SUMMER GARDEN hexagon tutorial by Ren

Everyone loved this hexagon pattern that I invented so much, and lots of people on and off the internet have asked for a pattern so I decided that I must sort it out. So here we go a very, very long detailed tutorial showing every step including how to join them up without sewing and a few tips on the way too!

Its quite a plain hexagon which is just what I wanted. It simulates the traditional Grandmothers Flower Garden patchwork design.

Directions:

I used a 4.5mm hook

For a lap and leg size blanket like this one I made here you will need 7 flower blocks.

50 gms of DK yarn should complete each flower block, so buy 7 pretty colours.

50 gms of yellow for the flower centres. I worked out that I used approx 7 yards of DK wool for each hexagon.

Buy at least 250 gms for the borders, bearing in mind that you may need more (choose a nuetral shade for the pathways. If this is a project that will be made over a length of time using project leftovers then an easily found pathway colour may be best, like black, white, ecru or grey).

Written using British crochet terms.

As always we start with a slip knot, then work 4 chains.

Slip stitch into the first chain to join.

Holding the tail and the main yarn chain 3 (this does make it a wee bit bulky, but it makes it worth while to eliminate sewing in this end, you can just snip it off).

Chain another 2 with just the main yarn (5 chains in total), then work 1 treble into the centre loop.

Chain 2.

Work another treble into the centre loop, and continue working 2 chain spaces and 1 treble into that centre hole untill you have 5 'holes'.

Work 2 chains ready to join the circle.

Push the hook into the 3rd chain and work a slip stitch by simply picking up the yarn and drawing it through the work and the loop on your hook.

There... this round is complete, time to work the next round.

We have to get the yarn in the right position first (patterns never explain this...). Put your hook through the next adjacent hole and pick up the yarn, pull it through the hole and the chain on the hook (slip stitch).

Then work 3 chains (to count as first treble). See how that slip stitch moved us into the edge of the space? Rather nifty.. I invented that!

Work another treble and then 2 chains (the chains become the corners of our hexagon).

Work another 2 trebles into the same space. This corner is now complete.

Work 2 trebles, 2 chains, 2 trebles into every remaining space.

Nearly all done...

A neat slip stitch joins the ring and completes the round.

Remember we did that nifty slip stitch trick before to get the yarn into the correct working position... time to do it again! Push into the top of the next available treble and draw the yarn through the work and the stitch on your hook too.

There, all done, nice and neat.

Now work 3 chains to form the first treble of the third and final round.

As before we are working 2 trebles, 2 chains, 2 trebles into every corner space.

Work 1 treble into the top of the next available treble (its number 2 on the row below).

Then work 1 chain.

Missing one treble top, work 1 treble into the next treble top (thats number 2 treble from the bottom row).

You will then be ready to work the next corner (2 trebles, 2 chains, 2 trebles).

Continue working the corners as set and 1 treble, 1 chain, 1 treble into the middle of the rows all the way around.

Work one chain to finish and then join the round with a slip stitch, as before, to finish. Cut a nice long tail of yarn for finishing off. You will get really quick at these! About 5 minutes to make each...

And now for how to join them up as you go, saving that tedious sewing up bit at the end which we all loath!

This really depends on how many sides are being joined at once. If you are working into a corner there may be 3 sides being joined. Its perfectly do-able and these pictures will show you how. I have one side to join here so Ive worked all the way around my third round and left one complete side unworked and ready to join. Ive worked just 1 of the corner chains.

Push your hook through the other hexagons corner space and pick up the yarn.

Draw it back through the space and the stitch on your hook (thats the second chain of the corner groups effectively worked BUT through the other hexagon too!).

This is what it looks like.

You can now carry on with the 2 trebles into the corner space.

As before wotk the first of those centre trebles.

And work the chain through the next space on the other hexagon as we did on the corner, catching it in place.

Carry on working the next of the middle trebles.

Then work 2 trebles into the corner space.

And once again work that (first this time) chain through the corresponding corner space, as shown.

Nice and neat.

Then chain 1 and complete the corner.

And around you go to complete the hexagon your are working on. All joined up, nice and neatly and not a sewing needle in sight!

The back is equally as tidy!

Well... there we go then! This took about 4 hours to do so I hope very much that Ive done it right and that it proves helpful to someone!!!

If you use these instructions for your own project I would be very glad of a link back to the blog. Maybe post a picture on Ravelry??

This tutorial has been drafted for personal use only please.

Copyright REN CUMING 2010