Sophie’s Universe CAL 2015

Hello and Welcome to the Sophie’s Universe CAL 2015.

You have no idea how excited (and how nervous) I am about this CAL.  I hope that you will enjoy making this blanket with us.  May you learn lots of new stitches and make many, many good friends along the way!

Those of you who followed the Block a Week CAL 2014 will know that the CAL (crochet-along) was hosted by the Official CCC Social Group on Facebook (you have to be logged into Facebook in order to access the link to the group).  The mastermind behind the CAL was my good friend Kimberly Slifer.  For Sophie’s Universe I will be teaming up with Kimberly again.

IMPORTANT:  Please do not copy, reproduce, or distribute this pattern in part or as a whole.  This pattern belongs to me and I retain all rights to it.  Please see my Terms of Use if you would like to read more.  Alternatively contact me using the Contact Me tab at the top of this page. 

Thank you,

Dedri

Sophie’s Universe CAL 2015

The CAL started on the 18th of January 2015, and ran for 20 weeks.  Even though the crochet-along has now finished, the instructions will remain available (for free) indefinitely.  At the bottom of this post you will find a list of all the tutorials and their related links.

Please note that this project is a continuous, square blanket, which has been specifically designed for this CAL, not a lot of individual squares.

Index

• Resources
• Translations
• Difficulty
• Gauge
• Size and Materials (Includes Available Colour Packs)
• Sophie’s Universe Timeline (Links to all the tutorials as they become available)
• Helpful Templates
• Important Tips
• Blocking
• Examples of Sophie

Resources

• **NEW** Book:  Sophie’s Universe is now also available as a 216-page step-by-step book.  You can find all the details HERE.
• Tutorials:  The tutorials will be posted here on my website every Sunday (see Timeline below for links).
• Printing/PDF:  There is a Print-friendly button in the bottom right-hand corner after every post.  Please use this print-friendly button to print/save the tutorials.  Take a look at THIS TUTORIAL if you don’t know how to use the print-friendly button.
• *Video Tutorials*:  Esther Dijkstra from It’s All in a Nutshell has made step-by-step video tutorials for each part of Sophie’s Universe.  You can find all the video’s HERE.  You can also find a link to the relevant video at the start of each weekly part.
• Facebook:  Join the Official CCC Social Group on Facebook (you have to be logged into Facebook in order to access the link to the group) if you would like to be a part of the friendly, supportive community on there while you work through the tutorials.
• Ravelry:  Add the CAL to your Ravelry Queue
• Instagram:  If you are on Instagram, you can find me HERE.  Please add your photos using #sophiesuniversecal2015
• Pinterest:  You can find the links to all the tutorials HERE on Pinterest.  If you share your Sophies on Pinterest, please consider using #sophiesuniversecal2015.
• Map:  You can add yourself to the Sophie’s Universe Map, started by Shaunna Fuellbrandt.  It would be great to see how many people are working on Sophie.

Translations

• Dutch CAL Information by Dianne Baan
• German CAL Information by Maja Heidingsfelder
• Spanish CAL Information by Lynda Hernandez
• Finnish CAL (starting 24th of February 2017)
• French CAL Information by Sandra Larvin (with Video Tutorials by Géraldine Cymer)
• Danish Translations by Tina Poulsen
• Russian CAL Information by Natalie V. Alimpieva
• Swedish CAL Information by Aneli Moberg from Paradisfrun Virkar
• Arabic Video Tutorials by Banan Felimban

Difficulty

Intermediate

Gauge

The best way to check your gauge is to work up Part 1 of Sophie’s Universe.

	Large	Medium	Small
At the end of Part 1:	18 cm  (7″)	14 cm  (5.5″)	10 cm (4″)
The measurements you get at the end of Part 1 (in other words, at the end of Round 8) will be roughly a tenth of the predicted final size of your blanket.

Size and Materials

The pattern was designed for worsted weight yarn and a 5.5 mm crochet hook  (US I/9  UK 5), which will give you a finished size of 1.8 meters squared.  That’s just shy of 6 feet, for those of you who live on the other side of the pond.

You are not, however, limited to worsted weight yarn.  I will be using Scheepjeswol for the CAL and I will be making 3 blankets, each in a different yarn weight (and therefore a different size).  You can find more details about that below.

Please note that the table below does not include the yarn needed for the Optional Squares and Border.  You will find the yardages for that under Helpful Templates below.

	Large	Medium*	Small
Finished Size:	1.8 m x 1.8 m  (6′ x 6′)	1.4 m x 1.4 m  (4’7 x 4’7)	1 m x 1 m  (3’3 x 3’3)
Yarn Weight:	Worsted Weight (#4)	Double knit (#3)	4 Ply (#2)
Hook Size**:	5 mm hook (US H/8 UK 6) 5.5 mm hook  (US I/9  UK 5)	3.5 mm hook (US E/4  UK 9) 4 mm hook  (US G/6  UK 8)	2.5 mm hook (UK 12) or 2.75 mm hook (US C/2) 3 mm hook  (UK 11) OR 3.25  (US  D/3  UK 10)
Yardage:	3900 meters (4265 yards)	3400 meters (3720 yards)	2500 meters (2730 yards)
I am using:	Scheepjeswol Stonewashed XL	Scheepjeswol Softfun	Scheepjeswol Cotton 8
Colours***:	23 x Moon Stone (841)	2 x Canary (2518)	1 x Canary (714)
	3 x Amazonite (853)	2 x Light Rose (2513)	1 x Light Pink (718)
	3 x Green Agate (855)	3 x Rose (2514)	2 x Fuchsia (720)
	3 x Blue Apatite (845)	2 x Bordeaux (2492)	1 x Pink (719)
	6 x Canada Jade (846)	3 x Cyclamen (2534)	2 x Moors (726)
	3 x Lemon Quartz (852)	3 x Olive (2531)	2 x Light Green (642)
	3 x Deep Amethyst (851)	1 x Dark Turquoise (2511)	1 x Turquoise (712)
	3 x Garnet (850)	6 x Light Blue (2432)	5 x Light Turquoise (622)
	3 x Corundum Ruby (848)	2 x Pink (2480)	1 x Violet (529)
	3 x Coral (856)	2 x Heath (2493)	1 x Heath (721)
		2 x Violet (2519)	1 x Light Purple (651)
All these yarns are available from Wool Warehouse and Deramores.  Both sites offer worldwide shipping.  You can find the direct links for the colour packs below.

* 16/9/16 I am busy making a new Medium version of Sophie in Colour Crafter, following the bright colourway of the Small version.  You can read more about it HERE.  Yarn packs are available in my Wool Warehouse Shop HERE and from Loremar HERE.

** There are 2 hook sizes listed for each size.  Please see Important Tips before you start.

*** You can now find all the colours and amounts used (per round), as well as the yarn needed for the Optional Squares and Border, under Helpful Templates below. 

Colour Packs for Sophie’s Universe CAL 2015

Please note that these packs contain enough yarn to complete Sophie if your tension matches mine.  If you are a ‘loose crocheter’, please see the Helpful Templates below to figure out how much more yarn you will need.

Wool Warehouse

• Cotton 8 (Small)
• Softfun (Medium)
• Stonewashed XL (Large)
• **NEW** Colour Crafter Pack (Medium) – You can find the details HERE.

Deramores  

• Cotton 8 (Small)
• Softfun (Medium)
• Stonewashed XL (Large)

Loremar

• Cotton 8 (Small)
• Colour Crafter Pack (Medium)

Optional Squares and Border Colour Packs

If you are wanting to add the optional squares and border, you can now find colour packs (and information) for that HERE.

Sophie’s Universe Timeline

Update:  If you would like to make a much larger version of Sophie, please have a look at Sophie’s Alternate Universe.
Week 1:	18 January 2015	Part 1:  Rounds 1 – 8
		Part 2:  Rounds 9 – 15
Week 2:	25 January 2015	Part 3:  Rounds 16 – 25
Week 3:	01 February 2015	Part 4:  Rounds 26 to 36
Week 4:	08 February 2015	Part 5:  Rounds 37 – 45
Week 5:	15 February 2015	Part 6:  Rounds 46 – 53
Week 6:	22 February 2015	Part 7:  Rounds 54 – 61
Week 7:	01 March 2015	Part 8:  Rounds 62 – 68
Week 8:	08 March 2015	Part 9:  Rounds 69 – 74
Week 9:	15 March 2015	Part 10:  Rounds 75 – 80
Week 10:	22 March 2015	Part 11:  Rounds 81 – 84
Week 11:	29 March 2015	Part 12:  Rounds 85 – 88
Week 12:	05 April 2015	Part 13:  Rounds 89 – 92
Week 13:	12 April 2015	Part 14:  Rounds 93 – 97
Week 14:	19 April 2015	Part 15:  Rounds 98 – 101
Week 15:	26 April 2015	Part 16:  Rounds 102 – 104
Week 16:	03 May 2015	Part 17:  Rounds 105 – 109
Week 17:	10 May 2015	Part 18:  Rounds 110 – 113
Week 18:	17 May 2015	Part 19:  Optional Squares
Week 19:	24 May 2015	Part 20:  Growing Options
Week 20:	31 May 2015	Part 21:  The End of the Beginning

Helpful Templates

Colours Per Round

Here you will find the colours and yardages used per round for each of the 3 sizes (small, medium, and large).

• Colours Per Round (Small Version)
• Colours Per Round (Medium Softfun Version)
• Colours Per Round (Medium Colour Crafter Version)
• Colours Per Round (Large Version)

Optional Squares and Border Template

Here you will find the (additional) colours and yardages used per round used for the optional squares and border.

• Optional Squares and Border Cotton 8
• Optional Squares and Border Softfun
• Optional Squares and Border Stonewashed XL

Colours Per Round Template (Blank)

You can use this spreadsheet to keep a tally of your colours and usage per round.  You will notice that there are some values (in orange) already entered on the template.  This is just example text and should be replaced with your own values.

• Save the spreadsheet to your Google Drive
• Save to your computer as an Excel spreadsheet

Printable Colours Per Round Template

Brandi Kasper-Theisen designed this one-sheet template to help you keep a tangible record of which colour you used per round.

Printable Colours Per Round Template

More Helpful Resources

• Organize Your Crochet Projects
• Organize Your Yarn Stash

Important Tips

As the CAL progressed, it became apparent that there was one issue I hadn’t foreseen:  change in gauge as Sophie grows.

The symptom:

A “bulging” center.

The possible causes:

• Personal tension improves as the individual crocheter’s skill level and confidence grows.  This is most apparent in Sophies where the crocheter was a complete beginner when they started, because their tension in the initial mandala and garden will be very different (looser) from their tension in the later parts (tighter).
• The concentration of dense stitches in later rounds vs “lacy” center.
• Individuals “going down” a hook size in later rounds to keep to the suggested size (which you shouldn’t do in this pattern, at all, ever!)
• The way the pattern rests on your lap when working – in my case my knee is always pushing against the center when I am working on my medium Sophie.  I block her and she’s fine.  But after hours of having my knee constantly pushing and stretching the center, she bulges again.

Unfortunately, this bulging is not just limited to beginners, so I am going to give you some advice on how to avoid this if you haven’t started yet (or if you plan to make another Sophie).  It is important to note, though, that Sophie is meant to be blocked regularly to straighten her out.  Do not base your “diagnosis” on an unblocked Sophie!!

Suggestions:

Start with the smallest of the 2 hook sizes listed for each size.  If you are making the large version with worsted weight yarn and a 5.5 mm hook, for example, start with a 5 mm hook and complete the initial Mandala (Parts 1 – 3) with that hook.  This is especially important if you are a complete beginner!

At the start of Part 4, change to the recommended hook size (in this example that would be a 5.5 mm hook).

Block your Sophie at the end of Part 7 (see Blocking below).  If your center starts bulging again, go up a further hook size at the start of Part 8 (in this example that would be a 6 mm hook).

I hope these suggestions make sense, and that you find them useful.

Blocking

From Part 7 of Sophie’s Universe, I suggest blocking your work.  Annie’s has some good advice for Blocking Afghans and Other Large Pieces.

Quite a few people think that you cannot block acrylic yarn.  You can, in fact, block acrylic yarn quite successfully!

If you are going to use foam squares to  block on, consider buying these Interlocking Foam Exercise Mats.  They are similar to these Knitter’s Pride Lace Blocking Mats, but cheaper.  You will also need some of these Clover Fork Blocking Pins.

Examples of Sophie

If you would like to see some inspirational versions/colourways, you can find them here:

• Ravelry – you can see some awesome examples (along with colours and yarn used) HERE.
• Instagram – you can find all the images tagged with #sophiesuniversecal2015 HERE.
• My ADHD Life – Amelia Vincent from My ADHD Life has put together some posts containing examples of her favourite Sophies.  You can find them here:
  • Sophie’s Universe Continues to Get Larger
  • Beautiful Examples of Sophie’s Universe, Part 1
  • Beautiful Examples of Sophie’s Universe, Part 2
  • Beautiful Examples of Sophie’s Universe, Part 3
  • Watching Sophie’s Universe Grow with Sara Paplia
  • Sophie’s Universe – More Beautiful Examples
  • The End of the (Sophie’s) Universe

This blog post contains affiliate links. I only link to products I personally use or would use.  All opinions are my own.