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:
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:
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
