The Nuts About Squares CAL by Esther Dijkstra started yesterday and I am very pleased to tell you that the CAL starts with one of my squares. If you look very closely at the photo below, you might be able to recognize it :)
All Photos in This Post Courtesy of Hans Mossel and Scheepjes
Esther Dijkstra from It’s All in a Nutshell has been working on putting together this CAL for a whole year and I cannot tell you how excited I am about the fact that she can finally share this project with you.
The CAL sees you making 35 squares using 12 designs from 11 established designers. Some of the patterns are paid patterns, but they will be made available for free (by the generous designers) for the duration of the CAL.
“Each square has been carefully selected to ensure that the squares work together well in their look and feel.”
– Esther Dijkstra
Contributing Designers
- Aurora Suominen*
- Dedri Uys (me)
- Heather Gibbs
- Helen Shrimpton
- Julie Yeager*
- Margaret MacInnis*
- Melissa Green*
- Polly Plum
- Sigrun Hugoey
- Susan Stevens/Mellie Blossom
- Tatsiana Kupryianchyk
Some of these designers (*) were featured in the Block a Week CAL 2014, which was my first large afghan. I am familiar with all the others and have, in fact, made at least one item from each of them, so this line-up makes me all kinds of happy!
Once all the squares have been made, Esther will tell you how to join them before revealing the gorgeous border. When that is all done, there will be a lovely surprise to end it all off with.
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- Nuts About the Earth
Esther has created English (US terms) video tutorials for each square. You can find a playlist of all the video tutorials HERE as they are released. There are also Dutch written translations for each pattern. Parts will be released weekly on a Friday, starting on the 31st of March (yesterday). You will find the Information Post for the CAL HERE. Both the video playlist and the Information Post will be updated weekly.
Yarn Kits
There are three official kits for the CAL.
Nuts About the Sea is made with Colour Crafter and it will be 130 cm x 180 cm big.
Yarn Packs: Deramores and Wool Warehouse.
Nuts About the Earth is made with Stone Washed and it will be 115 cm x 160 cm big. This is my favourite version :)
Yarn Packs: Deramores and Wool Warehouse.
Nuts About the Sky is made with Sunkissed and it will be 100 cm x 140 cm big.
Yarn Packs: Deramores and Wool Warehouse.
Of course, you do not HAVE to use the colour packs. You can put your own colours together and Esther has some helpful instructions for doing just that.
Social Media
If you would like to make the Nuts About Squares blanket along with a wonderfully supportive community, you can join the Official CCC Social Group on Facebook (which will be ‘hosting’ the CAL).
If you share photos of your completed squares on social media, please use #NutsAboutSquares so that Esther and other participants will be able to see your creations.
Square 1 of the Nuts About Square CAL
Sooo… the first square of the Nuts About Squares CAL is Esme’s Winter Cottage. The pattern is Intermediate, but with the photo tutorials and the videos, I am sure that Adventurous Beginners will be able to master it too.
Please remember that you will need to read Esther’s Week 1 Post before you start making. The colours I used when I designed this square are NOT the colours you will need to use for the CAL.
I hope you enjoy this first square and look forward to seeing how yours turn out! Please remember to share your squares using #esmeswintercottage too.
This blog post contains affiliate links. I only link to products I personally use or would use. All opinions are my own.
Pamela says
Is it too late to start?
Dedri Uys says
Hi Pamela. It’s never too late to start :) All the instructions and videos are still available and will remain so.
Caitie says
I’m a bit behind the times with this and just stumbled across this CAL. It’s absolutely STUNNING! I’m having to use some serious self control to not drop all my other WIPs to start on this. just gorgeous.
Valérie says
Hi, just discovering this cal today. I’m a beginner and I would like to do it (my first one :) ), it is so beautiful mainly the earth one
You said that some square patterns were not free but there are for the duration of the cal. They will be payable just after the 16 weeks or much longer?
And how long the videos are viewable please?
Thanks :)
(Sorry for my english)
Dedri Uys says
Hi Valerie. It is best to ask Esther from It’s all in a Nutshell. I am not sure how long the patterns will be free for, but she will know as she is hosting the CAL.
Dedri
Jean Bowen says
Have just seen a gorgeous pattern on the officiallccc post, called MM? Where woukd I find that?
Dedri Uys says
It’s Mandala Madness by Helen Shrimpton. You can find it here: http://www.crystalsandcrochet.com/introducing-mandala-madness-cal/
Irina says
Looks like a wonderful CAL :)
Nancy says
Hi Dedri!
Please tell me if this square could be made with the Stonewashed XL? Well, I think that it could be, but will it just be a vastly different size?
Thank you!!
Dedri Uys says
Hi Nancy. It can, but it will be huge!
jackie of jackie's crafts says
Hi and good day
I was reading the post above from Lida has she tried Amazon
I often buy 1 ball of yarns I find there she may be able to get the yarn pack there
Edith Bell says
Am not on, nor do I like this face book thing. Is there another way to keep getting these squares
I would like to give this CAL a try.
Thanks in advance,
Edith
Dedri Uys says
The parts will be available weekly on Esther’s blog. I have included a link to the information post for the CAL in the post above. You do not need to be on Facebook to join.
Lida says
Hi Dedri!
Is there anyone delivering to South Africa? I see Deramores is out of stock and Wool Warehouse doesn’t deliver to SA anymore.. Any advice? Have done Sophie with local yarn and would prefer to do this one in a color pack..
Thanks!
Lida
Dedri Uys says
That is just so sad :( But I understand completely as it is a nightmare to send parcels home. I am pretty sure beinspired.love stock the colour packs in South Africa.
Gill says
Be Inspired hardly has any Scheepjes stock and doesn’t have the NAS colour packs. I emailed Wool Warehouse yesterday and they were so helpful. They created an order manually for me and I also obviously had to use the DHL option which makes it quite expensive. Especially once adding import duties but at least I managed to get the yarn I want so am happy . Good luck Lida, Gill