Hexagon Crochet Patterns

Why hexagons, not squares

A hexagon is a granny square with two extra corners, and those two corners change what you can build. Hexagons tessellate into a honeycomb with no straight grid lines, so a blanket made from them has movement a square blanket does not. More usefully, they curve. Because six sides fold and join differently from four, two large hexagons can become an entire cardigan with no shaping at all — which is exactly how the granny hexagon cardigan, hexagon hoodie and kids' hexagon cardigans in this collection work.

What you can make here

• Garments: granny hexagon cardigans in DK for adults and children, hooded versions, and hexagon-panel jackets.
• Blankets: flower hexagon baby blankets, daisy and golden hexagon throws, and full-size afghans in seasonal palettes.
• Homeware: hexagonal table mats, doilies and stacking hexagon baskets.
• Toys and one-offs: a hexagon elephant, made from motifs rather than shaped amigurumi.

How a hexagon cardigan works

It is worth understanding before you start, because it looks like a trick. You crochet two large hexagons. Each one is folded so that two adjacent sides meet, and that fold becomes a sleeve seam and an armhole; the remaining sides form the fronts and back. The size is controlled by how many rounds you work, and the fit is set by the fold point rather than by your stitch count. That means a hexagon cardigan is one of the very few garments you can make without following a size grid — measure across your back and keep going until the motif matches, then check the fold before you seam.

Getting a flat hexagon

Six increase points, evenly spaced, one per corner, on every round. If your hexagon ruffles you are increasing too much; if it cups, too little, or your tension is tightening as the rounds grow. Use a stitch marker at the start of each round, count the stitches between corners every round or two, and work the corners consistently — either always two trebles, chain, two trebles, or whatever your pattern specifies, but never a mix. Blocking will correct a small wobble; it will not rescue a genuine stitch count error.

Yarn, hooks and joining

DK on a 4mm hook is the default across this collection, with aran for faster blankets. Cotton and cotton blends give crisp, defined motifs and are the better choice for table mats and baskets; wool and acrylic blends are softer for blankets and garments. Joining is where a hexagon project is won or lost — join-as-you-go, working the last round of each motif into its neighbour, avoids hundreds of ends and produces a flatter fabric than sewing. If you prefer to join afterwards, a slip stitch join through back loops gives a subtle ridge and a whip stitch join gives the flattest seam.

Colour planning and ends

Lay motifs out on the floor before joining and photograph them in black and white on your phone: if the picture reads as grey mush, your shades are too similar in value. Weave ends in as you complete each motif. A hexagon blanket can easily contain two hundred motifs, and leaving the ends until the end is how projects get abandoned.

Finishing and care

Block each motif before joining if you want a formal, even blanket; block the whole piece afterwards if you want a softer, more relaxed look. Cotton items should be pinned out damp and left to dry fully. Wash acrylic blankets cool and dry flat, and reshape hexagon garments while damp — crochet fabric is heavy when wet and will grow if hung.

Hexagon crochet questions

How do I crochet a hexagon? Start with a magic ring, work six groups of stitches, then increase at each of the six corners on every round.

Why does my hexagon ruffle? Too many stitches in the corners, or increases in the wrong places — count between corners each round.

Are hexagon cardigans hard? No — if you can work a granny round, you can make one. The shaping comes from folding, not from shaping stitches.

What size hook should I use? Whatever the pattern's tension requires; 4mm is common for DK.

What's the best way to join hexagons? Join-as-you-go for fewer ends and a flatter finish.