It’s taken a bit longer than I anticipated to get it all together but the crochet along design I’ve been working on for over a year is finally ready for us to start hooking together! Are you excited? I know I am!!
Following the poll I conducted in my Facebook group for the theme for our next Crochet Along (CAL) *drum roll please* the clear winner was to create something like a samplerghan blanket. So I put on my (crocheted) thinking cap and came up with, what I think, is a unique design that you will enjoy making and which I’m quite eager to share with you.
I have already shared the pattern with someone though – and that person is my lovely mum! This is because she has made her own version of the Stitch Story blanket so I could show you how the design looks in a single colour (as I made mine) and how it looks using a selection of colours (as my mum made hers).
Right then, are you sitting comfortably? Then I shall begin with some of the information about this years design which I’m super-duperly thrilled to say has been sponsored by Scheepjes yarns, it’s been tough holding in my excitement about that I can tell you, but the most important bit to tell you is that…
The Stitch Story Crochet Along starts Wednesday 4 July 2018!
I’ll be telling you more about the inspiration for this crochet along in my next post but let’s first go over some of the specifics. This CAL will run for 13 weeks and in that time you can create a blanket either the same as mine or unique to you (I’ll explain more about that in a moment). Square motifs will be released every two weeks (on a Wednesday) here on the blog and I will guide you through the process of learning new stitches and techniques until you have a lovely multi-textured heirloom blanket of your very own – all finished by Christmas.
This is a CAL with a bit of a difference; bi-weekly you will receive a pattern for one of twelve differently designed squares. There will be two sizes of each square that you can choose from – either a 15cm (6″) block or a 30cm (12″) block.
Which size blocks you make will be totally up to you! Make your blanket all one size or mix and match, whatever takes your fancy! This afghan will be completely unique to you with lots of stitches so it won’t get boring! After we have made all of our blocks the last few weeks will include instructions for joining your squares together and adding a border.
The patterns will be available in English and American crochet terminology and a free English step-by-step video tutorial will also be available by the fabulous Esther from It’s All in a Nutshell blog
This is an ideal project for a beginner who would like to move on from the basics of crochet, but those with more experience in hooking should enjoy it as well.
Yarn Amounts:
For the Stitch Story crochet along if you wish to make the same size blanket as me (which is the largest size) you will need at least 1800g (36 x 50g balls / 5,040m) of yarn. The larger sized finished blanket (as shown in the photos) measures 1.8m long x 1.2m wide / 6 foot long x 4 foot wide so suitable for a single bed.
- I used Scheepjes Soft Fun Denim yarn (Shade: 507) for my blanket which is a cotton / acrylic blended yarn that has a subtle colour variation in it much like aged denim (hence the name).
- My mum used Scheepjes Colour Crafter which is 100% premium acrylic yarn which is incredibly soft (and hypoallergenic). She used the following shades and amounts; Hasselt (Shade: 2010) x 2, Vlissingen (Shade: 1723) x 2, Ermelo (Shade: 1710) x 2, Veenendaal (Shade: 1064) x 3, Haarlem (Shade: 1054) x 3, and Breda (Shade: 1029) x 3.
- Esther from It’s All in a Nutshell blog is using Scheepjes River Washed yarn (Wheaton / Shade: 950) which is a dual toned soft woolly feeling cotton yarn. She has estimated using 1000g (20 x 50g / 2600m) for her smaller square blanket.
Hooks:
Hook sizes range from 3.5 mm to 4.5 mm (US size E to 7). The size for each particular block will be indicated on the relevant pattern.
CAL Details:
- There is no charge to join the CAL; anyone can join in as long as they have some yarn and a hook.
- You can favourite / add this project to your Ravelry library here.
- All featured pattern elements in the CAL will be FREE of charge pattern on this blog
- However following requests this time round I will also be offering a downloadable 46 page PDF e-book for sale containing the full pattern in one printable file (without advertisements) on Ravelry for a small charge. During the duration of the CAL this pattern will be released block by block, via Ravelry updates, so as not to spoilt anyone’s fun.
- Also following requests I have created a chart for each block design (for both block sizes) which I’ll include in each blog post.
- For those that like a deadline I will be adding new details about each square every two weeks on a Wednesday at 8.30pm-ish (GMT time) – see below for full schedule. For those that want to hook when they have the time then that’s fine too; there’s no pressure to this CAL it’s all about having fun!
- I will be using both UK and US crochet terminology in the pattern (UK/US) so you can pick your preference. I will also always include any helpful information about each element including links about special stitches with the release of each new section.
- The videos by Esther from It’s All in a Nutshell that accompany this CAL will be released on the subsequent Friday AFTER each new block release.
The Schedule:
6 June 2018 – TODAY | CAL details |
20 June 2018 | CAL Planning |
4 July 2018 | Design 1: The Gauge Block |
18 July 2018 | Design 2: Irish Moss |
1 August 2018 | Design 3: Diamond Pop |
15 August 2018 | Design 4: Pilgrim’s Pathway |
29 August 2018 | Design 5: The Institution of Marriage |
12 September 2018 | Design 6: The Ladder of Life |
26 September 2018 | Design 7: Blarney Bobbles |
10 October 2018 | Design 8: Garden Trellis |
24 October 2018 | Design 9: Fisherman’s Basket |
7 November 2018 | Design 10: Cabled Ropes |
21 November 2018 | Design 11: Six Stitched Braid |
5 December 2018 | Design 12: The Bee Keeper |
19 December 2018 | Joining the blocks together and the border |
As well as posting information on this blog I’ll also be linking the information in my KCACO-UK Community Facebook Group, which if it’s anything like last year, is a great source of support and helpful tips from fellow Crochet-a-longers.
Social Media Links:
The hashtag for this years CAL is #SSCAL18 for Twitter and Instagram. Though you you can join in with any progress photos by linking your projects on your favourite social media sites: Ravelry, Facebook page or Facebook group and Pinterest.
I am so looking forward to seeing everyone’s blankets develop over time!
Until next time; keep calm and crochet on my friends xx
Pingback: Announcement: Stitch Story CAL video tutorials – It's all in a Nutshell
Wow Heather- so exciting!! And it looks like such a beautiful design! As you know I just love Scheepjes yarns… love the photos too! You sound super prepared and super organised- a little different from my CAL!! 🙂 🙂 xxx
Awww thanks!! I learnt a lot from previous CALs but I still didn’t think it would be over a year before I got this one finished lol 😆
I’m anxiously gathering my supplies! Your design looks wonderful!:)❤️❤️
Aww thank you! Happy you are joining in with us!
goeiemorgen zou ook graag meedoen maar ben een beginnend haakster gaat dat gaan gr
Hoi, sorry van tevoren voor slecht Nederlands! Misschien vindt u dit nuttig: http://eenmooigebaar.nl/
This is the perfect christmas present for my grandmother and I will learn more about stiches. I am in!
I can’t wait to start, but I haven’t decided if it’s one colour or many colours, I love your blog and like to crochet for the love of it😁 then I gift my makes😘😘😘
Pingback: Stitch Story Crochet Along | CAL Planning | Keep Calm and Crochet On U.K
Pingback: Stitch Story Crochet Along | Design 1 – Gauge Square | Keep Calm and Crochet On U.K
Hi Heather, I read about this CAL today and started immediately. Love to make a huge blanket with these squares. I have a question. Is the download print version only available on Ravelry or can I buy this somewhere else also, like Etsy? If i want to buy this on Ravelry I can only pay via Paypal and i don’t want to do that, since I had a really bad experience with them.
Hi Marian, at the moment it’s only available to download from Ravelry. Sorry to hear you’ve had a bad experience before ☹️
Hi, I fell in love with stitch story and just bought the pattern on Ravelry, however, i only got the first 12 pages and not the complete pattern…
Hi Yvonne,
The pattern will be updated on Ravelry with each new block release – you do not need to re-purchase the pattern again you will just be notified that the pattern has been updated.
Kind regards
Heather
Pingback: Stitch Story Crochet Along | Design 2 – Moss Stitch | Keep Calm and Crochet On U.K
Pingback: A Very Woolly Weekend | Keep Calm and Crochet On U.K
Pingback: Stitch Story Crochet Along | Design 3 – Diamond Pop | Keep Calm and Crochet On U.K
Pingback: Stitch Story Crochet Along | Design 4 – Pilgrim’s Pathway | Keep Calm and Crochet On U.K
Pingback: Stitch Story Crochet Along | Design 5 – The Institution of Marriage | Keep Calm and Crochet On U.K
Pingback: Stitch Story Crochet Along | Design 6 – The Ladder of Life | Keep Calm and Crochet On U.K
Pingback: Stitch Story Crochet Along | Design 7 – Blarney Bobbles | Keep Calm and Crochet On U.K
Pingback: Stitch Story Crochet Along | Design 8 – Garden Trellis | Keep Calm and Crochet On U.K
Pingback: Stitch Story Crochet Along | Design 9 – Fisherman’s Basket | Keep Calm and Crochet On U.K
Pingback: Stitch Story Crochet Along | Design 10 – Cabled Ropes | Keep Calm and Crochet On U.K
Pingback: Stitch Story Crochet Along | Design 11 – Six Stitch Braid | Keep Calm and Crochet On U.K
Pingback: Stitch Story Crochet Along | Design 12 – The Bee Keeper | Keep Calm and Crochet On U.K
Pingback: Stitch Story Crochet Along | Joining and Edging | Keep Calm and Crochet On U.K