. 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 stitchesunder 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).