While I am on my little ‘design vacation’ following the Sophie’s Universe CAL 2015, I have decided to follow along with LillaBjorn’s Circles of the Sun Mystery CAL.  I will be using Scheepjeswol Linen Soft, because I have always wanted to work with linen yarn and this seemed like the perfect chance to try it.

I took my colour inspiration from this gorgeous piece of fabric.

I had originally hoped to use all the colours on the fabric, but I decided that I should try the more-is-less approach (for once), so I will only be using 5 colours.

I had my heart set on these 6 colours, but the green and the turquoise were so close together (although you wouldn’t say it from the photo below), that I left the green to its own devices.

I am immensely pleased with how these colours play together.  They still provide me with a colour-fix, without being ‘too much’.

The Linen Soft is unlike anything I have worked with before.  (In other words, it isn’t cotton or acrylic.)  The texture is gorgeous and it doesn’t split…

…but it took me quite a while to match my pace to the change in texture, because linen is not as smooth as cotton or acrylic.

I found that changing to the Clover Amour Soft Touch hooks (currently on special on Amazon.com) made it easier for me to work with the yarn until I got used to it.  I am convinced it is because of the coating on the soft touch hooks, which makes them ‘glide’ slightly better than my trusty Clover Amour hooks.  I feel like I am cheating on my hooks, though!

Circles of the Sun CAL by LillaBjorn’s World of Crochet

This CAL has been specifically created to expand your confidence and skills in the realm of overlay crochet.  The squares are small enough that you can finish each one in a couple of hours, and the level of detail will build slowly as the weeks progress.  You can find all the information for the Circles of the Sun CAL HERE.

You can also find Tatsiana’s other designs in her Ravelry Store.

I will be using Scheepjeswol Linen Soft in the following shades:

• 601
• 602
• 603
• 608
• 610

Scheepjes Linen Soft is available HERE from Deramores.  They offer worldwide shipping.  You simply have to select the relevant country from the drop-down menu in the top left-hand corner of their site.  They also offer free shipping over a specified amount.

I will update this post with photos and colours per round as I make each square, so feel free to bookmark it.

Colours per Round for Circles of the Sun in Linen Soft

Block 1

• Round 1:  601
• Round 2:  602
• Round 3:  610
• Round 4:  603
• Round 5:  608
• Round 6:  601
• Round 7:  602
• Round 8:  603
• Round 9:  601
• Decorative Surface Sl st’s:  610

Block 2

• Round 1:  610
• Round 2:  608
• Round 3:  603
• Round 4:  601
• Round 5:  610
• Round 6:  602
• Round 7:  603
• Round 8:  601
• Round 9:  608
• Round 10:  601

Block 3

• Round 1:  603
• Round 2:  601
• Round 3:  610
• Round 4:  601
• Round 5:  608
• Round 6:  603
• Round 7:  602
• Round 8:  601
• Decorative Surface Sl st’s:  610

Time-Out – January 2016

It is now 6 months since I  first posted about Circles of the Sun and I have only just gotten around to adding the photos for the next 4 squares.  The last 2 are almost complete, so hopefully it won’t be another 6 months before I add the photos and colours for those!

I won’t bore you with the details of why everything is taking me so long to do, but I do want to say that I am trying to educate myself in the art of using the manual settings on my camera, while trying to complete as many WIP’s as I can.  You might have noticed, therefore, that my Instagram feed is a bit busier than usual (if you missed it, you can read THIS POST).  I am quite excited, though, because as soon as I finish the tasks I have set myself, I am going to start on an exciting new design.

Right.  Back to Circles of the Sun!

Block 4

• Round 1:  608
• Round 2:  608
• Round 3:  610
• Round 4:  602
• Round 5:  602
• Round 6:  601
• Round 7:  603
• Round 8:  610
• Round 9:  601
• Decorative Surface Sl st’s:  608

Block 5

• Round 1:  601
• Round 2:  608
• Round 3:  610
• Round 4:  610
• Round 5:  602
• Round 6:  602
• Round 7:  603
• Round 8:  601
• Decorative Surface Sl st’s:  608

Block 6

• Round 1:  602
• Round 2:  602
• Round 3:  610
• Round 4:  603
• Round 5:  608
• Round 6:  610
• Round 7:  603
• Round 8:  602
• Round 9:  601
• Central Decorative Surface Sl st’s:  601
• Outer Decorative Surface Sl st’s:  Not Made

Block 7

• Round 1:  610
• Round 2:  610
• Round 3:  603
• Round 4:  610
• Round 5:  601
• Round 6:  608
• Round 7:  602
• Round 8:  608
• Round 9:  601

Time-Out – March 2016

Hehe, it only took me another 2 months to post the last 2 squares :)  Any bets on how long it is going to take me to put them together?

Block 8

• Round 1: 603
• Round 2: 610
• Round 3:  601
• Round 4:  602
• Round 5:  601
• Round 6:  601
• Round 7:  608
• Round 8:  601
• Round 9:  610
• Round 10: 601

Block 9

• Round 1:  610
• Round 2:  603
• Round 3: 602
• Round 4: 608
• Round 5: 610
• Round 6: 608
• Round 7:  601
• Round 8:  610
• Round 9:  603
• Round 10:  601

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