Hello and welcome to the Sophie’s Universe crochet-along.

If you are new to this journey, I am so excited for you!  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!

Sophie’s Universe CAL 2015

Sophie’s Universe began as a mystery crochet-along on 18 January 2015 and ran for 20 weeks. When we started, nobody knew what the finished blanket would look like, or just how intricate it would become!

By the time the design began revealing its complexity, thousands of crocheters were already making Sophie, encouraging each other and discovering that they could do things they might never have attempted if they’d seen the finished blanket first.

With over 8,000 projects on Ravelry, Sophie’s Universe continues to bring crocheters together more than a decade later. From complete beginners to experienced crocheters, Sophie is a crash course in crochet and a wonderful adventure!

Above all, my goal with this pattern has always been to help people approach complex patterns with confidence. Every stitch is just a stitch. You don’t need to know how to make the whole blanket before you begin. You only need to know how to make the next stitch.

Two warnings:

• Pets LOVE Sophie, so prepare to be ambushed!
• Partners and spouses are not immune to her either, often helping to choose colours or checking up on progress (and very occasionally starting one too – like my husband).

Even though the crochet-along has 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 crochet book.

  

Index

• Resources
• Translations
• Difficulty
• Gauge
• Size and Materials (Includes Available Colour Packs)
• Important Tips
• Step-by-Step Tutorials (With links to all the relevant tutorials)
• Helpful Templates
• Blocking
• Examples of Sophie
• Sophie-related Patterns
• More Colourways

Resources

• Photo Tutorials:  You can find the links to all the weekly photo tutorials under Step-by-Step Tutorials below.
• 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.  If you struggle with any aspect of the pattern, I strongly suggest having a look at the video for the relevant part, as they are extremely detailed and helpful.
• Printing/PDF:  There is a Print-friendly button in the bottom right-hand corner after every post.  You can use that button to print each part (or save them as a PDF).  
• Book:  Sophie’s Universe is now also available as a 216-page step-by-step book.  Read more about the Sophie’s Universe Book and where to find it.
• Facebook:  Sophie’s Universe was originally hosted in the Official CCC Social Group, if you’d like to be a part of the friendly community that first supported the CAL.  There is also a dedicated Sophie’s Universe Facebook Group.  It is independently run, and I love seeing everyone’s progress.
• Ravelry:  Add the CAL to your Ravelry Queue
• Instagram:  If you are on Instagram, you can find me as Barbertondaisy.  Please add your photos using #sophiesuniversecal2015 so that we can all Oooh! and Aaah!

Translations

• Dutch CAL Information by Dianne Baan
• German CAL Information by Maja Heidingsfelder
• Spanish CAL Information by Lynda Hernandez
• Finnish CAL Information by Mervi, Pippa, Sari S, and Sari Å
• 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 Emma Vingqvist, Agnetha Magnusson, Åza Karlsson, and Ulrika Larsson
• Arabic Video Tutorials by Banan Felimban

Difficulty

Intermediate, with a caveat!

Sophie’s Universe is technically an advanced crochet pattern, but it was written specifically with adventurous beginners in mind.  I was a beginner(ish) myself when I designed it, so you don’t need to be an advanced crocheter to make Sophie!

With detailed step-by-step photo tutorials, accompanying video tutorials, and dedicated online communities where you can ask questions and find support, you’ll have plenty of help along the way.

In fact, some people have made Sophie as their very first crochet project!

Gauge

The best way to check your gauge is to complete Part 1 of Sophie’s Universe (Rounds 1–8) and measure your work.

	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 will be roughly a tenth of the predicted final size of your blanket.

If your measurements differ from those listed above, don’t panic! It simply means that your tension is different from mine. This will affect your blanket’s finished size and how much yarn you need.

If you are using a yarn kit and your gauge is larger than mine, you may wish to adjust your hook size so that you don’t run out of yarn. If you are using your own yarn or stash, all that really matters is that you are happy with the drape and look of your work.

Size and Materials

Sophie’s Universe was originally made in three different Scheepjes yarns, each with a different yarn weight and finished size. The table below compares the three versions, including their hook sizes, yarn quantities and colours.

You are not limited to these yarns or sizes, though. You can make Sophie with any yarn you like, as long as you’re happy with the resulting fabric and drape.

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

Official Colour Packs for Sophie’s Universe CAL 2015

The original Stonewashed XL, Softfun, and Rainbow Colour Crafter packs are still available from Wool Warehouse. These packs contain enough yarn to complete Sophie’s Universe without the Optional Squares and Border, as long as your tension matches mine.

If you are using a different yarn or your tension is looser than mine, please refer to the Helpful Templates below to calculate how much yarn you may need.

The original Cotton 8 colour pack is no longer available, but you can still find the yarn quantities and colour numbers in the materials table above.

Yarn Kits

• Cotton 8 (Small)
• Softfun (Medium)
• Rainbow Colour Crafter Pack (Medium) – Read more about the Rainbow Colour Crafter Sophie HERE.
• Stonewashed XL (Large)

Important Tips

Choosing Your Hook Size

Some people have experienced problems with the centre of their Sophie bulging. To help prevent this, I recommend starting with the smaller of the two hook sizes listed in the materials table above, then switching to the larger hook after completing the initial mandala (Parts 1–3).

For example, if you’re making the large version with worsted-weight yarn, start with a 5 mm hook for Parts 1–3, then switch to a 5.5 mm hook at the beginning of Part 4.

This is especially important if you’re a beginner, as your tension is likely to change as you become more comfortable with the stitches and techniques.

Blocking and Adjusting Your Hook Size

I recommend blocking Sophie at the end of Part 7 (see Blocking below). If the centre is still bulging after blocking, you may wish to go up another hook size at the beginning of Part 8.

Please keep in mind that increasing your hook size may affect your gauge and the amount of yarn you need, particularly if you’re using one of the official yarn kits.

Bulging and Buckling

As you work through Sophie’s Universe, you’ll notice that some rounds bulge while others buckle. Don’t panic! This is a normal part of the pattern’s intricate shaping, and these areas will settle as you complete subsequent rounds.

The exception is the centre bulging discussed above, which may require blocking or a change in hook size.

It is extremely important that you do not go down a hook size to compensate for temporary bulging or buckling (at all, ever)!

Sophie’s Universe: Step-by-Step Tutorials

Sophie’s Universe is my original crochet design, and I retain the copyright to the pattern. Please do not copy, reproduce, or distribute the written instructions or photographs, in part or in full, without my permission.

You are very welcome to share links to the free tutorials so that others can enjoy making Sophie too!

• Part 1: Rounds 1 – 8
• Part 2: Rounds 9 – 15
• Part 3: Rounds 16 – 25
• Part 4: Rounds 26 – 36
• Part 5: Rounds 37 – 45
• Part 6: Rounds 46 – 53
• Part 7: Rounds 54 – 61
• Part 8: Rounds 62 – 68
• Part 9: Rounds 69 – 74
• Part 10: Rounds 75 – 80
• Part 11: Rounds 81 – 84
• Part 12: Rounds 85 – 88
• Part 13: Rounds 89 – 92
• Part 14: Rounds 93 – 97
• Part 15: Rounds 98 – 101
• Part 16: Rounds 102 – 104
• Part 17: Rounds 105 – 109
• Part 18: Rounds 110 – 113
• Part 19: Optional Squares
• Part 20: Growing Options
• Part 21: The End of the Beginning

Helpful Templates

Whether you’re following one of the original colourways or creating your own, these templates will help you plan your colours, keep track of your yarn usage, and calculate how much yarn you’ll need for the optional squares and border.

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)

If you want to use your own colours, you can use the spreadsheet below to keep a tally of your colours and usage per round.  If you do, 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

Colours Per Round Template (Printable)

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 for the optional squares and border.

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

Colouring Templates

You can download blank colouring-in templates from the 5-year Anniversary Make-along Page HERE.

Blocking

I recommend blocking Sophie at the end of Part 7 and periodically thereafter, especially if the centre starts to bulge or the edges become uneven.

And yes, you can block acrylic yarn! Although acrylic doesn’t respond to blocking in quite the same way as natural fibres, it can still benefit from careful shaping. Just remember that acrylic is sensitive to heat, so avoid using a hot iron or direct steam on your work.

If you’re using foam mats for blocking, interlocking exercise mats (which is what I used) are a great, budget-friendly alternative to dedicated blocking mats, especially for larger projects like Sophie.

You’ll also need some pins to hold your work in place while it dries. I used Clover Fork Blocking Pins, but regular old sewing pins will do just fine.

Examples of Sophie

Looking for colour inspiration? There are thousands of beautiful Sophies out there, each with its own personality! Explore other crocheters’ projects on Ravelry and Instagram, or look at some alternative versions featured here on the blog.

• Ravelry: Browse thousands of Sophie’s Universe projects, including details of the yarns and colours other crocheters have used.
• Instagram: Explore photos shared by the crochet community using #sophiesuniversecal2015.
• Sophie’s Universe in a Single Colour – See how the intricate stitches and textures shine when colour changes aren’t competing for attention.
• Sophie’s Universe in Scheepjes Whirl – A beautiful example of Sophie made with colour-changing yarn.
• Micro-Sophie – An extraordinary miniature Sophie crocheted with sewing thread by Geneva Kae Snyder.

Sophie-related Patterns

If you’ve fallen in love with Sophie’s Universe and aren’t quite ready to say goodbye, there are plenty of ways to keep the adventure going! From extending your Sophie to incorporating her into entirely new projects, these patterns offer even more opportunities to play with her stitches and textures.

• Sophie’s Alternate Universe – An extension of Sophie’s Universe designed by Sonja Holland.
• Sophie’s Dream – A beautiful blanket combining smaller versions of Sophie with Scheepjes Whirl.
• Sophie Stool – A creative way to turn Sophie into a decorative stool cover.
• Sophie Cocoon Cardigan – A wearable interpretation of Sophie by Stephanie Best.

More Colourways

In 2020, we celebrated five years of Sophie’s Universe with a special anniversary make-along featuring three new colourways. Whether you’re making Sophie for the first time or returning for another adventure, these colour combinations offer fresh inspiration for a much-loved pattern.

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