Showing posts with label Scheepjes CAL 2016. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Scheepjes CAL 2016. Show all posts
Today is week 4 of Scheepjes 2016 CAL – Last Dance on the Beach, featuring a wonderful square design by Atty from Atty’s. This square is one of my favourite – with two layers of crochet fabric and amazing structure. I was patiently waiting for its release and was so “hungry” to start making it at once, that it didn’t take long before all 4 squares were finished. Oh, and if you missed week 3 (with my Sunset in the Waves square) you can find it HERE.
You can download the pattern HERE and also check video tutorial by Esther from It’s All in a Nutshell HERE.
Atty is a wonderful designer with a very unique style (she is a lovely person, too. I was very lucky to get acquainted with her in person on Scheepjes Bloggers Day). If you haven’t heard of her before – make sure to check her blog with lots and lots of free patterns. I am not sure I would have the patience myself to make all those small colorful motifs and to weave all yarn tails in, and join them together. But if someone would make Atty’s flower scarf for me, with her colors – I would be the happiest in the world!
Today’s square has a very clear meaning. It represents the waves. But at the same time, as Atty mentions on her blog in a letter to Wink – the waves symbolize the life cycles, with their ups and downs. We all have different periods in our lives. Sometimes they are very tough, and difficult to come through. But when I look at Atty’s square, I imagine that after every deepest “down” there will be for sure the highest “up”. And we just need to find inner sources to cope with temporary problems.
As in the previous weeks I was a bit struggling with the gauge on the first square. I am a pretty tight crocheter, I always choose the smaller hook than recommended on the yarn label. So for me it is not very easy to obtain correct tension every week. The first square became a bit smaller than it should be. And even blocking didn’t help. But I didn’t give up and just started to crochet looser than usually. And ta-dah, my gauge is where it should be. I am not sure I will remake the first square… At least not now. :)
If you have never worked in back and front loops, this design might seem tricky, but don’t worry. It is not difficult at all. You can check THIS post about crocheting in back and front loops, with several progress pictures. And hopefully they will help you to understand the idea.
And here is my Dance in the Rain blanket so far! I chose custom colors (just excluded browns and whites from the kit) and still very happy with this decision.
I am using Merino Soft yarn and Amour Clover hook 4.5mm*. If you also would like to create your custom palette – you can have a look at color chart and pick your shades at Wool Warehouse*, Deramores* (both retailers ship orders internationally), Paradise Fibers* (US) or in local Scheepjes shop (NL and BE). There are also ready kits available for purchase (with Merino Soft and Colour Crafter yarns) – you can read more details about them HERE.
Don't forget to subscribe to my Newsletter not to miss a single post. And you can also follow me on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram.
*This blog post contains affiliate links. Thanks for your support!
Atty is a wonderful designer with a very unique style (she is a lovely person, too. I was very lucky to get acquainted with her in person on Scheepjes Bloggers Day). If you haven’t heard of her before – make sure to check her blog with lots and lots of free patterns. I am not sure I would have the patience myself to make all those small colorful motifs and to weave all yarn tails in, and join them together. But if someone would make Atty’s flower scarf for me, with her colors – I would be the happiest in the world!
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| Photo credit: Atty's |
Today’s square has a very clear meaning. It represents the waves. But at the same time, as Atty mentions on her blog in a letter to Wink – the waves symbolize the life cycles, with their ups and downs. We all have different periods in our lives. Sometimes they are very tough, and difficult to come through. But when I look at Atty’s square, I imagine that after every deepest “down” there will be for sure the highest “up”. And we just need to find inner sources to cope with temporary problems.
If you have never worked in back and front loops, this design might seem tricky, but don’t worry. It is not difficult at all. You can check THIS post about crocheting in back and front loops, with several progress pictures. And hopefully they will help you to understand the idea.
And here is my Dance in the Rain blanket so far! I chose custom colors (just excluded browns and whites from the kit) and still very happy with this decision.
I am using Merino Soft yarn and Amour Clover hook 4.5mm*. If you also would like to create your custom palette – you can have a look at color chart and pick your shades at Wool Warehouse*, Deramores* (both retailers ship orders internationally), Paradise Fibers* (US) or in local Scheepjes shop (NL and BE). There are also ready kits available for purchase (with Merino Soft and Colour Crafter yarns) – you can read more details about them HERE.
Don't forget to subscribe to my Newsletter not to miss a single post. And you can also follow me on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram.
*This blog post contains affiliate links. Thanks for your support!
Hello and welcome to my blog! Today I feel lots of responsibility as my blog is hosting Scheepjes CAL 2016 “Last Dance on the Beach”. We have already visited Esther from Happy in Red and Kirsten from Haak Maar Raak. And I can’t wait to introduce you Square 3 which I called “Sunset in the Waves”.
When I first was contacted with an offer to participate in this project I didn’t hesitate a single second. I just knew I want to be a part of it. This CAL is filled with many feelings. It’s about Marinke Slump (aka Wink from A Creative Being) and her creative life. It’s a celebration of her talent. During the last months of her life she had been working on a new design which was supposed to become a new CAL. Her idea was to create a solid blanket made of squares – each with a new crochet stitch used. Wink wanted to create a kind of space for educational adventure, to work with different structures and textures, and to teach different crochet techniques. I saw a picture of a sample Marinke left with some cabling involved. And I decided to develop this in my own design. You can download the pattern HERE.
If this is the first time you hear about Scheepjes CAL 2016 – please, check THIS post with all general information. And HERE you can find the description of the kits available for purchase (though, of course, you can create your own color combination!). All yarns are available via Wool Warehouse* and Deramores* (both ship orders internationally), Paradise Fibers* (US) and in local Scheepjes shops.
So here is what I’ve come up with. This square uses a lot of front post stitches. If you haven’t worked with them before, they might seem very tricky and maybe scary at the first glance. But in fact these are just “normal” crochet stitches, but attached in a bit different way. Instead of inserting the hook under two loops on the top of each stitch, you will work some of them around the post (vertical part).
Esther from It’s All In A Nutshell has made fantastic, very detailed and clear video's (check them HERE) which will guide you through each and every stitch made in this square. So please, take your time, grab a cup of coffee, tea or maybe wine, relax (try not to work late at night as Esther’s voice is soooo soothing and you can easily fall asleep) and just enjoy your adventure!
As mentioned above, I used front post stitches to design my square, and also clusters. As I imagined it, front post stitches would form textured waves, and clusters would be the “suns” slowly going down into the waves. For the first time in my life I saw a sunset by the sea last year, in Belgium. It was amazingly beautiful!..
I understand there is probably lots of information here, but please take your time to read it through.
When you make an edge, try to insert the hook “inside” the stitches, and not just under them. And try to avoid inserting the hook under one loop only, because in the process of blocking these single loops are pulling too much, and as the result you can get visible holes on the edges.
Seems like that’s all I wanted to share with you… This week’s square will require lots of your attention and concentration. Please, take your time and be patient. And I am sure you will like the result and will be proud of yourself! See you on Facebook in Scheepjes CAL and Shceepjes CAL – International groups.
Update: week 4 square by a talented Atty was already released and you can find it HERE.
Don't forget to subscribe to my Newsletter not to miss a single post. And you can also follow me on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram.
*This blog post contains affiliate links. Thanks for your support!
When I first was contacted with an offer to participate in this project I didn’t hesitate a single second. I just knew I want to be a part of it. This CAL is filled with many feelings. It’s about Marinke Slump (aka Wink from A Creative Being) and her creative life. It’s a celebration of her talent. During the last months of her life she had been working on a new design which was supposed to become a new CAL. Her idea was to create a solid blanket made of squares – each with a new crochet stitch used. Wink wanted to create a kind of space for educational adventure, to work with different structures and textures, and to teach different crochet techniques. I saw a picture of a sample Marinke left with some cabling involved. And I decided to develop this in my own design. You can download the pattern HERE.
If this is the first time you hear about Scheepjes CAL 2016 – please, check THIS post with all general information. And HERE you can find the description of the kits available for purchase (though, of course, you can create your own color combination!). All yarns are available via Wool Warehouse* and Deramores* (both ship orders internationally), Paradise Fibers* (US) and in local Scheepjes shops.
Esther from It’s All In A Nutshell has made fantastic, very detailed and clear video's (check them HERE) which will guide you through each and every stitch made in this square. So please, take your time, grab a cup of coffee, tea or maybe wine, relax (try not to work late at night as Esther’s voice is soooo soothing and you can easily fall asleep) and just enjoy your adventure!
As mentioned above, I used front post stitches to design my square, and also clusters. As I imagined it, front post stitches would form textured waves, and clusters would be the “suns” slowly going down into the waves. For the first time in my life I saw a sunset by the sea last year, in Belgium. It was amazingly beautiful!..
So what is important to know about this square?
I understand there is probably lots of information here, but please take your time to read it through.
- For my blanket I use Merino Soft yarn in custom colors. I am "dancing in the rain" but without browns and whites. Because they don't really fit the interior of my living room. I also use Amour Clover hook 4.5mm*.
- The first row is made on the wrong side. This is important to know for understanding the chart. So all rows on right side are read from left to right.
- You will see “sdc” abbreviation in the pattern. It is just ordinary double crochet stitch (UK term), but the hook is inserted between two stitches of the previous row under all three loops (instead of two, as you usually work it). I chose this stitch on purpose, because it helps to avoid “ridge” on the right side. And your work will look neat.
- When you make front post stitches, please, try to make them to the height of the working row. They should not be too tight or too loose. Because it may lead to a deformation of the square shape. In the picture below you can see what is the difference between wrong and right tension. And please, remember about your gauge in general. It should fit the test swatch which you have probably made. If not, please also check THIS tips&tricks document.
- Front post stitches “overlay” the stitches of a previous row, that’s why stitches behind front post stitches must be skipped (!!). It is necessary for a correct stitch count. So every time you make 2 front post stitches – you should skip 2 stitches behind them. Esther did a great job explaining it in the video. Just follow her instructions carefully. And counting stitches after every row will help a lot. Then you will know for sure if you worked each row correctly or not.
- And the last important thing is that ch1/ch2 in the beginning of each row DON’T count as a stitch. I used them only as turning chains to make the edge straight and neat.
When you make an edge, try to insert the hook “inside” the stitches, and not just under them. And try to avoid inserting the hook under one loop only, because in the process of blocking these single loops are pulling too much, and as the result you can get visible holes on the edges.
Seems like that’s all I wanted to share with you… This week’s square will require lots of your attention and concentration. Please, take your time and be patient. And I am sure you will like the result and will be proud of yourself! See you on Facebook in Scheepjes CAL and Shceepjes CAL – International groups.
Update: week 4 square by a talented Atty was already released and you can find it HERE.
Don't forget to subscribe to my Newsletter not to miss a single post. And you can also follow me on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram.
*This blog post contains affiliate links. Thanks for your support!
It is happening today! The kits for Scheepjes CAL 2016 “Last Dance on the Beach” are available for purchase! Will you join this CAL? Have you decided on your dance? Will it be in the sea, in the rain or under the stars? I don’t really remember when I was dancing for the last time. In my past life probably. So I would happily make all three blankets, if I only had time and patience.
As I mentioned in previous post (please, be sure to check it for all information about the CAL and kits), I have decided to go for Merino Soft yarn. It took me almost forever to choose colours. I am in love with Dance in the Rain, but unfortunately brown and white will not suite the colour palette of my living room very well. So I decided to leave them out, and pick a fewer shades than offered in the kit. I guess I will go for gray’s and blue’s.
But before I came up with this colour way, I was also thinking about making the whole blanket in one colour only. Its structure is very beautiful, and I am sure in will look just gorgeous in one neutral shade. And you don’t really need to calculate the number of skeins. Luxe kit (Merino Soft - review is HERE) contains 39 balls, and Basic kit (Colour Crafter - review HERE) is made up with 14 skeins. So this amount will be absolutely enough to make a blanket.
Update: in case you would like to compose your own color combination, here is exact amount of each shade you need (for both Merino Soft and Colour Crafter):
Well, as I will not order the kit, I will not get all the wonderful goodies (beach bag, stitch markers and other). But… you can't always get what you want, right? So I will silently be jealous for those who will get a heaven’s package full of treats.
Look what a fun picture Scheepjes posted in both groups on Facebook yesterday!! These are actually the kits, ready to be shipped to different parts of the world. I just love to look at this picture and imagine that one of the boxes is for me.
You can order your own kits via Deramores*, Wool Warehouse* (both ship internationally from UK), Paradise Fibers* (US) and in Scheepjes local shops (Benelux).
I still have several wip’s at the moment which need to be finished, but I will definitely finish them before 20th of April. So that my crochet hook, both my hands and my clear head are ready to start Last Dance on the Beach blanket.
Oh yes, since I will not purchase a kit, there will be no donation made from my order. But I will send 2 euros to Mind (in Marinke Slump's (Wink) name) myself. You can do the same if you wish :)
So... It's only left to make an order and wait for the yarn and for the beginning of the CAL. (I am sooooo excited and can't wait!). to be continued...
Don't forget to subscribe to my Newsletter not to miss a single post. And you can also follow me on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram.
*This blog post contains affiliate links. Thanks for your support!
As I mentioned in previous post (please, be sure to check it for all information about the CAL and kits), I have decided to go for Merino Soft yarn. It took me almost forever to choose colours. I am in love with Dance in the Rain, but unfortunately brown and white will not suite the colour palette of my living room very well. So I decided to leave them out, and pick a fewer shades than offered in the kit. I guess I will go for gray’s and blue’s.
But before I came up with this colour way, I was also thinking about making the whole blanket in one colour only. Its structure is very beautiful, and I am sure in will look just gorgeous in one neutral shade. And you don’t really need to calculate the number of skeins. Luxe kit (Merino Soft - review is HERE) contains 39 balls, and Basic kit (Colour Crafter - review HERE) is made up with 14 skeins. So this amount will be absolutely enough to make a blanket.
Update: in case you would like to compose your own color combination, here is exact amount of each shade you need (for both Merino Soft and Colour Crafter):
Merino Soft :
*************
Main Colour x 9 balls
Colour A x 3 balls
Colour B x 5 balls
Colour C x 3 balls
Colour D x 5 balls
Colour E x 2 balls
Colour F x 3 balls
Colour G x 3 balls
Colour H x 3 balls
Colour I x 3 balls
*************
Main Colour x 9 balls
Colour A x 3 balls
Colour B x 5 balls
Colour C x 3 balls
Colour D x 5 balls
Colour E x 2 balls
Colour F x 3 balls
Colour G x 3 balls
Colour H x 3 balls
Colour I x 3 balls
Colour Crafter:
***************
Main Colour x 3 balls
Colour A x 1 ball
Colour B x 2 balls
Colour C x 1 ball
Colour D x 2 balls
Colour E x 1 ball
Colour F x 1 ball
Colour G x 1 ball
Colour H x 1 ball
Colour I x 1 ball
***************
Main Colour x 3 balls
Colour A x 1 ball
Colour B x 2 balls
Colour C x 1 ball
Colour D x 2 balls
Colour E x 1 ball
Colour F x 1 ball
Colour G x 1 ball
Colour H x 1 ball
Colour I x 1 ball
Well, as I will not order the kit, I will not get all the wonderful goodies (beach bag, stitch markers and other). But… you can't always get what you want, right? So I will silently be jealous for those who will get a heaven’s package full of treats.
Look what a fun picture Scheepjes posted in both groups on Facebook yesterday!! These are actually the kits, ready to be shipped to different parts of the world. I just love to look at this picture and imagine that one of the boxes is for me.
You can order your own kits via Deramores*, Wool Warehouse* (both ship internationally from UK), Paradise Fibers* (US) and in Scheepjes local shops (Benelux).
I still have several wip’s at the moment which need to be finished, but I will definitely finish them before 20th of April. So that my crochet hook, both my hands and my clear head are ready to start Last Dance on the Beach blanket.
Oh yes, since I will not purchase a kit, there will be no donation made from my order. But I will send 2 euros to Mind (in Marinke Slump's (Wink) name) myself. You can do the same if you wish :)
So... It's only left to make an order and wait for the yarn and for the beginning of the CAL. (I am sooooo excited and can't wait!). to be continued...
Don't forget to subscribe to my Newsletter not to miss a single post. And you can also follow me on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram.
*This blog post contains affiliate links. Thanks for your support!
I am quite bad at keeping secrets… I mean I do keep them of course, but it takes me so much inner energy and concentration not to tell something I shouldn’t… And when it’s the time to finally break silence – I am always so excited and happy. Like today for example, as I can finally tell you about an upcoming Scheepjes CAL 2016. It was announced a week ago following with a few sneak peeks and a big reveal of a wonderful, gorgeous blanket. This CAL (crochet-a-long) is not just a very beautiful and fun project to make, but it also has a story behind…
This CAL is dedicated to memory of Marinke Slump (Wink) – a talented crochet designer behind A creative being, who tragically passed away last summer. Marinke had been suffering from depression and lost in this battle... Last summer she was working on a new design which was meant to be a new CAL, but it was not finished. Her death became a tragic news for her family, friends and lots and lots of fans who admired (and admire) her work.
With a permission of Marinke’s family Scheepjes decided to finish her design using Wink’s sketches, samples and colour mood boards. Being a part of a Scheepjes Bloggers Group I was also invited to take part in this sensitive project full of feelings, love and care. Each designer created one square block which were joined together in a blanket called Last Dance on the Beach. And this blanket is devoted to the memory of Wink and as a tribute to her creative work.
Unfortunately I didn't get a chance to get acquainted with Marinke in person. But I believe that joining this CAL will help me to connect with her in some way...
This CAL will begin on April 20th and will last for 14 week. Every week a new square will be introduced and each designer will provide help and support for her design in Facebook groups, created especially for the needs of the CAL. Thousands of people have already joined them and continue to join every day. If you would like to be a part of this CAL – please, also check them. There is international group (with English language - HERE) and a separate group for Dutch speaking crafters HERE.
Update: you can download the patterns for each week HERE.
There are three different themes (colorways) offered for Last Dance on the Beach Blanket – Dance in the Sea, Dance in the Rain and Dance Under the Stars. And all three colorways will be available in so called basic and lux kits.
Basic kit is made up of 14 skeins of premium acrylic yarn Colour Crafter and its price is £33.99 / €43,40.
Lux kit contains 39 balls of luxury Merino Soft yarn, Scheepjes olive wooden button, luxury beach bag, Knit Pro stitch markers, embroidery scissors, colour catcher and eucalon. Lux kits will cost £119.99 / €159,90.
Both kits include a €2 charitable donation to Mind in Wink's name. This donation will be paid for each sold kit. But if you would like to use other Shceepjes yarns for this CAL (for example, cotton or cotton blend) you can send donation yourself, if you wish.
Here are the dimensions of the blankets made with both kits. Maybe they will also help you to decide:
Basic kit: 115 cm x 150 cm
45.2 inches x 59.5 inches
3 ft 9 inches x 4ft 11 inches
Lux kit: 130cm x 160 cm
51.1 inches x 62.9 inches
4ft 3 inches x 5ft 2 inches
Kits will be available for purchase on 1st of April (this Friday) HERE on Deramores*, HERE on Wool Warehouse* (both retailers ship internationally), via all Scheepjes stockists, and on Paradise Fibers* (US). There are only 3 weeks left before the CAL begins, so it’s the right time to have a look at yarns, colour charts and decide which kit is right for you. So that you get your yarn on time.
I will also join this CAL and make my own blanket. I was hesitating if I should choose basic or lux kit, but finally decided to go for Merino Soft. If you haven’t tried any of these yarns, maybe my reviews can help you a bit. You can read about Colour Crafter HERE and my own opinion about Merino Soft is HERE.
I decided to use Merino Soft mostly because I already have one blanket (Birthday in Malmö) made with Colour Crafter. This is not ordinary acrylic yarn, it is very soft and if you are not fond of artificial fibres in general, maybe this yarn will help you to change your point of view. Colour Crafter has several advantages and one of them is lower price (in comparison with lux kit), but it doesn’t mean at all that your finished blanket will look cheap. I’ve made one for myself and I am very happy with it.
I still haven’t decided which exactly colours I want to use, as I am truly in love with all of them. This is not an easy choice, indeed. But Dance in the Rain seems to fit interior of my living room the best… But who knows, maybe I will change my mind.
Please, use hashtags #ScheepjesCAL2016, #LastDanceOnTheBeach and #LDOTB for marking your projects on social media. And if you have a Ravelry account, don’t forget to add this project to your Ravelry Queue.
I can’t wait to order yarn and start crocheting!! This will be my first CAL, can you imagine? I will post about my progress regularly, so see you soon!
You can subscribe to my Newsletter not to miss a single post, pattern and tutorial. And you can also follow me on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram.
*This blog post contains affiliate links. Thanks for your support!
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