Layered hexagons in cool blues and greens may remind you of flowers and leaves floating on a calm pond. Once you get the hang of the basic layered motif — a variation of Motif 30 (page 96) — they are a breeze to stitch. A final continuous round around each motif joins the individual pieces, making this a best-of-both-worlds project: maximum portability plus easy joining and finishing.
Using A, B, or C for Rnds 1–4, begin with sliding loop.
Rnd 1 (RS) Ch 3 (counts as dc), 11 dc in ring, join with slip st in top of ch-3 — 12 dc.
Rnd 2 Ch 5 (counts as dc and ch 2), dc in same st, ch 1, skip 1 dc, *(dc, ch 2, dc) in next dc, ch 1, skip 1 dc; rep from * around, join with slip st to 3rd ch of ch-5.
Rnd 3 Ch 4 (counts as dc and ch 1), *(dc, ch 2, dc) in next space**, ch 1, (dc in next dc, ch 1) two times; rep from * around, ending last rep at **, ch 1, dc in next dc, ch 1, join with slip st to 3rd ch of ch-4.
Rnd 4 Ch 4 (counts as dc and ch 1), dc in next dc, ch 1, *(dc, ch 3, dc) in next space**, (ch 1, dc in next dc) four times, ch 1; rep from * around, ending last rep at **, (ch 1, dc in next dc) two times, ch 1, join with invisible join to 3rd ch of ch-4. Fasten off.
Rnd 5 (WS) Rnd 5 is worked into Rnd-1 sts. Turn motif over so that WS of Rnd 1 is facing. With MC, beg with slip knot on hook, tr in any skipped dc of Rnd 1, ch 2, tr in same st, ch 1, * (tr, ch 2, tr) in next skipped dc, ch 1; rep from * around, join with slip st to first tr.
Finished Measurements
Approximately 44" × 60" (112 cm × 152 cm)
Yarn
Plymouth Galway, 100% wool, 210 yds/3.5 oz, (192 m/100 g), 8 skeins #116 teal (MC); 2 skeins each #89 purple (A) and #127 green (B); 1 skein #111 turquoise (C)
Hook
Size I/9 (5.5 mm) or size you need to obtain correct gauge
Gauge
Rounds 1–8 = 6" (15 cm) side-to-side, after blocking (but the gauge is not crucial in this project)
Other Supplies
Locking stitch markers or coilless safety pins, tapestry needle
Notes: Motifs are stitched separately then joined with a final, continuous joining round around all motifs.
MC is the background color; colors A, B, and C are the overlay colors.
The overlay is secured to the background on Round 7.
NOTE: See text to clarify RND 7.
See page 97 for RNDs 1–4.
Rnd 6 Ch 4 (counts as dc and ch 1), *(dc, ch 2, dc) in next ch-2 space, ch 1**, (dc in next tr, ch 1) two times; rep from * around, ending last rep at **, dc in next tr, ch 1, join with slip st to 3rd ch of ch-4.
Rnd 7 Ch 4 (counts as dc and ch 1), dc in next dc, *ch 1, (dc, ch 2, dc) in next space and in corresponding Rnd-4 space together**, (ch 1, dc in next dc) four times; rep from * around, ending last rep at **, (ch 1, dc in next dc) two times, ch 1, join with slip st to 3rd ch of ch-4.
Rnd 8 Ch 4 (counts as dc and ch 1), (dc in next dc, ch 1) two times, *(dc, ch 2, dc) in next space**, (ch 1, dc in next dc) six times, ch 1; rep from * around, ending last rep at **, (ch 1, dc in next dc) three times, ch 1, join with invisible join to 3rd ch of ch-4. Fasten off.
Work 18 motifs each in A and B; work 14 motifs in C.
Note: Use locking stitch markers, coilless safety pins, or waste yarn to hold several motifs together while working the Joining Round.
Refer to the assembly diagram (page 237) for arrangement of colors and order of assembly. The numbers inside the hexagons indicate the order in which they are first joined to previous motifs. The letters refer to the color of the overlay.
Joining Rnd, Top Tier Referring to assembly diagram, with RS facing and MC, beg at the upper right-hand corner of Motif #1, standing dc in corner space of first motif, [ch 1, (dc in next dc, ch 1) to corner; (dc, ch 2, dc) in corner space] two times, ch 1, (dc in next dc, ch 1) to corner; dc in corner space, ch 2, dc in corner space of next motif, ch 1, flat join to adjacent space of previous motif, (dc in next dc, ch 1, flat join to adjacent space of previous motif) to corner, (dc, ch 1, flat join to corner space of previous motif, ch 1, dc) in corner space; continue working in this manner until the first six motifs have been joined to connect the top-tier motifs. Continue working around the remaining edges of Motif #6 to beginning corner, end *dc in beginning corner space, ch 1, flat join in ch-2 space between motifs, ch 1, dc in adjacent corner space of next motif, ch 1, (dc in next dc, ch 1) to corner, (dc, ch 2, dc) in corner, ch 1, (dc in next dc, ch 1) to corner; rep from * across lower edge of top tier motifs, ending with dc in bottom corner space of Motif #1 and leaving remaining two sides of Motif #1 unfinished.
Joining Rnd, Second Tier Ch 2, dc in any corner space of Motif #7, ch 1, flat join to adjacent ch-1 space of previous motif, (dc in next dc, ch 1, flat join to adjacent space of previous motif) to corner, (dc, ch 1, flat join to corner space of previous motif, ch 1, dc) in corner space of current motif, ch 1, (dc in next dc, ch 1, flat join to adjacent space) to corner, (dc, ch 1, flat join to adjacent corner space, ch 1, dc) in corner space, ch 1, (dc in next dc, ch 1) to corner, dc in corner space, ch 2, dc in any corner space of Motif #8, ch 1, flat join to adjacent ch-space of previous motif, dc in next dc; continue in this manner to connect second-tier motifs to each other and to first-tier motifs.
Working in this manner, join all motifs according to diagram, ending by working along the lower edge and up the side edge of afghan, join with slip st to first dc.
Rnd 1 Ch 1, (sc, ch 1) in each space around, placing (sc, ch 1) two times in each exterior corner space and omitting the ch-1 between the scs at interior corner spaces; ending with sc in last space, join with sc to first sc.
Rnd 2 Ch 1, sc in space formed by joining sc, ch 1, (sc, ch 1) in each space around, placing (sc, ch 1) two times in each exterior corner space and working (sc2tog, ch 1) in 2 ch-spaces at each interior corner, join with slip st to first sc. Fasten off. Weave in ends.
Sc2tog (single crochet 2 stitches together) (Insert hook into next st and pull up a loop) two times, yarn over and pull through all 3 loops on hook.
