Wednesday, September 28, 2011

honeycomb.

This pattern was inspired by another, and I've been asked not to mention any names.
Hopefully I've removed enough information to please the request of the original designer, but I do not want anybody to claim I'm trying to steal an idea. I've actually been told recently that someone had been knitting stuffed-hexagon-quilts back 40 years ago!

This is just a pattern for a hexagon. From comments I've received, it's fairly different from the pattern that inspired it, but I like it. I like it so much I want to make a king-sized quilt out of cashmere sock yarn and stuff them with feathers and never leave bed again. I won't though, because I don't have the stamina to make a billion of these. Cat toys I can handle though.
But here's what I did to make mine:
honeycomb
for a no-nonsense, basics-only version, scroll to the end of the post


(This pattern is written for magic loop. If you've never knit magic loop before, now is a great time to learn-- hexagons are wicked easy and if you mess up you'll only have a few rows to frog. If you're going to use two circulars or dpns, ignore the magic cast-on directions and use a provisional cast-on, crochet cast-on, or just a regular long-tail that you can seam later.)

Materials:

One circular needle, 24" or longer, OR two circular needles, any length, OR dpns in appropriate size for your yarn.
Yarn! ...Anything.
Tapestry needle, scissors, and a bit of Fiberfill

Gauge:Doesn't matter. Just use needles that give you a fairly firm fabric (because of the stuffing!)

My needles/yarn, in the following pictures, are one US4 Hiya Hiya circular/Mirasol Hacho

Terms:
tbl- through the back loop
M1 (R or L)- a lifted increase, Right or Left side of stitch
SSK- slip, slip, knit- slip two stitches, separately, knit-wise onto right-hand needle, slide them back to left needle, and knit both together tbl.
K2tog- knit 2 stitches together

The pattern:

Magic-cast-on a total of 24sts. --12sts. on each needle. [YouTube has a generous selection of magic cast-on tutorials]
First row: knit all stitches on first needle, on second needle knit all sts. tbl.
Next row: knit all stitches.
                                 
Increase rows:
Row 3: (K1, M1R, K until last 2 sts. K1, M1L, K1) 2 times. You've got 14 sts. on ea. needle, 28 total.
Rows 4 and 5: Knit all sts.
Repeat rows 3-5, increasing by 4 sts. every third row until you have 40 sts. total, 20 on ea. needle (increase sequence ends after the two knit rows).

(You are making your M1 increases on the second and second-to-last stitch in each increase row. This keeps a K1 border at the edge of your honeycomb and makes it look nice and crispy. You'll do the same for the decrease sequence.)

Decrease rows:
Next row: (K1, SSK, K until 3 sts., K2tog, K1) 2 times.
Next 2 rows: Knit all sts.
Repeat rows, decreasing by 4 sts. every third row until you have  24 sts. (12 sts. on ea. needle) End decrease sequence with two knit rows.
Stuff honeycomb as desired and close with Kitchener stitch.
                                          [video source. Love this video!]

Stuff you can change:
Finishing: You really don't have to use Kitchener stitch if you're morally opposed. You can three-needle bind off, but it won't be seamless and it won't mirror the cast-on edge. But if you've used a cast-on you'll have to seam it will :)
Increases: You can kfb all increases if you don't mind the purl-bumps it causes, or you can also use a yarn-over. If you yo, just knit the yo-stitch tbl on the next row.
Decreases: K2tog all decreases, SSK all, or use SL1, K1, PSSO instead of an SSK. Or just use 'em for all your decreases.


This one has been adopted by Butters:

No-Nonsense:                                                                                    

Magic cast-on 24sts. total                                                                    
K 2 rows plain                                                                                      
Next row: (K1, M1R, K1 to last 2, K1, M1L, K1) 2 times                            
Next 2 rows: K across                                                                                                  
Repeat these two until you have 40 sts, ending with 2 K rows.                                
Next row: ( K1, SSK, K to last 3 sts, K2tog, K1) 2 times.                                    
Next 2 rows: K across                                                                              
Repeat until 24 sts remain, end with 2 K rows                                                     
Kitchener closed                                                                       

14 comments:

  1. If you'd like to leave a comment, please remember:

    That being a bitch is just going to get your comment deleted.
    Nobody forced you to come here, so don't be rude.

    This isn't the original pattern, but it is a version based on it, as I mentioned. If you don't like it, that's fine. You don't need to broadcast hate on a blog that is about sharing and love.

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  3. Madam,

    I am not hating on you, BUT... I'm exceptionally jealous of your model. Tell me, did Butters get named after a South Park character? And more important... Did you happen to put some mind altering substance in Butter's little pillow? Just know... I'M ONTO YOU!

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  4. :) He did!
    He was my sister's kitty, and she was calling him Butterscotch. But my parents decided there were too many cats in the house, so I took him ♥
    If you call his name he comes running, waggling his tail like a dog!

    I'd actually intended to fill that with delicious catnip, but didn't (I was actually covered in several more cats at the time). I think in the future I may make some for cat toys and use fiberfill I've left in the catnip jar for a few weeks to stuff it. :)

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  7. Living by example here -

    I'm so sorry that whatever happened to you in your life has created you to feel the need to
    post something for free here that someone else
    worked so hard on to design for a year and copyright before they listed it for sale.

    I hope some day you'll stop on over to Tiny Owl Knits Group, take a look around and get to know her. She is such a sweet and forgiving person, and such an example to us all. I too would forgive you, and welcome you with open arms. We all make mistakes, which we often learn from. Some can be corrected, like this one. If you took time to get to know her and the group, you might just fall in love with it. :)

    Please consider. Would much rather have another friend.


    I almost forgot to add some hugsss...
    (we all can use them sometimes, you know)

    HUGS HUGS HUGS HUGS HUGS HUGS

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  8. As a purchaser of the TOK version I can most definitely say that this pattern is different enough to NOT be a "blatant rip off".

    The cast on is different, the edges are different, the increases are different, the cast off is different.

    I too adore your model! He looks utterly blissed out by his little pillow :)

    How ironic: my anti-spambot word is "refiree"

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  9. You so ARE the ref! :)
    Well, designer request + a very nice Raveler pointing out that sometimes the way we say things makes them sound mean when we want them to sound flattering = references to the original pattern removed.
    Thanks for your input!
    I was hoping it was very different. :D

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  10. I, for one, salute you. There is, in my opinion, nothing wrong with writing an original pattern inspired by something you have seen and offering it to the public for the price of your choosing. I imagine you and the other designer both did just that. Anyone looking for a certain type of pattern is free to choose between many results and can decide for themselves which they prefer based on all relevant factors (look of final product, materials used, price, designer, presence of adorable kitty, etc.)

    My kitty's head looks a lot like your kitty's head.

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  11. I never had any intention of buying the Beekeeper quilt. Now I'm tempted to make some of your hexipuffs because I think people were assholes to you.

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  12. Aw, such a sweet kitty. Now if only I was any good at knitting! I did make mine a crocheted mouse, though.

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  13. Thank you for sharing, and I've seen other similar posts on blogs sharing similar patterns. If yours is different to what others are on about then there really is no problem with sharing your pattern. It's saddening to see comments that can't see that.

    I think knitting is a grey area for that - I often adapt patterns for my own needs or create one inspired by looking at another, therefore it is not the same as someone elses.

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  14. I have just made a puff following your pattern and I like it very much.

    I have not bought the original pattern and do not intend to either so I do not know how different this one is.

    However, I find it difficult to believe that someone spent a year to write and copyright this simple pattern. Maybe a year to produce the blanket????

    I am 72 and remember making something like this when I went to school many moons ago so it is definitely not a new concept.

    Furthermore, you can neither copyright nor steal an idea only copy a pattern.

    Cheers

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