Another Stashbuster and an IKEA Hack

I have several random balls of Boku and Noro Silk Garden yarn in my vast stash. I had hoped to make a cardigan but would have needed to buy more yarn and I didn't have my heart set on a pattern. A couple of days ago I saw an ad for the upcoming Noro Magazine #19 Fall/Winter 2021 and was intrigued by the hexagon blanket.

I tried finding a way to purchase a digital copy with no success. It may not have even been released yet in print. I then was determined to reverse engineering it and did a Ravelry search for hexagons that I could use as a basis for my own version. This hexie pillow pattern was the most helpful.

I tried a sample and decided I needed to cast on 20 sts and increase to 40 then decrease back to 20. It worked really well so while binge-watching DVDs of Season 1 of BBCs 'Unforgotten' that I borrowed from the library (I have season 2 on hold), I knit 4 of these 'hexies' with the colourful Boku yarn. My hexies are 8" wide and 7" high.

I was going to knit strips of them as are done in the pillow pattern but decided to knit individual hexies instead and seam them together once the knitting is done. 

Plymouth Boku yarn is 95% wool and 5% silk. It feels really nice and I love the saturated colourways. I knit a striped, ribbed scarf with two colourways of this many years ago. 

The Silk Garden colourways I have are quite drab but I'll work out the colour arrangement of the hexies once I get them ready to lay out.

I learned about a cool, wooden, lidded box from IKEA that would be great for mounting a stitched piece. It's called MALLGRODA and is  9 3/4" in diameter.

The inside could also have a stitched bottom and some kind of finishing on the sides. A wood stain and/or varathane would also be a nice way to finish it. I'm going to do some more research on IKEA hacks for mounting stitchery. 

Our closest IKEA store/warehouse is 44km away in The Big City. I sure wish they'd build an IKEA out here in the eastern GTA. For a couple of years we had an IKEA outlet where we could order stuff and have it delivered there for pickup. I used to love buying their cinnamon rolls, Swedish meatballs, gravy, and lingonberry sauce. Unfortunately a couple of years ago the decision was made to close all the IKEA outlets so now we either have to order online or make the trek to the nearest IKEA warehouse store.