Well we’ve now passed that half way point in the CAL! It’s part of 5 this week, then there are only 3 parts of The Enchanted Wood Crochet Along left!

I’ve so enjoyed watching the pinecones develop from last week in the Facebook group and Instagram! It’s so lovely to see the crochet community come together around the project, from all parts of the world, I can’t tell you how lovely it is to see your work progressing week by week!

Below you can see some of the wonderful photos of the CAL that have been shared of the last part, aren’t they wonderful! If you want to link your photos the hashtag for this years CAL is #KCACOUKCAL23 for Twitter and Instagram. Though you you can also join in with any progress photos by linking your projects on your favourite social media sites: Ravelry, my Facebook page or Facebook group and Pinterest.

So are you are ready to get started on Part 5! For the next part of the CAL we are going to be adding some acorns onto the other sections we’ve already created.

Acorns or oaknuts are a big part of the woods we go for walks in. I love how these seeds come with their own little caps which I used to believe were worn by fairies. They are another thing that are fun to collect on woodland walks which meant that it was another element that I had to include in our CAL.

As before, as well as the written pattern I have included a crochet chart as an extra visual tool. If you are not familiar with reading charts, you you might find my blog post about ‘How to read a crochet chart’ a useful starting point.

If you are brand new to the CAL you can find all the information you need on the CAL landing page, where I’ll link all the CAL posts in one place as I add them here to the blog. Yarn packs are available from the lovely folks at Black Sheep Wools and there are a number of CAL accessories that are also available from some fabulous small businesses (that I talked a little more about here).

The pattern for this crochet along will be available for free here on the blog but sometimes it’s easier to have a printable PDF to refer to. The whole pattern therefore will also be available in a printer friendly PDF version in my Ravelry store (for a one off payment). Each weekly instalment will become ready for immediate download in either UK or US terms. As with any purchase you make of my patterns your support of me and my crochet endeavours is very much appreciated – thank you for supporting my work!

A Dutch version of the pattern will be put together by the very lovely Iris from Eenmooigebaar via the link below. Iris has brilliantly translated a range of my patterns before (these are also available on the website) so I’m delighted she’s joining us again this time.

The Enchanted Wood: Part 5 – Acorns

Yarn: 2 x 70g / 175m / 191yds or 1 x 100g ball of Stylecraft Naturals Cotton and Bamboo in Cameo (Shade 4287) -YARN F and 1 x 100g ball of Stylecraft Naturals Cotton and Bamboo in Nutmeg (Shade 7147) -YARN G or alternatively 1 x 100g of Stylecraft Special DK in Saffron (Shade 1081) – use as YARN F and G

Hook: 3.5 mm (US size E/4)

You will also need: Scissors, A yarn needle, stitch markers

Gauge: 5 htr sts = 2.5cm (1”). Gauge is not critical for this design, with each part I will provide the size of my work. If your gauge does not meet mine it will just mean you will end up with a bigger or smaller blanket. If you wish to match my gauge you might try going up a hook size if your tension is quite tight, or going down a hook size if your tension is looser.

Finished Size (Unblocked):  Part 4 Approximate measurements:

• In Naturals 66.5cm (26”) wide x 104cm (40.9”) long.
• In Special DK: 66.5cm (26”) wide x 107cm (42.5”) long.

The pattern below is in UK Terms, scroll down for US Terms:

STITCH GUIDANCE

• Chain (ch): Bring yarn over hook from back to front and grab it with hook. Draw hooked yarn through slip knot and onto hook. 
• Slip Stitch (sl st): Insert hook in st indicated, yarn over and pull through all loops.
• Double Crochet (dc): Insert hook in st indicated and pull up a loop (two loops on hook), yarn over, pull through both loops on hook.
• Half Treble (htr): Yarn over, insert hook in indicated st and pull up a loop (three loops on hook), yarn over, pull through all three loops on hook.
• Treble (tr): Yarn over, insert hook in  indicated st and pull up a loop (three loops on hook), yarn over, pull through two loops, yarn over, pull through remaining two loops on hook.
• 5 Treble Bobble (5Bob): Yarn over, insert hook in indicated st, [ yarn over and pull up a loop (three loops on hook), yarn over, pull through two loops, yarn over, insert hook in same st ], and repeat […} four times (six loops on hook), yarn over and pull through remaining loops on hook.
• Back Post Treble (BPtr): Yarn over, insert hook from back to front to back around post of indicated stitch below (your hook should now be positioned horizontally behind of the st that you’re working around), yarn over and pull up a loop, yarn over pull through two loops on hook (two loops on hook), yarn over, pull through remaining loops on hook.
• Right side (RS): This indicates the right side of your work
• [ … ] Repeat section in square brackets  until  specified
• ( … ) Repeat section in curved brackets into one stitch or space
• Leaf Stitch (LSt): The leaf hopper stitch is worked around the post of a stitch as you would a front post treble. Working around the post of the next double crochet stitch indicated; [yarn over, insert hook from front to back to front, yarn over and pull up a loop], repeat twice more (seven loops on hook), yarn over and pull through six loops on hook (two loops on hook), yarn over, pull through remaining loops on hook.

SCHEMATIC – PART 5

PATTERN – PART 5

You will build part 5 onto the right side of the CAL;

• With the right side facing you will work on the row ends of part 4, then across part 3, then on the row ends of part 4 again.
• We will be adding rows, working from the bottom upwards, where there isn’t a st you will use post of sts of the row ends of Part 4.
• The ch3 does count as the first st, if this produces too much of a gap at the start of a row it can be substituted for a ch2.
• The ch1 at the start of a row doesn’t count as a stitch.
• The chain stitches in rows 4—5 do count as a stitch.

Row 1: Sl st to join YARN F around the post of the last st of Part 4; ch3, 1tr in the same st,[2tr around the post of the next st ] repeat from [ … ] eleven times more, 1tr in the end post-sp of Part 3, BPtr in the next 69sts, 1tr in the end post-sp of Part 3, [2tr around the post of the next st] repeat { … ] twelves times more, turn. 54 tr / 69 BPtr / 123 sts

Row 2: Ch3, 1tr in the next st, ch2, miss 2sts, 5Bob in the next st, ch3, miss 2sts, 1dc in the next st, [ ch3, miss 2sts, 5Bob in the next st, ch3, miss 2sts, 1dc in the next st ] repeat seventeen times more, ch3, miss 2sts, 5Bob in the next st, ch2, miss 2sts, 1tr in the last 2sts, turn. 19 dc /4 tr / 20 x 5Bob / 2 x ch2-sps / 38 x ch3-sps     

Row 3: Ch1, 1dc in 2sts, 2dc in the ch2-sp, [ 1dc in the next st (should be on top of the 5Bob of previous row), 1dc and 1 htr in the next ch3-sp,

Lst around the dc of the previous row, 1htr and 1dc in the next ch2-sp ] repeat [ … ] eighteen times, 1dc on top of the next 5bob , 2dc in the ch2-sp, 1dc in the last 2sts, turn. 66 dc / 38 htr / 19 Lst / 123 sts

Note: Check your tension on rows 4—5, if you crochet tightly it may pull your row in slightly, if you know you have a tight tension you may wish to change to a bigger hook when working these rows.

Row 4: Ch1, 1dc in the next st [ ch1, miss st, 1dc in the next st ] repeat across, turn. 62 dc / 61 x ch1-sps / 123 sts

Row 5: Ch1, 1dc in the next 2sts [ ch1, miss st, 1dc in the next st ] repeat across until the last st, 1dc in the remaining st, turn. 63  dc / 60 x ch1-sps / 123 sts

Row 6: Ch1, 1dc in the next 2sts, [ ch3, miss 2sts, 1dc in the next st, ch3, miss 2sts, 5Bob in the next st ] repeat eighteen times more, ch3, miss 2sts, 1dc in the next st, ch3, miss 2sts, 1dc in the last 2sts, turn.  24 dc / 19 x 5Bob / 40 x ch3-sps / 123 sts     

Row 7: Ch3, 1tr in the next st [ 1dc and 1htr and in the next ch3-sp, 1tr in the next st (on the dc of the previous row), 1htr and 1dc in the next ch3-sp, 1dc in the next st ( on the 5Bob of the previous row) ] repeat from [ … ] eighteen more times, 1dc and 1htr  in the next ch3-sp, 1tr in the next st, 1htr and 1dc  in the next ch3-sp, 1tr in the last two sts, turn. 59 dc / 40 htr / 24 tr / 123 sts

Rows 8 – 9: Repeat rows 4– 5, turn

Row 10: Repeat row 2, turn

Row 11: Ch1, 1dc in 2sts, 2dc in the ch2-sp, [ 1dc in the next st (should be on top of the 5Bob of previous row), 1dc and 1 htr in the next ch3-sp, 1tr on the dc of the previous row, 1htr and 1dc in the next ch3-sp ] repeat [ … ] eighteen more times, 1dc in the next st, 2dc in the ch2-sp, 1dc in the last 2sts, turn. 66 dc / 38 htr / 19 tr

Rows 12 – 19: Repeat rows 4 – 11

Rows 20 – 26: Repeat rows 4 – 10, turn

Row 27: Repeat row 3, turn

Rows 28 – 29: Repeat rows 4– 5. Fasten off YARN F and weave in ends. 123sts

With YARN G repeat rows 1 – 29 on the opposite short side of your work (see schematic for guidance). Fasten off and weave in ends.

Pattern in US Terms:

STITCH GUIDANCE

• Chain (ch): Bring yarn over hook from back to front and grab it with hook. Draw hooked yarn through slip knot and onto hook. 
• Slip Stitch (sl st): Insert hook in st indicated, yarn over and pull through all loops.
• Single crochet (sc): Insert hook in st indicated and pull up a loop (two loops on hook), yarn over, pull through both loops on hook.
• Half double crochet (hdc): Yarn over, insert hook in indicated st and pull up a loop (three loops on hook), yarn over, pull through all three loops on hook.
• Double crochet (dc): Yarn over, insert hook in  indicated st and pull up a loop (three loops on hook), yarn over, pull through two loops, yarn over, pull through remaining two loops on hook.
• 5 double crochet bobble (5Bob): Yarn over, insert hook in indicated st, [ yarn over and pull up a loop (three loops on hook), yarn over, pull through two loops, yarn over, insert hook in same st ], and repeat […} four times (six loops on hook), yarn over and pull through remaining loops on hook.
• Back Post double crochet  (BPtr): Yarn over, insert hook from back to front to back around post of indicated stitch below (your hook should now be positioned horizontally behind of the st that you’re working around), yarn over and pull up a loop, yarn over pull through two loops on hook (two loops on hook), yarn over, pull through remaining loops on hook.
• Right side (RS): This indicates the right side of your work
• [ … ] Repeat section in square brackets  until  specified
• ( … ) Repeat section in curved brackets into one stitch or space
• Leaf Stitch (LSt): The leaf hopper stitch is worked around the post of a stitch as you would a front post double crochet. Working around the post of the next single crochet stitch indicated; [yarn over, insert hook from front to back to front, yarn over and pull up a loop], repeat twice more (seven loops on hook), yarn over and pull through six loops on hook (two loops on hook), yarn over, pull through remaining loops on hook.

SCHEMATIC – PART 5

PATTERN – PART 5

PATTERN – PART 5

You will build part 5 onto the right side of the CAL;

• With the right side facing you will work on the row ends of part 4, then across part 3, then on the row ends of part 4 again.
• We will be adding rows, working from the bottom upwards, where there isn’t a st you will use post of sts of the row ends of Part 4.
• The ch3 does count as the first st, if this produces too much of a gap at the start of a row it can be substituted for a ch2.
• The ch1 at the start of a row doesn’t count as a stitch.
• The chain stitches in rows 4—5 do count as a stitch.

Row 1: Sl st to join YARN F around the post of the last st of Part 4; ch3, 1dc in the same st,[2dc around the post of the next st ] repeat from [ … ] eleven times more, 1dc in the end post-sp of Part 3, BPdc in the next 69sts, 1dc in the end post-sp of Part 3, [2dc around the post of the next st] repeat { … ] twelves times more, turn. 54 dc / 69 BPdc / 123 sts

Row 2: Ch3, 1dc in the next st, ch2, miss 2sts, 5Bob in the next st, ch3, miss 2sts, 1sc in the next st, [ ch3, miss 2sts, 5Bob in the next st, ch3, miss 2sts, 1sc in the next st ] repeat seventeen times more, ch3, miss 2sts, 5Bob in the next st, ch2, miss 2sts, 1dc in the last 2sts, turn. 19 sc /4 dc / 20 x 5Bob / 2 x ch2-sps / 38 x ch3-sps     

Row 3: Ch1, 1sc in 2sts, 2sc in the ch2-sp, [ 1sc in the next st (should be on top of the 5Bob of previous row), 1sc and 1 hdc in the next ch3-sp, Lst around the sc of the previous row, 1hdc and 1sc in the next ch2-sp ] repeat [ … ] eighteen times, 1sc on top of the next 5bob , 2sc in the ch2-sp, 1sc in the last 2sts, turn. 66 sc / 38 hdc / 19 Lst / 123 sts

Note: Check your tension on rows 4—5, if you crochet tightly it may pull your row in slightly, if you know you have a tight tension you may wish to change to a bigger hook when working these rows.

Row 4: Ch1, 1sc in the next st [ ch1, miss st, 1sc in the next st ] repeat across, turn. 62 sc / 61 x ch1-sps / 123 sts

Row 5: Ch1, 1sc in the next 2sts [ ch1, miss st, 1sc in the next st ] repeat across until the last st, 1sc in the remaining st, turn. 63  sc / 60 x ch1-sps / 123 sts

Row 6: Ch1, 1sc in the next 2sts, [ ch3, miss 2sts, 1sc in the next st, ch3, miss 2sts, 5Bob in the next st ] repeat eighteen times more, ch3, miss 2sts, 1sc in the next st, ch3, miss 2sts, 1sc in the last 2sts, turn.  24 sc / 19 x 5Bob / 40 x ch3-sps / 123 sts     

Row 7: Ch3, 1dc in the next st [ 1sc and 1hdc and in the next ch3-sp, 1dc in the next st (on the sc of the previous row), 1hdc and 1sc in the next ch3-sp, 1sc in the next st ( on the 5Bob of the previous row) ] repeat from [ … ] eighteen more times, 1sc and 1hdc  in the next ch3-sp, 1dc in the next st, 1hdc and 1sc  in the next ch3-sp, 1dc in the last two sts, turn. 59 sc / 40 hdc / 24 dc / 123 sts

Rows 8 – 9: Repeat rows 4– 5, turn

Row 10: Repeat row 2, turn

Row 11: Ch1, 1sc in 2sts, 2sc in the ch2-sp, [ 1sc in the next st (should be on top of the 5Bob of previous row), 1sc and 1 hdc in the next ch3-sp, 1dc on the sc of the previous row, 1hdc and 1sc in the next ch3-sp ] repeat [ … ] eighteen more times, 1sc in the next st, 2sc in the ch2-sp, 1sc in the last 2sts, turn. 66 sc / 38 hdc / 19 dc

Rows 12 – 19: Repeat rows 4 – 11

Rows 20 – 26: Repeat rows 4 – 10, turn

Row 27: Repeat row 3, turn

Rows 28 – 29: Repeat rows 4– 5. Fasten off YARN F and weave in ends. 123sts

With YARN G repeat rows 1 – 29 on the opposite short side of your work (see schematic for guidance). Fasten off and weave in ends.

And that’s it! Part 5 completed! I hope you’ve enjoyed the start and I can’t wait to se your acorns develop!

The Schedule, Updates & Support:

As always if you need a reminder of the schedule then you can find the details on the CAL landing page (here) and you can keep up to date with the CAL details and get support if needed via the following links:

• Follow on the blog
• Sign up to the KCACOUK newsletter
• Join the Facebook Group

As I may have mentioned before the Facebook group is a lovely place of support, there are crocheters in there of all experiences, with new crocheters joining all the time! It’s likely that someone will be able to help you with any questions you might have though of course you can always contact me too here on the blog if you need any help.

The hashtag for this years CAL is #KCACOUKCAL23 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.

Thank you for crocheting along with me – the next eleven weeks are going to be so much fun!

Until next time; keep calm and crochet on my friends xx

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