Simplified granny hexagon...

I've had a pattern request for the colourful hexagons I was experimenting with recently. It's always nice to hear from blog readers. As a result I will now be attempting a written pattern! I have called it a simplified granny hexagon because there are quite a few variations out there and a lot of them seem to use 3dctogs or puff clusters. I have dispensed with that and used dc (us) or tr (uk) throughout. It is much easier to remember if you put it down for a week and come back to it!

Blogger for the iPad has improved considerably lately but I am still waiting patiently for more control over photo placement. Currently I can only place them after the text. I could get round this by doing multiple posts but that would be a bore to link back to, so I will just have to hope you can work out which pictures correspond to which bits of the pattern. It is fairly obvious because most rounds begin in a new colour. So here goes...

Using yarn and appropriate hook (I used DK with a 4mm hook)
I am using U.S. terminology simply because that was preferred by my lovely blog reader who requested the pattern.

1st colour: Start with a magic circle, ch 3, 11dc (U.S. terminology), slip stitch (ss) in 3rd st of initial 3ch, fasten off.

2nd colour: in any space between dc's - ch 3, dc in same space, 2dc in each space around (12 pairs of dc's) ss in top ch of initial 3 ch as before, fasten off.

3rd colour: ch3 (counts as first dc) 3dc in each space between pairs of dc's. ss as before, fasten off.

4th colour: ch3, * ss in 1st space between 3dc group, repeat from * to end, ending with a ss under the first 3ch made, ch3.

Shape hexagon as follows: corners are 3dc, 2ch, 3dc and 3dc in between each corner. Making sure that you work by placing hook under each ch3 made on previously made.

Looking at the photos should make things much clearer. I am not a professional pattern writer so don't hesitate to let me know if I have made a mistake somewhere.

If you don't like magic circle starts you can just as easily chain 3, 4 or 5 and join to make a circle, then dc into the circle 12 times.

If you already know how to join as you go this will obviously be undertaken in the final round. Be warned, it is quite fiddly with hexagons!