Before sewing a back section to the millefiori cushion, you need’ll to build up a short section of edging around the joined hexagons. For my cushions, I’ve used some double knit wool from Jamieson’s of Shetland, as that has a nice texture and is quite thick.
Start by making a slip knot, insert your hook and join through one of the corner gaps of your crochet.
Make a single crochet stitch to secure the wool into position…….chain 3 and count along 3 of the double crochet stitches, insert the hook between the 3rd and 4th double crochet stitches and make a single crochet stitch.
Make another 2 sets of 3 chains until you reach where the whole hexagon joins the half hexagon, make the single crochet before beginning to work along the edge of the half hexagon…..
Now rather than make a chain of 3, I find making chains of 2 seem to sit better on the half hexagons. I join them in every 2 or 3 chains along (if you click the picture it will come up nice and big and you can see better what I’m trying to explain). In total you need 8 loops along the half hexagon. Working 2 chains also helps to keep the half hexagon sit flat rather than bulging out a bit.
When you get to the next corner gap, make a single crochet stitch….
Make one chain and then work another single crochet stitch and work it back into the corner gap….
Continue working along a series of loops around the edge of the hexagons….
When you come back to the beginning again, make a single crochet stitch and then chain one before slip stitching into where you started…….
Now chain up 3 and work a double crochet stitch under that corner gap…..chain 2 (2 chains helps the corner be a bit more defined and pointed) and then work another 2 double crochet stitches in that corner gap…..
Work sets of 3 double crochet stitches under the loops of 3, then when you reach the half hexagons, make groups of 2 double crochet stitches…….
I have tried working straight into the hexagons rather than make the chained loops, but I found it didn’t look quite as neat.
When you get to the corner gap, make 2 double crochet stitches in the gap, chain 2 and then make another 2 gaps before working along the next side.
Work all the stitches underneath the loops of the chained loops…..
When you reach where you started, make your final double crochet stitch, and then slip stitch into the top of the chain of your starting chain before casting off.
At this stage the edging may well curl in slightly, that’s fine…..you can gently hand wash it and block it so it flattens out if you like, or you can join it to the back section as it is……I won’t send round the crochet police or anything.
After I’d finished the edging, I nipped downstairs to make a pot of tea…and as if by magic, I came back to find Bernard had sneaked upstairs and had stolen my crochet……he’d settled himself down and made a little nest……I’ve never known a kitty so fond of knitting and crochet, the other day while I was trying to sort out some old acrylic granny squares I’d made a couple of years ago, he clambered up on the sofa and nestled amongst them, even when I’d tried to tidy them up in a knitting bag he then proceeded to wedge himself in said bag and made himself very cosy.
He’s trying to look all cute and innocent because he’s been all bitey and scratchy, trying to stop me from taking the crochet back….he even uses his secret weapon (a bout of trumpety wind) to make me keep my distance…..but right now he’s so purry and paw wiggley….I dread to think what he’ll be like once the cushions are all made and plumped up on the sofa.
ericka eckles 