my hexagons

Someone left a message asking for a little tutorial on how I make my hexagons. I make no claims to being a crochet expert, and most of what I have managed to work out has come from this book (the Encyclopedia of crochet techniques). But here goes:

First I start by chaining 6 and joining them. I then work 6 clusters of 3 double crochet stitches separated by 2 chains. I always crochet over my ends and crochet in my ends as I go so I don't have a mammoth task at the end.

For the next round in a different colour I crochet into the holes 2 clusters of 2 double crochets with 2 chains in between and then 1 chain to the next cluster.

Then for the last round I crochet 1 cluster of 3 double crochet, 1 chain, 2 clusters of 2 double crochet separated by 2 chains, 1 chain , 1 cluster of 3 double crochet and so on.

Pretty simple really. I'm using a fairly small crochet hook (size US F5/3.37 mm) with worsted weight wool because I like them to be tighter.

For my big granny squares blanket I used the same wool and hook. I probably chained 8 to begin with (can't remember) and then did 4 clusters or 3 double crochet stitches separated by 1 chain to begin with. With every round I just put a cluster of 3 DC stitches into the "hole" created by the chain. This is the easiest form of crochet and one I kind of taught myself when I was a teen. I didn't know the stitches, but I had a book with pictures and kind of just worked it out.

When I finished crocheting all the squares together I just went round and round with single crochet (or it may have been half double crochet...not really sure of the difference).

Oh, and I'm using American crochet terminology because my books are American, so it's all I know.

I choose a colour palette first and then I just go very instinctively with the colours. I choose what I like for each square or hexagon, knowing that it will fit in overall because I made sure all my colours worked together before I started.

So that's it. I'm not sure whether I enjoy crocheting or knitting more...I like that I don't have to look at my knitting, but I like that I can do smaller units of crochet.

Anyway, I got my copy of interweave knits yesterday and totally fell in love with this little vest:
I think I just love the band and the shape. I don't know if I would ever knit something with the exact wool to the pattern, but I really really love this and I'm really really tempted...

And while I play with my wools, Matt played with his new pasta machine last night. We had 3 different pasta dishes for dinner and I think he's giving ravioli a go tonight.