Hello and Welcome to the Sophie’s Universe CAL 2015.
If you are new to this journey: Welcome! 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: Small Cotton 8 Version
Sophie’s Universe CAL 2015
The CAL started on the 18th of January 2015 and ran for 20 weeks. This pattern has proven to be extremely popular, with over 7000 projects on Ravelry. Seven years later, the majority of my online engagement with fellow crocheters still centers around Sophie.
Followed by thousands of people, ranging from complete beginners to experienced crocheters, Sophie’s Universe is a crash course in crochet and a wonderful adventure! Above all, my goal with this pattern has always been to show people that every stitch is ‘just a stitch’ and to help them learn the skills that will allow them to approach any complex pattern with confidence.
Sophie’s Universe: Medium Softfun Version
Two warnings, though:
- 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)
- Sophie’s Universe Timeline (With links to all the relevant tutorials)
- Helpful Templates
- Important Tips
- Blocking
- Examples of Sophie
- Sophie-related Patterns
- More Colourways
Resources
- Photo Tutorials: You can find the links to all the weekly photo tutorials under Timeline 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. Please use this print-friendly button to print/save the tutorials.
- 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: You can share your journey on the Official CCC Social Group if you would like to be a part of the friendly, supportive community while you work through the tutorials.
- 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!
Sophie’s Universe: Large Stonewashed XL Version
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. 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 Scheepjes 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*: |
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| Yardage: | 3900 meters (4265 yards) | 3400 meters (3720 yards) | 2500 meters (2730 yards) |
| I am using: | Scheepjeswol Stonewashed XL | Scheepjeswol Softfun | Scheepjeswol Cotton 8 |
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| 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
Colour Packs for Sophie’s Universe are available from my Wool Warehouse Shop. Please note that these packs contain enough yarn to complete Sophie’s Universe (without the optional squares and border) 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.
- Cotton 8 (Small)
- Softfun (Medium)
- Rainbow Colour Crafter Pack (Medium) – You can read more about the Rainbow Colour Crafter Sophie HERE.
- Stonewashed XL (Large)
Sophie’s Universe: Medium Rainbow Colour Crafter Version
Sophie’s Universe Timeline
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.
| 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)
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.
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.
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.
Example of the Ubuntu Sophie Colourway featured in the Make-along
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. Then, 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 has started bulging again, go up another hook size at the start of Part 8, but please keep in mind that doing this will affect the amount of yarn you end up using.
When making Sophie, you will realize that some rounds bulge and some rounds buckle. This will be corrected in later rounds (apart from the above-mentioned instance at the end of Part 7) 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 on Ravelry.
- Instagram – you can find all the images tagged with #sophiesuniversecal2015 HERE on Instagram.
- Sophie’s Universe in a Single Colour
- Sophie’s Universe in Scheepjes Whirl
- Micro-Sophie
Sophie-related Patterns
- Sophie’s Alternate Universe – an extension of Sophie’s Universe by Sonja Holland
- Sophie’s Dream – POPULAR
- Sophie Stool
- Sophie Cocoon Cardigan
More Colourways
- 5 Year Anniversary Make-along with 3 new colourways (2020)
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- Ubuntu Colourway
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- Metropolis Colourway
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- Bamboo Soft Colourway
This blog post contains affiliate links. I only link to products I personally use or would use. All opinions are my own.
Gill Glass says
Hi Dedri
Wow … am absolutely blown away – this is THE most exquisite thing Ive seen in FOREVER :) Am definitely going to try this thank you .. My biggest question is – living in Cape Town, do you have any idea of what wool / yarn I can get locally in SA that would work ? Im assuming a pure cotton would be best ? Any ideas please ;) The wool is so so vrek duur here I don’t want to buy the wrong stuff !
Thanks a mill xx Gill
Dedri Uys says
Hi Gill. I would use either Vinni’s Nikkim or Nurturing Fibres Eco Cotton. I Love Yarn would work as well. I have used all 3 of these and love them all. if your money doesn’t quite stretch to cotton, you could always use Elle Gold, which I’ve seen used very successfully.
Wendy says
This looks so cool I’m excited to try it I don’t know if I will use the specific materials but I think I’m going to do it with all of the leftover materials I have from making things for my grandkids and whatnot love it
Dedri Uys says
That’s a great idea. It will make the blanket even more special, having all those memories woven into it.
Sherri Harris says
Dear Dedri,
Thank you so much for this pattern. I have crochet for over 40 years making many afghans but by far this is my favorite. The photos and descriptions helped so much. It is amazing the effort put into this pattern. I have had so many complements on my Sophie. I made her in one color and now will attempt one with colors. I enjoyed making her so much.
Dedri Uys says
I am so pleased to hear that you enjoyed the journey. It always warms my heart when the hours I put in were worth it for someone x
Nicole says
Thank you so much for this pattern. I finished my first sophie yesterday and still have some ends to tackle and it needs to be blocked. The end result is exquisite and I learned so much in the process. I am planning on gifting it to my grandmother who lives in Australia (I live in Israel).
Dedri Uys says
Hi Nicole. I am so pleased that you are happy with your finished blanket. I hope your granny loves it :)
Jaz says
I love love love this pattern and been learning to crochet for over a year so that I can attempt to do this. I have a question though, I’m using this really nice Egyptian cotton for the pattern and after I use it up, I’m going to switch it to and organic cotton that is about half its weight. Will that be an issue? My friend gave me the Egyptian cotton and I’ve not been able to find the same thing since!
Dedri Uys says
Hi Jaz. Switching yarn weights will be a problem as your stitches will be much smaller (and holey) in a thinner yarn, which will make the blanket curl into a bowl instead of lying flat.
Dedri Uys says
Hi Julie. Thank you for your lovely comment. I’m sorry this reply took so long. I’m guessing the fair is over now? How did you do? Are you on Instagram?
Sarah says
Thank you for sharing this brilliant pattern, I’ve loved making it. It took me 12 weeks and I’m hoping my friend will be really happy when I send it to her! Thank you!!
Dedri Uys says
Sarah, I hope your friend will be elated. I would LOVE to receive a project that has so much love and time invested in it.
Charlotte says
Loving the pattern! Will see how I get on… Considering the options of doing another one with colour crafter oculars, but using the colours corresponding to all the cities that have been important to me/my family. In the standard colour way there is Den Helder (where my mum grew up) and Urk (where my mum’s grand parents came from)
Dedri Uys says
Charlotte, that is such a lovely thought! I’ve had the wonderful privilege of visiting the Netherlands a few times now, but I’ve yet to visit either of those places. Urk is probably my favourite colourway, though, so please use that!
Dominique Benoit says
Hi Dedri,
This is the most amazing pattern I’ve ever seen and it’s super easy to follow with all the pictures. This is the first time I’ve used a pattern without a video but I don’t need it!
Thank you so much for sharing your amazing creativity, your hard work, and your enthusiasm.
Dedri Uys says
Yay you for branching out and going out of your comfort zone! I would love to see a photo of your work. Have you posted any?
Dedri
Dominique Benoit says
This is one I uploaded to Google photos: https://photos.app.goo.gl/xVY6nLOAhWQqZo0t1
Hope it works.
I want to make a Queen size bedspread with it. I’m using all acrylic yarn.
Dedri Uys says
That looks lovely!!! Thank you for showing me :)
Janine Kozak says
A truly commendable pattern and easy to follow directions! Your are truly wonderful! I love the large pictures, they really help when I get confuses. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!
Dedri Uys says
Thank you and you are most welcome x
Kelly Nguyen says
I just want to say thank you for your wonderful pattern. I love how personal and detailed you wrote it. All the pictures are so helpful! I love how you said “ I strongly recommend to mark the … stitch, in fact I insist…” hehehe . I never read any pattern down to every single words like this one. Everything you wrote is so helpful! Thanks again❤️❤️.
Dedri Uys says
Thank you so much, Kelly. I’m really pleased that you found the instructions helpful and amusing x
Kitty says
First, let me say this is a wonderful gift you have given all of us. I have learned so much! I just finished part 6. I just purchased the mats and pins to block after part 7. I have been researching blocking and have found everything from the link you gave for blocking large pieces, to “if you are using acrylic just wash it and dry it when you are done, you will be fine”. So…I am indeed using acrylic. Do I need to block in stages? If I do, and I wash the thing when done (or after using for a time), do I have to block all over again? Should I just wait until the end and wash it and block it then? Sorry for such a long question.
Dedri Uys says
Hi Kitty. For this project, you will need to block at least once so that you can figure out if you need to go up a hook size where suggested. If you do not do it at that point, your center might bulge. Once made, you can wash and dry flat, gently stretching the blanket into shape.
Kate says
My Sophie was about 25″ at the end of part 4. I have a feeling I will run out or yarn (I bought the large blanket kit from Deramores). I am terrible at estimating yarn quantities and am wondering how much more I would need to complete the blanket.
On a side note, I am amazed at your talent. With every round I complete I think to myself (and sometimes even say out loud) how amazing the pattern is and that I wish I could come up with something like this. My husband has even mentioned several times how beautiful the blanket is and that the colours are perfect. I will definitely be back to try out some of your other patterns. I’ve got my eye on Charlotte’s Dream!
Dedri Uys says
Hi Kate. That is quite a bit larger than mine. As the blanket gets bigger, you will use exponentially more yarn than I did. I can make a very rough guess. I would say that you would need at least 1 more ball of each colour, except for amazonite and canada jade, for which you would need 2 extra balls, and moonstone, for which you would need about 6 extra balls.
I hope that helps.
Michelle Heyboer says
Hello, I have been searching for a printed copy of your book. My search has been fruitless. I live in the US and my mother, grandmother, daughter and I are in love with this pattern. Please let me know where I can purchase a copy. Thanks!
Dedri Uys says
Hi. Both Amazon.com and yarn.com have received shipments of the books. We are just waiting for them to get listed, so they should be available there again soon.
Dedri
Gail Miller says
Hi Michelle, I’ve been looking for the book on Amazon. The person selling it wanted $55.00. I saw 2 for 30 but they were gone quickly. Just purchased one from Dermores in the UK 27 bucks with shipping. They have wonderful desls and large selection on yarns etc and a shipping price that cant be beat. Hope that helps.
LaVon Barber says
Hello I have a off the wall question.. Im not a newbie but not a veteran crocheter but When I measuring Sophie do you measure from side to side or corner to corner ? Im on Row 50 and If im not mistaken I should be 39 inches before starting row 46? Eekk Im measuring 39 from corner to corner at row 49.. Im using Caron Simply soft Medium #4 yarn.. I was hoping my measurements would be bigger (just how I crochet I guess) Any help would be greatly appreciated :) Love how its looking so far <3
Dedri Uys says
Hi, Can I ask where you read that you should be 39″ before starting row 46? That sounds very large to me…
I measure along the sides, not diagonally. Later, when the shape starts changing, you measure ‘from short side to short side’, which will be diagonally. Which size hook are you using and have you got a photo?
Dedri
LaVon Barber says
The measurements are on a raverly post by Rita Miller ( https://www.ravelry.com/projects/RitaMiller/sophies-universe-cal-13) Im using a Cover I 5.5mm
Here is mine So far Almost done with Round 50 and its about 28 inches across (Long side) https://drive.google.com/file/d/18E3bqvOB8EqXi5pcWvz_3QIkCbZVnVRD/view?usp=sharing
Dedri Uys says
I’ve had a look and hers measured 39″ at the end of Round 53 (end of Part 6) measuring from corner to corner, so you sound like you are roughly on track with what she got, although slightly larger. Both of yours are larger than mine, which only measured about 37″ at the end of Part 6.
Ine Zimmermann says
Hi Dedri, i have Sopies Tool kit.
now i need the correspinding pattern.
where can i find it.
If possible in German or Dutch, if not so in English then i have to translate it.
I also have Sophies Uniververse including book.
Thanks a lot
Ine
Dedri Uys says
Hi Ine :) If you scroll down on THIS PAGE to where it says ‘Sophie’s Stool Pattern’, you will find the pattern. The link is also printed on the pamphlet included in the kit, if you ever need to find it again. On that page, you will also find a link to both the German and the Dutch translations.
Karen McAfee says
Dear Dedri,
Thanks for this wonderful pattern. I am excited to crochet this Sophie. I just started a day ago but am already on Part 3. Although I consider myself quite an experienced crocheter (especially of afghans), I find the photo tutorials very beneficial, and they are definitely helping to keep me on track each round. The directions are also excellent. I love the tips about where different stitches should lie. That also really helps to keep me on track each round. My mother saw my Sophie after just 13 rounds and thought it was beautiful. She’d like to do one too. She’s 82 and very active with many kinds of crafts. Again, thanks for the beautiful pattern. Please keep designing. It’s obvious that you are very skilled in this area. Karen from Ohio
Dedri Uys says
Hi Karen. I am so glad to hear that you are finding the photos and references useful. I know that the pattern is very wordy, but I wanted to impart as much information as possible. When I make a Sophie, I still use the references! Tell your mom I said she can TOTALLY do it!
Angela says
Hi there, I completed Sophie in the rainbow colours and can’t wait to start another. Can you tell me if i can do it in Scheepjes Whirl and if so, what size of needle is required. Tia!
Angela
Jenny says
Sophie’s Universe in Whirl
Here’s the link of my own Whirling Sophie with all the info you need, Angela.
Jenny :)
Ruth Walden-Turek says
Hi Dedri, when you started this CAL, I was really new to crochet, and it looked too advanced for me. But, I’ve worked on a lot of things since then and am ready to tackle it….I love her so much!! Is there a US company that sells the kits?
Thanks!!
Ruth
Dedri Uys says
Hi Ruth. Did you manage to find a US company? I seem to have missed a lot of comments, sorry!
jeanny says
please help me. is it ok if i only use 5 mm hook for the whole project? or it is a must to change to 5.5 mm hook at part 4? thank you.
Dedri Uys says
Hi Jeanny. That is totally up to you, but I know that the majority of people have found going up a hook size helpful.