Finally! Kaleidoscope Hexagons 3! Thank you to everyone for your patience. This has definitely been a “work-in-process,” as I am finishing up knitting all 86 hexagons! This publication serves as the third of four sets of hexagonal designs. There are a total of 20 unique charts, 18 of which may be used to create a lap blanket – referred to as, “Lap 3” – (see page 5 within actual pattern for the specific measurements). “Lap 1” and “Lap 2” blankets of the same size and measurements and are the, “Kaleidoscope Hexagons” and “Kaleidoscope Hexagons 2” patterns, respectively.

If you purchased the first set of designs (Kaleidoscope Hexagons: 1 – 18), you may combine this set of designs with those to create a twin bed-size blanket. In order to do so, the additional two “bonus” hexagons appearing within this pattern must be utilized to achieve a balanced or symmetrical blanket. See page 5 within actual pattern for the pattern layout along with dimensions for the twin blanket (“Twin 2”). If you purchased the second set of designs (Kaleidoscope Hexagons 2: 19 – 38), you may combine this set of designs with those to create a different twin bed-size blanket (“Twin 3” on page 6). Keep in mind that the second pattern also contains two “bonus” hexagons. When combined with this pattern, you will end up with a total of four “bonus” hexagons. Simply chose any two of the four in order to create the third unique twin bed-size blanket. The “Twin 1” blanket appears in the “Kaleidoscope Hexagons 2” pattern – when combined with the “Kaleidoscope Hexagons” pattern.

If you have purchased all three sets of designs, all may be combined (using the four “bonus” hexagons between this pattern and the second one) to create a queen bed-size blanket (referenced as “Queen 1” in this pattern) – see page 6 within actual pattern for dimensions. This larger blanket uses all 58 hexagonal designs between the three individual patterns. Subsequent queen-size combinations will appear in the upcoming “Kaleidoscope Hexagons 4” pattern. This fourth and final publication within this series, when combined with the initial three, will produce a king bed-size blanket (86 unique hexagons).

All lap blankets are in a four-column by five-row configuration (18 hexagons, total). All twin-size blankets are in a six-column by seven-row configuration (38 hexagons, total). The queen-size blankets are in a seven-column by nine-row configuration (58 hexagons total). The king bed-size blanket based upon the inclusion of the fourth set of designs (coming soon) will be in a 10-column by nine-row configuration. To reiterate, all patterns – specifically, the individual charts – ensure each of the different sized blankets may be created without having to repeat any single hexagon design / chart.

Keep in mind that if you purchased the first two patterns, you may mix and match between all three sets to create any configuration desired, as long as maintaining the column-to-row layout, identified above. While you are using the same wool and colorways, you may at any time choose additional colorways. If you are wanting to combine these charts with the charts from the first two patterns, pay close attention to the wool amounts because you may end up having to purchase additional balls. If you are wanting to include more colorways with the Knit Picks Chroma selection that are different from those you chose for the first published pattern(s), then you would have to purchase additional wool in those new colorways. You will find a breakdown of the wool used specifically in this pattern as well as a breakdown of total wool amounts for the larger blankets which combines previously purchased patterns. To make things easy, simply add the total number of Palette balls and then use that as your total for your main color. Similarly, add the total number of Chroma balls and then use the total to determine how many of each colorway(s) you wish to end up using for whichever project. All of the yardage amounts for each of the different sized blankets appear on pages 3 through 5. To assist you with matching the chart information with the pattern layouts, the table colors for totals match that of the background colors for each the pattern layouts (i.e., cream, lavender, fuchsia and mint).

Colorways:
These patterns use fingering weight wool / wool-blends. The main (background) color is Knit Picks 50g Palette – “Navy” and the contrast (foreground / design) colors are an assortment of Knit Picks 100g Chroma colorways. The contrast color is always held in dominance while knitting.

For each pattern, I have provided the actual yardages used for each color on pages 3 through 5. The denoted yardages are based upon the design and the total number of stitches and carried floats of each of the two colors. They are also based upon actual used weight which was then translated to the true yardages used. This means, you may use any Chroma and Palette color combination of your choice. Do keep in mind that the Chroma yardage-to-weight ratio varies slightly from the Palette, so if you swap out a Chroma color for a Palette, the required yardage may vary slightly. If you stick with the Chroma / Palette combination as set forth in each chart, regardless of individual color choices, you should not have any issues.

The Chroma color used is also specified on each chart. A special note regarding the Chroma colors: several of them slowly variegate, eventually repeating across upwards of seven individual colors and / or hues. The importance of this is that as you can knit several individual hexagons from a single ball of Chroma, the color scheme of each hexagon can end up looking completely different. This has to do with where within the ball you begin using it and with which color / hue happens to be at the start an individual hexagon. Your next hexagon could start at the beginning (or in the middle of) any color / hue within that chroma colorway. With that said, the color scheme of your hexagons may end up not looking like that of the hexagons I have shown in these charted patterns, they may in fact, greatly differ. This is what can be so fun about using Chroma colors. As a result, your blanket will truly be unique. You do not have to use the Chroma color specified for any given hexagon either. You may mix them up, join a different Chroma color in the middle of a hexagon or simply choose your very own Chroma colorways of which there are dozens. You may also choose to use solid Palette colors on some or all hexagons, but keep in mind, the required yardage may slightly vary as a result, due to the slight differences in weight.

The characteristics and implication of using Chroma colors on your hexagons are as follows: more of any given color within the Chroma colorway will occur for several of the rounds towards the center of a hexagon. This has to do with the fact that the rounds are shorter during the creation of this portion of your hexagons. As you knit towards the top quarter of each hexagon, you will notice a faster rate of change within the gradient from round-to-round since those rounds are longer, allowing you to get through more color changes. This adds a unique effect to each hexagon, regardless of the colorway of the Chroma ball you are using. This can be seen clearly in the charts as well as the photographs on Ravelry for this pattern. A benefit to using Chroma, is far fewer ends to weave-in once a hexagon is completed – a maximum of four tails, to be precise.

Using Chroma colors against the background of a darker Palette colorway provides for a “stained glass” or “kaleidoscope” appearance to each hexagon. The darker background color really makes the design stand out more. Observing yarn-dominance with the Chroma color, will cause the design to lift away or pop out from the hexagon and is precisely why I am partial to the darker background colors. If you are a two-handed knitter, hold the Chroma color (contrast color) in your left hand, knitting Continental-style and the Palette (main or background) color in your right, knitting English-style. If knitting both colors Continental-style, be sure the Chroma color sits to the left of the Palette color on your tensioning finger. This will provide the same effect as knitting two-handed. The key to yarn-dominance is ensuring that the floats of the contrast color are always below those of the main color. In general, the observance of yarn-dominance with the Chroma or design color is important because there are instances of single stitches within the charted patterns. If you instead, hold the main color (Palette color) in your left hand – basically observing yarn-dominance with that color – it will cause the design to recede into your work and more specifically, those single stitches appearing within the design have a higher tendency of vanishing or disappearing. Yarn-dominance is nothing more or less than the natural outcome of a somewhat looser tension for those stitches.

Needle Size:
US 2 (2.75-mm version) – DPNs or circular(s): two 47-in circulars are recommended. Brand: Knitter’s Pride Zing from Webs online.
Optional: US 2 (3.00-mm version) DPNs: (six 16-in (40-cm)), total – this will require purchasing two sets because each set only contains five needles per industry standards). These are not used for knitting but instead, as blocking needles. Brand: Addi Aluminum Double Point Needles from Twitchyhands online. See Tips on page 11 within actual pattern.

Blocking wires or even skewers may be used, but if using the latter, be sure and paint the tips with clear fingernail polish to facilitate sliding your stitches onto them for blocking. I have had best results using the Addi Needles.

Pattern Colorways:
Knit Picks Palette Yarn - Main color1:
Fiber Content: 100 percent Peruvian Highland Wool
Weight: Fingering
Knitting Gauge: 7-8 stitches = 1-inch (measured knitting) on US 1 – 3 (2.25mm – 3.25mm) needles
Yards: 231
Grams: 50
Put Up: Ball
Care: Hand Wash/Dry Flat or Professional Dry Clean. Do not put in the dryer.
Color(s)2:
Navy SKU: 24001

Knit Picks Chroma Yarn - Contrast (dominant) color1:
Fiber Content: 70 percent Superwash Wool, 30 percent Nylon
Weight: Fingering
Knitting Gauge: 7-8 stitches = 1-inch (measured knitting) on US 1 – 3 (2.25mm – 3.25mm) needles
Yards: 396
Grams: 100
Put Up: Ball
Care: Machine Wash / Tumble Dry Low or Professional Dry Clean. Do not put in the dryer.
Color(s) 2:
Drawing Room SKU: 26926
GoGo Boots SKU: 28033
Groovy SKU: 26542
Mermaid SKU: 28034
Pegasus SKU: 26546
Seahorse SKU: 28038
Tiki SKU: 28041
1 See Written Instructions within actual pattern.
2 See this page, through page 5 within actual pattern for precise amounts needed.

Wool Yardages (for 20 hexagons) – “Lap 3”
Totals (yds)
Palette Total (Main Color) (1,461)
Color H: Navy (1,461)
Chroma Total (Contrast Color) (1,047)
Color A: Drawing Room (157)
Color B: Pegasus (107)
Color C: Seahorse (57)
Color D: Groovy (161)
Color E: Tiki (206)
Color F: GoGo Boots (164)
Color G: Mermaid (201)

Wool Yardages (for 38 hexagons combining this pattern with “Kaleidoscope Hexagons”) – “Twin 2.” See the note, directly below these charts.
Totals (yds)
Palette Total (Main Color) (2,818)
Color H: Navy (2,818)
Chroma Total (Contrast Color) (1,994)
Color A: Drawing Room (262)
Color B: Pegasus (308)
Color C: Seahorse (153)
Color D: Groovy (272)
Color E: Tiki (364)
Color F: GoGo Boots (269)
Color G: Mermaid (366)

Wool Yardages (for 40 hexagons combining this pattern with “Kaleidoscope Hexagons 2”) – “Twin 3.” See the note, directly below these charts.
Totals (yds)
Palette Total (Main Color) (3,116)
Color H: Navy (3,116)
Chroma Total (Contrast Color) (2,008)
Color A: Drawing Room (251)
Color B: Pegasus (306)
Color C: Seahorse (143)
Color D: Groovy (307)
Color E: Tiki (354)
Color F: GoGo Boots (309)
Color G: Mermaid (338)

Wool Yardages (for 58 hexagons combining this pattern with “Kaleidoscope Hexagons” and “Kaleidoscope Hexagons 2”) – “Queen 1.” See the note, directly below these charts.
Totals (yds)
Palette Total (Main Color) (4,473)
Color H: Navy (4,473)
Chroma Total (Contrast Color) (2,957)
Color A: Drawing Room (356)
Color B: Pegasus (508)
Color C: Seahorse (245)
Color D: Groovy (418)
Color E: Tiki (512)
Color F: GoGo Boots (414)
Color G: Mermaid (504)

3 Bonus Hexagons

Note: to make the 20 hexagons for this pattern, you will need a grand total of 1,461 yards of Palette and 1,047 yards of Chroma, regardless of colorway. Also, listed above are the totals for both wool types, if you choose to make the larger blankets containing 38 and 58 hexagons. Again, this pattern would be used in combination with patterns: “Kaleidoscope Hexagons” or “Kaleidoscopes Hexagons 2” to create the twin size blankets. When combining this pattern with “Kaleidoscope Hexagons,” you must use the two bonus hexagons included in this pattern for the required 38 hexagons. When combining this pattern with “Kaleidoscope Hexagons 2,” you will end up with four bonus hexagons, total. Choose any two from either pattern to create a different twin, ending up with the required 38. All four bonus hexagons must be used if combining all three patterns to create a queen-size blanket (using all 58 charts).

Measurements:
Each hexagon measures 13-inches (in) or 33-centimetres (cm) from tip-to-opposite tip and 11.25-in or 28.6-cm from side-to-opposite side. The 18 hexagons for “Lap 3” (cream background) are arranged in a four-column (proper) X five-row hexagon configuration (see diagram on the proceeding page). The total measurement (L X W) is: 52-in X 45-in (114.3-cm X 132 cm). Do keep in mind, it is entirely up to you on how you wish to arrange your hexagons within this configuration. To make the larger blanket combining the hexagons in the “Kaleidoscope Hexagons” pattern along with the 20 hexagons in this pattern, the 38 hexagons are arranged in a six-column (proper) X seven-row hexagon configuration (see the lavender diagram proceeding page for “Twin 2”). The total measurement (L X W) is: 67.5-in X 71.5-in (171.5-cm X 181.6-cm). To make the larger blanket combining the hexagons in the “Kaleidoscope Hexagons 2” pattern along with the 20 hexagons in this pattern, the 38 hexagons are arranged in a six-column (proper) X seven-row hexagon configuration (see the fuchsia diagram on the proceeding page for “Twin 3”). The total measurement (L X W) is: 67.5-in X 71.5-in (171.5-cm X 181.6-cm). You will end up with two unused hexagons because each pattern contains two bonus hexagons (four, in total). To make the larger blanket combining the hexagons in the “Kaleidoscope Hexagons” and “Kaleidoscope Hexagons 2” patterns (both) along with the 20 hexagons in this pattern, the 58 hexagons are arranged in a seven-column (proper) X nine-row hexagon configuration (see the mint diagram on the proceeding page for “Queen 1”). The total measurement (L X W) is: 78.75-in X 91-in (200-cm X 231.1-cm).

Borders:
The border design and pattern I use on my blankets is the same one that appears in the “Persian Dreams” pattern by Jenise Hope and is proprietary. As such, I am only providing the total amount of the main color that is required for border work for each blanket based upon how many sides require them. The sides requiring borders are any side that does not directly attach to another and are the outermost hexagons. A breakdown of required border work and the specific number of each border type required based upon blanket size appear below:

Lap 3
Total sides requiring border work: 34
Hexagons requiring one-sided border: 4
Hexagons requiring two-sided border: 4
Hexagons requiring three-sided border: 2
Hexagons requiring four-sided border: 4
Total Yardage: 646 yards (3 balls)

Twin 2/Twin 3
Total sides requiring border work: 46
Hexagons requiring one-sided border: 4
Hexagons requiring two-sided border: 6
Hexagons requiring three-sided border: 10
Total Yardage: 874 yards (4 balls)

Queen 1
Total sides requiring border work: 58
Hexagons requiring one-sided border: 6
Hexagons requiring two-sided border: 8
Hexagons requiring three-sided border: 12
Total Yardage: 1,102 yards (5 balls)

How Long Does it Take?
Many fellow knitters ask how long it takes to knit one hexagon. I am usually doing other things throughout my day and tend to knit in “bursts,” in between my normal daily activities. In doing so, it takes me about two to three days to knit one. I did knit one in its entirety, with an actual stopwatch timer. I started the timer when picking up my knitting, pausing when setting it down and so on, until the hexagon was complete. With all the “knitting time” added up, it combined to a total of nearly 10 and a half hours. So, I would use that (an hourly rate) to estimate the actual time it should reasonably take to knit a hexagon. This may also assist in estimating the total time to knit a blanket.

The time I provided considers, knitting two-handed and with two “magic loops,” taking the time to move the loops throughout the different sides as I advance through a chart. If you are using one “magic loop” or DPNs, you may notice it takes less time to knit one hexagon. I’m not necessarily sure if I am a fast knitter, slow knitter, etc. Take a look at my knitting tutorials on my YouTube Channel (Clubkidknitter) to compare my speed to yours. This may also assist you in estimating the time it will take you for this project. You may also simply use a stopwatch as I did to time how long it takes you to knit one hexagon.