)

Skip the next open stitch - dc then cross back and catch the stitch you just skipped.

Complete this all the way around counting the corner point opening as just one stitch.

At the end you should come out like the close ups below. The second picture shows me skipping the next to the last stitch and going into the last stitch. Then cross back and pick up the skipped stitch. When you finish - join with a slip stitch to top of the beginning chain. End off.

Here is my garishly colored complete motif. I used some scrap yarn and wanted the contrast to make this easy to see the different steps. I am sending this to Ellen as a reference sample.

Ellen - I hope this helps - that last row is easy once you figure it out.

If anyone uses these instructions - please let me know how it worked out. I would love to see pictures. You can send them to teresahome@juno.com or just post your link in the comments here. Please let me know if any of it is confusing as well.

MaggieGrace had a wonderful weekend and I do hope you all have a wonderful day.