Nature’s Palette Hexie CAL | NautiKrall Crochet x The Creative Knitter (2024)…

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Intro

For the last 2 years (2022-2023), I’ve signed up for a year’s worth of yarn. It’s called a “monthly yarn subscription” consisting of 12 months of surprise skeins in the mail. Each month I crocheted the skeins into a Granny Stripe Blanket (1st year) and for the past year I’ve been making a granny square blanket from the “Year of Surprises Blanket Pattern” (2023)— this year I’m doing it again!!

You see, I thought I would try and make myself a temperature blanket. I started, stopped, amended, started again…and again…and again….

Eventually, after trying and failing to decide which kind of pattern I wanted for my temperature blanket, I decided it was way too big of a commitment for me (with the amount of other things I usually have on the go). But, I still liked the idea of a “yearly” blanket…. cue: the yarn subscriptions.

I discovered the idea of the yarn subscription sort of by chance—but loved the idea way more than a temperature blanket. Surprise, hand dyed merino wool in the mail…every month!?!?! -Sign me up!!

This Year (2024)…

Join us on the journey! Let’s do this together for one year! Steph (from The Creative Knitter) and I, have put our thinking caps on and took what I loved about my past two subscriptions and the things I’ve learned along the way. The result, is the pattern you’ll see below with yarn that will be dyed in such a way that creates a cohesive matching blanket-but, with all the fun and surprises of Nature’s colouring throughout the year. Steph and I decided on the hexagon motif from the “Finley’s Starburst Hexie Blanket Pattern”— I’ve adjusted that pattern slightly to allow us to maximize the monthly yarns and get the biggest possible blanket with the yarn received throughout the year.

SCHEDULE: I’ll be posting my progress on the 1st of every month (hopefully!!)—the schedule is very open. Each month you should receive your yarn well in advance so that you have the entire month to work on the 16 hexies. I, personally, will also be joining my blanket up as we go along.

SHARING:

We’ll be using the hashtag: #naturespalettehexiecal throughout the year on IG where you can follow along so you don’t miss out on anyone’s beautiful work. When posting your own makes, remember to tag us (@nautikrallcrochet & @thecreativeknitter) so we can share everyone’s photos in our stories throughout the year!

Ravelry: there will be a pattern with the link to this website posted on Ravelry where you can post your projects and updates throughout the year as well!! Click here for Nature’s Palette Hexie CAL on Ravelry.

L, M!!

The Pattern

Notions

US 4.5mm (size 7) crochet hook
Needle for weaving in ends
Scissors

Yarn

The Creative Knitter Nature’s Palette, Monthly Yarn Subscription 2024, 100% SW Merino (231yds/100g):

January: Jack Frost (201yds/87g) 1 skein
February: Winter Sunset (199yds/86g) 1 skein
March: Spring Thaw (203yds/88g) 1 skein
April: In Bloom (208yds/90g) 1 skein
May: Puddle Jumper 1 skein
June: 1 skein
July: 1 skein
August: 1 skein
September: 1 skein
October: 1 skein
November: 1 skein
December: 1 skein

WeCrochet Swish DK, 100% SW Merino (246yds/100g): *affiliate link

Colour : Bare (1417yds/576g) 6 skeins ** not including border

**All yarn quantities are an estimation based off of swatches and a previous pattern (see: Finley’s Starburst Hexie Blanket Pattern). The 3 round hexie weighs approx. 6g each (x 16 hexies)= 96g or 222 yds/ skein.

**Joining yarn is an estimation only (because I’ve not yet made the blanket). Based on swatches; the 4th round of stitches requires 3g/square. If the blanket is 192 hexies then: 192 x 3g= 576g required to join the blanket before border.

Gauge

3 rnd starburst hexie= 3” (side to side) or 3.5” (point to point) -unblocked.
3 rnd hexie with joining border= 4” (side to side) or 4.5” (point to point) -unblocked.

Finished Size

Approximately 44” x 74” Blocked (based off the final measurements of Finley’s Starburst Hexie Blanket Pattern)

Glossary (using US Crochet Terminology)

st(s)- stitch(es)
ch- chain
ch-sp- chain space
sl st- slip stitch
YO- yarn over
rnd- round
cl st(s)- cluster stitch(es)
SC- single crochet
SC dec- single crochet decrease
DC- double crochet
CJAYG- continuous join as you go
2 DC cl – 2 double crochet cluster stitch
4 DC cl- 4 double crochet cluster stitch
RS- right side

How to SC dec: Insert hook into sp, YO and pull up a loop, insert hook into next sp, YO and pull up a loop. There should be 3 loops on the hook. YO and pull through all 3 loops.

How to 2 DC cl: YO and insert hook into center of circle, YO and pull up a loop, YO and pull through 2. Repeat one more time. YO and pull through 3 loops on hook, Ch 1.

How to 4 DC cl: YO and insert hook into sp, YO and pull up a loop, YO and pull through 2. Repeat this 3 more times. There should be 5 loops on the hook. YO and pull through all 5 loops.

Pattern Notes

Please adjust hook size to meet gauge.
Ch 2 counts as DC throughout.
There are 2 options for the yarn subscriptions being offered by The Creative Knitter: Nature’s Palette | Monthly Yarn Subscription 12 months or Nature’s Palette | Monthly Yarn Subscription 3 months.
Steph at thecreativeknitter.com is also offering a discounted set of bare yarns if you’d like the joining yarn to be the same as the hexagons. The link can be found here: Nature’s Palette DK Bare Skein Bundle.
Yarn quantities listed above are an estimation. I’ve made this blanket before (see: Finley’s Starburst Hexie Blanket Pattern)—although this pattern has been adjusted slightly to accommodate more yarn.
This blanket is joined with CJAYG (see video tutorial in Blanket Assembly section)- however you can assemble the blanket however you prefer by just completing a 4th rnd of each hexie and joining afterwards. This may require more yarn than is written in the pattern so please keep this in mind when acquiring yarn.
Make 16 hexies with each skein of yarn. 12 Months x 16 Hexies= 192 total
I’m going to join my hexies in a “one month per row” way this year. If you prefer, you can save up all your hexies until the end of the year and arrange them in a more random layout. See: Schematic below.
Some of the video tutorials in this pattern were used in other patterns. Please follow the written pattern as the videos are for visual reference only.
Don’t forget to share your makes on Instagram and Facebook! I always love seeing what you’ve all worked up. Tag me on Instagram @nautikrallcrochet or Facebook @nautikrall_crochet, or use the hashtag: #naturespalettehexiecal

Schematic

Blanket Dimensions: 16 Hexies x 12 Hexies = 192 Hexies

I’ve chosen to join my hexies in a “one month per row” way this year. If you prefer, you can save up all your hexies until the end of the year and arrange them in a more random layout.

Pattern Finley’s Starburst Hexie:

Make 16 of each colour….

Round 1

Ch 5, sl st into 5th ch from hook to create centre ring.
Ch 2, work 1 DC into centre ring, ch 1 (this counts as first cl st).
Work 11 [2 DC cl] into centre ring (12 cl sts).
Join rnd with sl st to the ch-1 sp between the first and second cl sts at beginning of rnd, do not fasten off.

Round 2

Ch 2, work a [4 DC cl] into same sp, ch 2.
Work a [4 DC cl, ch 2] into each ch-1 sp around (12 cl sts).
Join rnd with sl st into the first ch-2 sp of the rnd (not into the top of the cl st), do not fasten off.

Round 3

Ch 2, work [2 DC, ch 1, 3 DC] into same sp.
*Work 3 DC into next ch-2 sp.
Work [3 DC, ch 1, 3 DC] in next ch-2 sp.*
Repeat from * to * 4 more times.
Work 3 DC into next ch-2 sp.
Join rnd with sl st into the top of the first DC (not the ch-2), Fasten off.

**Please see video tutorial below on how to crochet the Finley Starburst Hexie:

**Only Complete the following Round 4 IF you do NOT plan on using the CJAYG to join the hexies. Round 4 is written out for anyone who wishes to seam their hexies together separately at the end of their project.

Round 4

With joining colour (Bare), join into ch-1 sp and ch 2.
Work [1 DC, ch 1, 2 DC] into same sp.
*Work 3 DC into the sp between granny shells of the previous rnd, twice.
Into the next ch-1 sp work [2 DC, ch 1, 2 DC].*
Repeat from * to * 4 more times.
Work 3 DC into the sp between granny shells of the previous rnd, twice.
Join rnd with sl st into the top of the first DC (not the ch-2), Fasten off.

Assembling Blanket Hexies (CJAYG):

With RS of hexagons face up, lay out all motifs in the arrangement from the colour graph above.

Using joining colour; start in top right-hand corner to join hexagons across the rows.
Example: First row will be joined from hexagon number 16 across to hexagon number 1. The second row will start with hexagon number 32 and be worked across to hexagon number 17.
Following along with the video tutorial, crocheting hexagons together until blanket is complete. Please note the video tutorial was used to join Sunburst hexagons which are slightly larger than these Starbursts. There will be one less granny shell along each edge of your Starburst hexies. Everything else remains the same.
Once back to the start of the blanket (in the top right-hand corner)- DO NOT FASTEN OFF.
You are now ready to start Border Round 1.

**Please see video tutorial below for how to join CJAYG starburst hexies together:

Border

Continued from CJAYG…