Lily Pad Hexagons...

Hello from not so sunny Scotland!  I haven't forgotten you all, it's just taken me longer than expected to get organised, and I also wanted to have something good to share.......  but first....

Scotland in the rain is lovely; I'm really enjoying my new job and I love my new home.  This is the view from my kitchen window -

and these were my moving in treat to myself...

I can see a loch from my bedroom window, but I'm not taking any pics until I can get out there when the sun is shining, and that has only happened so far while I've been at work.  Of course this time of year it's barely light when I go to work and nearly dark when I finish, so opportunities are few...

Now enough of the necessities of life and on to the good stuff!  I'm brimming over with new ideas at the moment, and I have lots of new projects on the go.  One of the first is a progression from the puffed daisy hexagon; I can hear the shouts of "ARE YOU NOT SICK OF BOBBLES YET?", and the answer is NOOOOOOOOOoooooooooo.....  I wanted to see what another round of bobbles would look like behind the first row, and they look awfully good (imo!!).

And if you look from the side I think they look rather like lily pads......

Now I'm aware that my instructions for the puffed daisy hexagon has stumped some readers who are not quite as experienced in the crochet techniques required, so I have produced a photo-heavy tutorial below that I hope can be followed by all.  I use american crochet terminology, dk cotton and a 4mm hook.  Abbreviations - ch - chain; dc - double crochet; sl st - slip stitch; sts - stitches, tc - treble crochet.

Lily Pad Hexagons

FOR A PRINTABLE PDF OF THE PATTERN CLICK HERE.

1. Chain 4 stitches, and join into a circle.  Chain 3, then work 11 dc into the round; join with a slip stitch to top of ch 3 and fasten off. (12 stitches)

2. Now can you see that the top of the stitches are made up of loops; we usually work under both loops, but you can work under just the front loops, or just under the back loops.

In order to make this project we are going to work a round in the front loops, and a second, separate round in the back loops....

So, connect your second colour into one of the back loops with a sl st, and ch 3, REMEMBER YOU ARE WORKING ONLY IN THE BACK LOOPS OF THE STITCHES IN THIS ROUND; dc in the same st,  *2dc in next stitch, rep from * 10 more times.  Sl st into top of ch 3. (24 dc)

3. Now we are going to make the outer bobbles - ON THIS ROUND WE ARE WORKING ONLY IN THE FRONT LOOPS OF THE STITCHES.  Ch 4.

4. Now work 4 tr into the front of the next st.  Pull up the loop and drop from your hook.

5. Push your hook from front to back into the first treble worked.

6. Now also catch the dropped loop onto your hook.

7. Holding the yarn tight, pull the loop through the 1st treble to form a bobble.  1 bobble made...!

8. Ch. 4

9. and join to the front loop of the next st with a sl st.

10. Ch 4; make next bobble in front loop of next stitch.  Continue like this until 12 bobbles have been made, finishing with ch 4 and sl st into bottom of first ch 4. Fasten off.

Note that as we worked into only the back stitches of the first round we still have the front stitches to work in - we'll be doing that next.  Below is the back view, and similarly the unworked back loops can clearly be seen at the base of the bobbles - we'll come back to them.

11. Ok, lets put the inner row of bobbles in.  Insert your hook into one of the front loops of round 1, and join your chosen colour with a sl st.

*Ch 4, 4 tr in next st, drop loop, insert hook into top of 1st tr, catch dropped loop and pull through to form bobble, ch 4, join with sl st to next st; rep from * 5 more times. (this is all a repeat of what we did on the previous row, only you're making 6 bobbles this time not 12). Fasten off.

Now this could be your tadaaa! moment if you wish, pop a pin on the back and make a brooch, or sew to embellish a bag or cushion. 

12. But to make into a hexagon; join yarn into one of the back loops at the back of work, under the bobbles. (remember I said we would come back to them)

Ch 3, dc in same st, dc in next st, *2dc in next st, 1 dc; rep from * 10 times more. Join with a sl st into top of ch 3. (36 dc)

13. Plain sailing now, we are back to working under both loops.  Ch 3, dc 4, *[dc1, ch 2, dc 1] into next stitch, dc 5; rep. from * 4 times, [dc1, ch 2, dc 1] into next stitch.  Join with a sl st into top of ch 3, fasten off and weave in ends.

And there you go, Lily Pad Hexagon...

I hope you like it...  I have nearly finished my first project with it, and when finished I'll blog it here (soon I promise), but in the meantime this is a sneak preview.

Before you ask, no I haven't photographed them in sepia...  I can do subtle, natural tones!!!

Granny Bobble Blanket; just a note to say that I have edited the pattern; it just didn't lie flat in the middle, so I've taken the whole first row out, started again with a magic circle and worked the second row directly into that.  This works much better and finally lies flat!  Please accept my apologies anyone who has started this already and aleady found the problem; that will teach me for sharing too soon....

Finally thank you all for the most welcome comments and well wishes on my move; all most appreciated, thank you xxxxxxxx.  And a big welcome to my new followers - of which there are now over 100 so thank you again!!

I'll be back soon and in the meantime happy crocheting!!
xx