How are you all doing? Are you ready for Part 6 of the CAL?

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 let’s get down to Part 6 then shall we, this week we are going to be adding some mushrooms to our Enchanted Wood.

I always thing that mushrooms are a fascinating and diverse feature of woodlands, many species can be spotted all year round and there are hundreds of different types. Fungi are the main decomposers the woods breaking down dead plants,  basically it feeds itself by digesting organic matter which it then returns as nutrients to the soil. Clever little things, so I thought they needed a place in our blanket.

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 6 – Mushrooms

Yarn: 160g / 400m / 437yds or 2 x 100g ball of Stylecraft Naturals Cotton and Bamboo in Celery (7155) – YARN H or alternatively 2 x 100g of Stylecraft Special DK in Pistachio (1822) – YARN F

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 6 Approximate measurements:

• In Naturals 84cm (33”) wide x 104cm (40.9”) long
• In Special DK: 85.5cm (33.5”) wide x 103.5cm (40.5”) 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 st indicated 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 st indicated and pull up a loop (three loops on hook), yarn over, pull through two loops, yarn over, pull through remaining two loops on hook.
• Seven Treble Cluster (7trCl): Work 7 trebles into one stitch.
• 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.
• Puff Stitch (PF): Work puff stitches in this  pattern as follows; Yarn over and insert your hook into the specified stitch/space, yarn over again and pull up a long loop.  (Yarn over and insert your hook into the same stitch / space, yarn over again and pull up a long loop) repeat from ( …) three more times (5 times total – 11 loops on hook).  Yarn over and pull through 10 loops on your hook (2 loops on hook), yarn over and pull through  last 2 loops on hook to close.   Puff stitches will show on the other side of your work when made.
• 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

SCHEMATIC – PART 6

PATTERN – PART 6

You will build part 6 onto the right side of the CAL;

• With the right side facing you will work on the row ends of part 5, then across part 4, then on the row ends of part 5 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 5.
• The ch3 counts 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.
• You will not count the sl st’s of row 5 in your stitch count when instructed to miss sts.
• If you find that your rows are pulling into the centre you may wish to use a larger hook for this section e.g. 4mm (US size G/6).

Row 1 (RS): Sl st to join YARN H around the post of the last st of Part 5; ch3, 1tr in the same st,[ miss st at end of the next row, 2tr around the post of the next st ] repeat from [ … ] evenly fourteen times on Part 3, 1tr in the corner of Part 4, BPtr in the next 123sts of Part 4, 1tr in the      corner of Part 4, 2tr around the post of the next 2sts [miss st at the end of the next row, 2tr around the post of the next st], repeat { … ] evenly twelve times more on the row ends of Part 5, turn. 62 tr / 123 BPtr / 185 sts

Row 2: Ch3, 1tr in the next st, [ch1, miss st, 1tr in the next 3sts] repeat { … ] across until the last 3sts, ch1, miss st, 1tr in the last 2sts, turn. 139 tr / 46 x ch1-sps

Row 3: Ch3, 1tr in each st across, turn. 185 tr

Row 4 (WS) : Ch3, 1tr in the next st, [ch2, miss 2sts, PF in the next st, ch2, miss 2sts, 1tr in the

next 3sts ] repeat { … ] across another twenty-one times, ch2, miss 2sts, PF in the next st, ch2, miss 2sts, 1tr in the last 2sts. 70 tr / 46 x ch2-sps / 23 PF

Row 5: Ch1, 1dc in the next st, sl st in the next st, [miss 2 ch, 7trCl in the top of the next PF st, miss 2 ch, sl st in the top of the next tr, ch4, miss next st, sl st in the top of the next tr] repeat { … ] across another twenty-one times, miss 2 ch, 7trCl in the top of the next PF st, miss 2 ch, sl st in the top of the next tr, 1dc in the last st, turn. 23 x 7trCl / 22 x ch4-sps / 2 dc

Row 6: Ch6 (counts as tr + ch3), [ miss 3sts, 1 dc in the top centre tr of the 7trCl, ch3, miss 3sts, 1htr in the ch4-sp, ch3 ] repeat from { … ] across another twenty-one times, miss 3sts, 1 dc in the top centre of the 7trCl, miss 3sts, 1tr in the last st, turn. 2tr / 22 htr / 23 dc / 46 x ch3-sps

Row 7: Ch3, [ 3tr in the next ch3-sp, 1tr in the next dc, 3tr in the next ch3-sp, 1tr in the next htr ] repeat { … ] across another twenty-one times, 3tr in the next ch3-sp, 1tr in the next dc, 3tr in the next ch3-sp, 1tr in the last st, turn. 185 tr

Rows 8 – 13: Repeat rows 2 – 7

Rows 14—15: Repeat rows 2 – 3. 185 sts

Fasten off and weave in ends.

Reattach YARN H to the opposite side of your work and repeat rows 1 – 15. 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 st indicated 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 st indicated and pull up a loop (three loops on hook), yarn over, pull through two loops, yarn over, pull through remaining two loops on hook.
• Seven Double Crochet Cluster (7dcCl): Work 7 double crochet into one stitch.
• Back Post Double Crochet (BPdc): 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
• Puff Stitch (PF): Work puff stitches in this  pattern as follows; Yarn over and insert your hook into the specified stitch/space, yarn over again and pull up a long loop.  (Yarn over and insert your hook into the same stitch / space, yarn over again and pull up a long loop) repeat from ( …) three more times (5 times total – 11 loops on hook).  Yarn over and pull through 10 loops on your hook (2 loops on hook), yarn over and pull through  last 2 loops on hook to close.   Puff stitches will show on the other side of your work when made.
• [ … ] Repeat section in square brackets  until  specified
• ( … ) Repeat section in curved brackets into one stitch or space

SCHEMATIC – PART 6

PATTERN – PART 6

You will build part 6 onto the right side of the CAL;

• · With the right side facing you will work on the row ends of part 5, then across part 4, then on the row ends of part 5 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 5.
• · The ch3 counts 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.
• · You will not count the sl st’s of row 5 in your stitch count when instructed to miss sts.
• · If you find that your rows are pulling into the centre you may wish to use a larger hook for this section e.g. 4mm (US size G/6).

Row 1 (RS): Sl st to join YARN H around the post of the last st of Part 5; ch3, 1dc in the same st,[ miss st at end of the next row, 2dc around the post of the next st ] repeat from [ … ] evenly fourteen times on Part 3, 1dc in the corner of Part 4, BPdc in the next 123sts of Part 4, 1dc in the      corner of Part 4, 2dc around the post of the next 2sts [miss st at the end of the next row, 2dc around the post of the next st], repeat { … ] evenly twelve times more on the row ends of Part 5, turn. 62 dc / 123 BPdc / 185 sts

Row 2: Ch3, 1dc in the next st, [ch1, miss st, 1dc in the next 3sts] repeat { … ] across until the last 3sts, ch1, miss st, 1dc in the last 2sts, turn. 139 dc / 46 x ch1-sps

Row 3: Ch3, 1dc in each st across, turn. 185 dc

Row 4 (WS) : Ch3, 1dc in the next st, [ch2, miss 2sts, PF in the next st, ch2, miss 2sts, 1dc in the next 3sts ] repeat { … ] across another twenty-one times, ch2, miss 2sts, PF in the next st, ch2, miss 2sts, 1dc in the last 2sts. 70 dc / 46 x ch2-sps / 23 PF

Row 5: Ch1, 1sc in the next st, sl st in the next st, [miss 2 ch, 7dcCl in the top of the next PF st, miss 2 ch, sl st in the top of the next dc, ch4, miss next st, sl st in the top of the next dc] repeat { … ] across another twenty-one times, miss 2 ch, 7dcCl in the top of the next PF st, miss 2 ch, sl st in the top of the next dc, 1sc in the last st, turn. 23 x 7dcCl / 22 x ch4-sps / 2 sc

Row 6: Ch6 (counts as dc + ch3), [ miss 3sts, 1 sc in the top centre dc of the 7dcCl, ch3, miss 3sts, 1hdc in the ch4-sp, ch3 ] repeat from { … ] across another twenty-one times, miss 3sts, 1 sc in the top centre of the 7dcCl, miss 3sts, 1dc in the last st, turn. 2dc / 22 hdc / 23 sc / 46 x ch3-sps

Row 7: Ch3, [ 3dc in the next ch3-sp, 1dc in the next sc, 3dc in the next ch3-sp, 1dc in the next hdc ] repeat { … ] across another twenty-one times, 3dc in the next ch3-sp, 1dc in the next sc, 3dc in the next ch3-sp, 1dc in the last st, turn. 185 dc

Rows 8 – 13: Repeat rows 2 – 7

Rows 14—15: Repeat rows 2 – 3. 185 sts

Fasten off and weave in ends.

Reattach YARN H to the opposite side of your work and repeat rows 1 – 15. Fasten off and weave in ends.

And that’s it! Part 6 completed! I hope you’ve enjoyed the start and I can’t wait to se your mushrooms sprout from Parts 4 and 5!

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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