Some months ago I watched a video of Katherine making a hexagon cloth bowl on her youtube channel, k3n. If you're into slow stitching, eco printing, upcycling, and various ways of working with textiles, it's an excellent and relaxing channel to watch. I love her approach to her work. But, but, but. I know myself well enough to know that while I love the bowl she created in this video, this particular process isn't for me. It's a bit too fussy for my taste. Obviously (and unbeknownst to me) the idea continued to rattle around in my brain because several days ago it popped back into my consciousness and I wondered whether I could make one using Tunisian crochet. There was only one way to find out so I grabbed some Tunisian hooks and a cone of bright yellow wool yarn that someone gave me and I started experimenting. I'm not fond of the yellow so I wasn't going to be bothered if I ended up with a mess that I had to rip out. Also, since the yarn is wool, I figured I could full or felt it if it turned out too floppy, which was my main concern. I knew that if I got to the point of attaching the hexagons, I'd use the green, which I do like, to make the bowl in Donegal colors.
I had to swatch a bit and go down a few hooks sizes to a smaller one than I would normally use for this yarn, but then I was off, making 7 Tunisian crochet hexagons. I had planned to bring the hexies and the green yarn to our knit and crochet group at the library and attach them there, but I finished the last one whilst listening to a podcast and since that wasn't over, I decided to start the finishing process right then. Once I'd started, I couldn't stop, finishing the bowl just before 2 am, so I just brought it with me to the group and wove in my ends there. I am thrilled with the end result and I will definitely be making more of these in different sizes. It occurs to me that they can be stacked as well, which will be useful.
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| the finished bowl--you can see how the hexies are attached together |
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| detail of the Tunisian crochet |
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| the bowl filled with wool roving--it holds quite a lot |
In case anyone is wondering about Tunisian crochet, I used the basic stitch--sometimes called simple stitch or afghan stitch--to make the hexagons. They're constructed using short rows. I chained 13, but any number will do. The length of the chain will be approximately half the width of the finished hexie. Pick up a stitch in each chain, leaving the loops on the hook, then work them off. There are many videos around that show how to do this if you're interested. For the next row, pick up a loop in 12 stitches, leaving the last one unworked. Work off the loops. Next row, pick up 11 stitches, and so on until there is just one stitch remaining. There will be little stairsteps along one edge and the next segment of the hexagon is made by picking up a loop in each stairstep (13 stitches, including the loop left on the hook from the previous row) and working it off as before, until there's just one stitch. Repeat this until there are 6 wedges. At the end of the 6th wedge, slip stitch in each stairstep. Cut the yarn, leaving a long tail and use that to sew the row of slip stitches to the starting chain and there's your hexagon. I've used these hexagons to make bags, dishcloths, and now this bowl. They're fun to make and look quite nice, especially in a variegated yarn.
And now I'm off to gather some thread to make a smaller version of this. I think I will find these to be quite useful and I'm quite taken with the stacking idea. I guess I know what I'll be doing for a while--at least until some other idea leaps to the front of my mind and sends me off in another direction!
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