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. The mastermind behind the CAL was my good friend Kimberly Slifer. For Sophie’s Universe, I will be teaming up with Kimberly again.
Sophie’s Universe: Small Cotton 8 Version
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 on this website (for free) indefinitely. Sophie’s Universe is now also available as a 216-page step-by-step book. You can find all the details HERE.
At the bottom of this post, you will find a list of all the weekly tutorials and their related links.
Index
- Resources
- Translations
- Difficulty
- Gauge
- Size and Materials (Includes Available Colour Packs)
- Sophie’s Universe Timeline (With links to all the relevant tutorials)
- Helpful Templates
- Important Tips
- Blocking
- Examples of Sophie
Resources
- Book: Sophie’s Universe is now also available as a 216-page step-by-step book. You can find all the details HERE.
- Tutorials: You can find the links to all the weekly photo tutorials under Timeline below.
- 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 also find a link to the relevant video at the start of each weekly part.
- Facebook: You can share your journey on the Official CCC Social 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.
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 for the first few parts)
- 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. Although this is an Advanced pattern, it has been written specifically for adventurous beginners.
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**: |
|
|
|
| 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 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.
** There are 2 hook sizes listed for each size. Please see Important Tips before you start.
*** You can 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)
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
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. Copyright is protected by Scheepjes. Please see my Terms of Use if you would like to read more.
Thank you,
Dedri
| 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 (Official)
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)
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.
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
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
More Helpful Resources
Important Tips
Some people have had problems with the centres of their blankets ‘bulging’. To avoid this, I suggest starting with the smaller of the 2 hooks listed for each size and then changing to the larger of the 2 hooks after you have completed the initial Mandala (Parts 1 – 3).
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. At the start of Part 4, change to the recommended hook size (in this example that would be a 5.5 mm hook).
This is especially important if you are a complete beginner as your tension will improve as the blanket grows.
I also suggest blocking Sophie at the end of Part 7 (see Blocking below). If your centre starts bulging again, go up another hook size at the start of Part 8. Please keep in mind that doing this will affect the amount of yarn you end up using.
It is important to note that Sophie is meant to be blocked regularly to straighten her out. Do not base any decisions on an unblocked Sophie!
When making Sophie, you will realize that some rounds bulge and some rounds buckle. This will be corrected in later rounds and is part of the intricate shaping of the pattern. It is extremely important that you do not go down a hook size to compensate for this (at all, ever)!
Blocking
From Part 7 of Sophie’s Universe onward, 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
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.
- More Sophie’s Universe Projects
Please remember to subscribe to my Newsletter if you would like to be kept in the loop. You can also like my Facebook page or follow me on Bloglovin, Google+, Pinterest, Twitter, or Instagram.
Happy Hooking!
This blog post contains affiliate links. I only link to products I personally use or would use. All opinions are my own.
Print Friendly
Lisa Torres says
I’m so glad I found this pattern. I’m in the process of converting it into a skirt and it’s turning out wonderfully so far!