Little Flower Hexagon Scrap-along

How Does the Scrap-along Work?

You do not need to wait until you have "lots" of scraps - start with what you have (don't forget to include your variegated scraps) and add on as you go!

Post your progress photos on my Zooty Owl Facebook Page!

Every Wednesday I will do a WIP Gallery Post on my Blog to showcase your workpieces!

The goal of our scrap-along is to have FUN! FUN! FUN! to clear out our scraps and to have a warm and cuddly afghan to show!

Work at your own pace.   Each motif is only four rounds so you can easily sneak a few between chores and other projects!

I will be running this until well into 2015!

Zooty's Tips on Getting Started

Working randomly from a tangle of random scraps can be very daunting so these are my tips for stress free scrapping:

Use a nice flat basket, tray or (even better) a container with compartments (I use an old cutlery basket).

Roll each scrap of yarn neatly.

Sort by yarn type:    Acrylics,  Courtelle, Chenille, Synthetic / Natural Blends (where the natural component is no more than 30%) can be used together.      If you are using Natural Yarns stick to the same type of natural material, otherwise you may sit with some yarns shrinking and ruining your hard work.

Sort by thickness:     Eg. DK (8 ply or light worsted weight);    2 strands of 4 ply can be worked together (=8ply).    Making sure you use the same weight / thickness of yarn will ensure that your work does not pucker and will give you a neat finish.

Sort the yarn into quantities:     
The teeny tiny bits will be used for the centres and the petals (rows 1 and 2);    
The larger quantities will be used for the border on each motif (rows 3 and 4)

Sort your colours:    
Reds, Oranges, Yellows together;     
Greens, Blues and Purples together;    
"Neutrals" white, cream; beige, brown, grey, black etc together

Start off by crocheting up the smaller scraps - making a few "Little Flower" centres (rows 1 and 2).    

If you have some really "ugly" colours rather use them for your centres!

Try to contrast your colours as much as possible to make the pattern "pop", eg:  light, dark, light or bright, pale, bright.

Don't be afraid to mix colours that you normally would not use together!   I do not follow ANY rules when it comes to mixing and matching my colours - that way you end up with a really funky retro end product and you discover some colourful surprises along the way!

If you suffer from a mild case of OCD - make a really pretty hexagon in a tried and tested mix and then arrange your motifs around that by alternating "like" hexagons opposite one another - continuing to build your blanket outwards   

The motifs are very easy to make I use three colours per motif and JOIN AS I GO!

My yarns are a selection of synthetic yarns and synthetic / natural blends, worked up with a 4.00mm hook.

LITTLE FLOWER HEXAGON PATTERN

PATTERN TERMS:   US

The "Print Friendly" version of this pattern can be found HERE 

Foundation:  With Colour A -  Ch 4, sl st to form ring OR make a magic ring

Row 1:   Into the ring,  2ch 1dc (1st cluster), 2ch;   (2dc cluster, 2ch) x5 (6 clusters), ss into top of first cluser to close to close,  break off yarn

Note:   a 2dc cluster is formed as follows - yarn over hook, work the first part of the stitch leaving 2 loops on your hook, repeat this once more (three loops on hook) Yarn over hook and draw through the loops on the hook to form your cluster
 

 

Row 2:  Join Colour B in any 2ch space, 3ch (counts as 1dc), 3dc into same 2ch sp as join (4dc group);  (4dc into next 2ch space) x 5;  sl st into top of start 3ch to close.   Break off yarn

Row 3:  Join Colour C in centre space of any 4dc group,  6ch (counts as 1dc, 3ch),  2dc in same space as join;   [2dc into space before start of next 4dc group;   (2dc, 3ch, 2dc) into centre space of next 4dc group) x 5;   2dc into space before start of next 4dc group;   1dc into same space as start 6ch,   sl st into top of 3rd ch to close.

Row 4:   sl st into 3ch space   [3ch (counts as 1dc),  1dc, 3ch, 2dc into same space];  [(2dc into space between next 2dc group) x 2;   (2dc, 3ch, 2dc into next 3ch space)] x 5;   (2dc into space between next 2dc group) x2;   sl st into top of 3ch at start to close.   Break off yarn.