Fruit cocktail
Stylecraft’s light and lacy crochet blanket is made with colourful yarn and will brighten any room.
This hexagon blanket would look bright and cheery in a conservatory or sunny room. Throw over a bed, a sofa or a chair.
HEXAGON MOTIF BLANKET
The blanket is made from 37 motifs, which are joined together as they are worked. The Blanket Chart on the following page shows the arrangements of the hexagons, and the colour order of each motif.
CENTRAL MOTIF
Using 4mm hook and first colour (see Blanket Chart) make 5ch and join with a sl st to form a ring. Joining in and breaking off colours as required, cont as folls: Round 1 Using first colour, 1ch (doesn’t count as st), 2dc into ring, 9ch, (3dc into ring, 9ch) 5 times, 1dc into ring, sl st into dc at beg of round. [6 groups of 3dc and 6 loops] Round 2 Join second colour to centre dc of any group of 3dc, *miss 1dc, (4dc, 1htr, 1tr, 1dtr, 1tr, 1htr, 2dc, 1htr, 1tr, 1dtr, 1tr, 1htr, 4dc) into 9- ch loop, miss 1dc, sl st into next dc; rep from * to end, ending last rep with sl st into dc where yarn was joined. [6 petals] Round 3 Attach third colour to first dtr of any petal, 3ch (counts as 1tr), 1tr into each of next 7 sts (last tr is worked into second dtr of petal), 2ch, *miss next 13 sts, 1tr into each of next 8 sts, 2ch; rep from * to end, ending last rep with sl st to 3rd of 3ch at beg of round. [6 sets of 8tr] Round 4 Attach fourth colour to first tr of any set of 8 tr, 3ch (counts as 1tr), 1tr into each of next 7tr, 3ch, *miss 2ch, 1tr into each of next 8 sts, 3ch; rep from * to end, ending last rep with sl st to 3rd of 3ch at beg of round.
The completed motif is a hexagon. In each corner is a 3- ch space and along each side there are 8tr.
BALANCE OF MOTIFS
Make another 36 motifs as for Central Motif, following the Blanket Chart for colours and position. Join along sides in Round 4 as folls: Instead of “1tr into each of next 8 sts”, work (1tr into next tr, sl st into corresponding st from adjoining motif) 8 times.
BORDER
Round 1 Attach Heather to any “corner” 3- ch sp marked with a black dot on the Blanket Chart, 5ch (counts as first tr and 2- ch sp), 1tr into same 3- ch sp, 1tr in next 8 sts, *(1tr, 3ch, 1tr) into next 3- ch sp, 1tr into each of next 8 sts, 1tr in 3- ch sp, 3ch, move to next motif, 1tr into 3- ch sp, 1tr into each of next 8 sts; rep from * twice more**, (1tr, 3ch, 1tr) into next “corner” 3- ch sp, 1tr into each of next 8 sts, work from * in the same way across rem 5 sides of blanket ending last rep at **, sl st into 3rd of 5ch at beg of round. Round 2 5ch (counts as first tr and 2- ch sp), 1tr into same 3- ch sp, 1tr in next 10 sts, *(1tr, 3ch, 1tr) into next 3- ch sp, 1tr into each of next 20 sts; rep from * twice more**, (1tr, 3ch, 1tr) into next 3- ch sp, 1tr into each of next 10 sts, work from * in the same way across rem 5 sides of blanket ending last rep at **, sl st into 3rd of 5ch at beg of round.
Round 3 5ch (counts as first tr and 2- ch sp), 1tr into same 3- ch sp, 1tr into each of next 12 sts, *(1tr, 3ch, 1tr) into next 3- ch sp, 1tr into each of next 22 sts; rep from * twice more**, (1tr, 3ch, 1tr) into next 3- ch sp, 1tr into each of next 12 sts, work from * in the same way across rem 5 sides of blanket ending last rep at **, sl st into 3rd of 5ch at beg of round. Fasten off yarn.
Round 4 Attach Pistachio to any 3- ch sp, 1ch (doesn’t count as st), **(1dc, 2ch, 1dc) into 3- ch sp, 1ch, *miss next tr, 1dc into next tr, 1ch; rep from * to next 3- ch sp, ** rep from ** to ** to end, sl st to dc at beg of round.
Round 5 Attach Raspberry to any 2- ch sp, 1ch (doesn’t count as st), **(1dc, 2ch, 1dc) into 2- ch sp, 1ch, *miss next dc, 1dc into next 1- ch sp, 1ch; rep from * to next 3- ch sp, ** rep from ** to ** to end, sl st to dc at beg of round.
TO FINISH
Sew in all yarn ends neatly. Pin out blanket to the measurements given. Cover with clean, damp tea towels and leave to dry. See ball band for washing and further care instructions. For more crochet and knitting patterns visit www.stylecraft-yarns.co.uk