Bea's rug

Okay, so I secretly love granny squares. I'm not much of a crocheter, and they're quick and easy and make hilarious slippers. And when I found this tutorial for making hexagonal granny squares, I knew I had to use them in something. When we brought home our planned kitty, Bea, and immediately realized that, small as she was, she was already too big for the bed I had knit her, I thought these would make a perfect little bed for her.


This is the first pattern I've written out in terms that are (hopefully) legible to others. I have also tried to write it for those with very limited experience with crochet, so if you're a maniac with the hook, you may get exasperated with all the instructions being written out. If you're really, really a beginner, I have tried to be very clear in the instructions, but if you're having trouble, I recommend you check out the hex granny square tutorial above as well as this magic loop tutorial.

So, here goes.

Finished size: 15" diameter, for most cats and small dogs.
If you want a larger rug, use heavier yarn and a bigger hook, or add another round of hexagons before working edge instructions.

Materials: 100 yards each MC and CC dk weight yarn, plus another 75-100 yards CC for
optional fringe

Crochet hook, size US H-J, metric 5-6mm. I used an I/5.5mm, but use whatever you have handy.

Skills: Magic Loop, sl st, ch, dc, dc2tog, dc3tog, crocheting through the bars


Center Medallions
Round 1
Magic Loop 12 dc



Cross working end of yarn above tail, making sure to leave quite a bit of tail until you're comfortable with the technique. This is also the first step of making a slip knot.







Put your hook through the loop and pull up a loop from the working end of the yarn.




Ch3 for the first dc, then 11dc in magic loop. Don't worry if your stitches are loose or if it doesn't look like they'll join right now; we're going to fix all that in the next step where the loop works its magic.

When you have completed the 12dc (including the first ch3), pull the yarn tail until the center is as tight as you want it. Join with sl st to top of first ch3 and tie off.


Round 2
With MC, make a slip knot and pull to front of work through both bars of any dc in round 1. This entire round will be worked through both bars of the dc's. (Note to knitters: the bars are the loops on the outside of the stitches that look like a bind off row.)

First dc2tog: ch2, dc in same dc bars, ch1

Next 11 dc2tog: *set up for a dc (yo, put hook through both bars, yo and pull up one loop) yo and pull through 2 loops.* Repeat once more in same dc bars; yo and pull through remaining 3 loops on hook, ch1.
Repeat around and join with sl st to top of first ch2. Tie off.


Round 3
With CC, make a slip knot and pull to front of work through any ch1 space.
Ch3, 2dc in same space, ch1
*3dc in next space, ch1* around; join with sl st to top of first ch3. Tie off.

Make 7 of these center medallions. If you want to add another "row" of hexes, you will need to make 19.

Hexagon 1


Round 4: With MC, make a slip knot and pull to front of work through any ch1 space, sl st, ch3, *sl st in next ch1 space, ch3* around. Join with sl st to first sl st. Do not tie off.



Round 5: sl st under next ch3 space, ch3, 2dc, ch2, 3dc; 3dc in next ch3 space; *3dc, ch2, 3dc in next ch3 space; 3dc in next ch3 space* around. Join with sl st to top of first ch3. Tie off. This is the center hexagon. sl st to space between 3dc clusters on hexagon 1,


Hexagon 2 (one side connected to finished hexagon)
Round 4: same as for hexagon 1
Round 5: sl st under next ch3 space, ch3, 2dc, ch1, sl st to corner ch2 space of hexagon 1 by bringing up a loop from behind hexagon 1 and pulling through loop on hook, 3dc in same ch3 space.
Sl st to space between 3dc clusters of hexagon 1, 3dc in next ch3 space.
Sl st to space between 3dc clusters of hexagon 1, 3dc in next ch3 space, sl st to corner ch2 space of hexagon 1, ch1, 3dc in same ch3 space.
Continue around in pattern as in hexagon 1, alternating 3dc and 3dc, ch2, 3dc. Join with sl st to top of first ch3. Tie off. This is the first outer hexagon.


Hexagons 3, 4, 5, and 6 (two sides connected to finished hexagons)
Round 4: same as for hexagon 1
Round 5: sl st under next ch3 space, ch3, 2dc, ch1, sl st to corner ch2 space of previous outer hexagon, 3dc in same ch3 space.
sl st to space between 3dc clusters of outer hexagon, 3dc in next ch3 space.
sl st to space between clusters of outer hexagon, 3dc in next ch3 space, sl st to corner ch2 space of outer hexagon, sl st to corner ch2 space of hexagon 1, 3dc in same ch3 space.
sl st to space between clusters, 3dc in next ch3 space.
sl st to space between clusters, 3dc in next ch3 space, sl st to corner ch2 space of hexagon 1, ch1, 3dc in same ch3 space.

Continue around in pattern, alternating 3dc and 3dc, ch2, 3dc. Join with sl st to first ch3. Tie off.


Hexagon 7 (three sides connected to finished hexagons)
Round 4: same as for hexagon 1
Round 5: sl st under next ch3 space, ch3, 2dc, ch1, sl st to corner ch2 space of hexagon 6, 3dc in same ch3 space.
sl st to space between clusters, 3dc in next ch3 space.
sl st to space between clusters, 3dc in next ch3 space, sl st to corner ch2 space of hexagon 6, sl st to corner ch 2 space of hexagon 1, 3dc in same ch3 space.
sl st to space between clusters, 3dc in next ch3 space.
sl st to space between clusters, 3dc in next ch3 space, sl st to corner ch2 space of hexagon 1, sl st to corner ch2 space of hexagon 2, 3dc in same ch3 space.
sl st to space between clusters, 3dc in next ch3 space.
sl st to space between clusters, 3dc in next ch3 space, sl st to corner ch2 space of hexagon 2, ch1, 3dc in same ch3 space.

Continue around in pattern, alternating 3dc and 3dc, ch2, 3dc. Join with sl st to first ch3. Tie off.

Edge triangles
(these fill in the spaces between the hexes to make the rug circular-ish)


With MC, make a slip knot and pull to front through any outer corner ch2 space. Ch12 and sl st to outer corner ch2 space of the adjacent hexagon (13 foundation chains to work into), turn.

Row 1: ch2, dc2tog, slip loop off hook and bring forward through next space between clusters on hexagon, 8dc, dc3tog (*set up for dc, yo, pull through 2 loops* three times, yo, pull through remaining 4 loops on hook), slip loop off hook and bring forward through next space between clusters, turn.

Row 2: ch2, dc2tog, slip loop off hook and bring forward through next space between clusters, dc4, dc3tog, slip loop off hook and bring forward through next space between clusters, turn.

Row 3: ch2, dc2tog, slip loop off hook and bring forward through inner corner ch2 space, dc3tog, slip loop off hook and bring forward through adjacent inner corner ch2 space. Tie off.

Crochet in 5 more triangles, until all outer corners of hexagons are connected.


Edging

With CC, make a slip knot and pull to front through edge. Ch1, sc evenly around edge, join to first ch1.

Sc in back bar of each sc around, join. If you don't want the fringe, tie off and weave in ends.

Optional fringe: after joining, pull out loop until it's about 4" long. Rotate hook helicopter-style 10-14 times, or until the yarn loops back on itself when you give it some slack, sl st in same sc. *Sl st in next sc, pull loop, twist, sl st in same sc* around. Tie off and weave in ends. Tug on each fringe to even out the twist.