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*: |
|
|
|
| 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.
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
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.
-
- Ubuntu Colourway
-
- Metropolis Colourway
-
- 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.
talyi says
hello i got a question, i will like to do the large version of the sophies universe using the Scheepjeswol Cotton 8, can you tell me how much yarn do i need for this?
and thanks for sharing your creation
Dedri Uys says
Hi Talyi,
The pattern for all three sizes are the same. The thing that makes them small, medium, and large is the thickness of the yarn. Cotton 8 is the thinnest yarn, and will give you the smallest blanket. If you want to make a large blanket with the colours used in the Cotton 8 one, you would need to buy an alternative cotton that is thick enough to make the big version.
Layal says
Hi Dedri !
I ordered your book and now aptiently waiting for the yarn to start my Sophie :) Got a question though. I love the colours used for the small version bu want it to be at least medium size. I don’t know what I was thinking (brain freeze) and when I ordered my Scheepjeswol Cotton 8, I bought the quantities required for the Medium sized (basically double the quantities). Yeah… not smart. So before I find another project to use my 2nd Scheepjeswol Cotton 8 batch, was wondering if doubling the strand would actually work ? Would it be possible, considering all the tiny little details of the Sophie pattern ?
Thanks :)
Dedri Uys says
Hi,
It would work really well! I’ve made a Sophie with double strands and she turned out beautifully :)
Mary says
I myself do not have much time to be so creative. However, time to time feel a real need to be creative, and working with this pattern has given me that feeling. Thank you. I also want to point out this pattern has been a teacher to me in my journey of crochet. I was true beginner (only had made a couple of hats) when I made my first blanket for my mother. I’m now making one now for my son and my skills have grown because of Sophie’s Universe. Thank you.
Dedri Uys says
Hi Mary. I am really happy to hear that you have found the pattern instructive. May you find more and more moments to indulge in crochet x
Brenda Kirkbride says
I am making my blanket using the small Ubuntu kit as it was suggested to me. Is there a list of colours to use for each round or a photograph of a completed blanket? I took some photographs of the blanket at Black Sheep Wools where I bought the kit, but I am just starting Part 5 and I can’t work out the order from my photos.
Dedri Uys says
Hi Brenda. I will send the colours per round over to you.
Dedri
Rhonda says
Hi Dedri! I bought your Sophie’s universe book sometime back. I enjoyed it so much. You went to so much work and the instructions are so easy to follow. I have already made two of the afghans. I am now trying to find the pattern to Sophie’s pond. Do you have written instructions that I could buy? Thank you again. Rhonda
Dedri Uys says
Hi Rhonda.
As far as I know, Sophie’s Pond is Sophie’s Universe made with the Lily Pond colours from Jane Crowfoot. So same pattern, just different colours.
Anna Diana says
ciao Dedri. sono in difficoltà perchè io vivo a Napoli (Italia) e non conosco l’inglese. volevo farti i complimenti per i tuoi magnifici progetti e dirti che ho acquistato sia il libro che il filato XL. spero di riuscire a realizzare la coperta perchè è bellissima. spero che tramite i tuoi tutorial io riesca a realizzare un sogno. complimenti per tutto. ciao
Dedri Uys says
Hi Anna.
I do hope you enjoy making Sophie and I am sure you will be able to do it with the help of the excellent video tutorials. Let us know how you get on!
Amorie van Straaten says
I’m busy with Sophie. Hope her universe will be half as beautiful as yours! I find it helpful to look at the video and to use the written pattern. It must have taken you all hours to compile. Thanks so much. I’m only at stage 4 and still has a long way to crochet!
Dedri Uys says
I hope you enjoy your journey with us!
Lesley says
Hi Dedri, firstly, let me say his amazing you are, this pattern is so very incredible, I first made this blanket 2 years ago and have since made 3 more (for family) which all turned out perfectly.
I recently started saving to buy a boat, on which I plan to sail to the south pacific, my family have said that I should make more of these blankets to sell to help fund my getaway, so here I am letting you know this is my plan, I will of course include a link to this site as requested and hope that my intentions are OK with you.
Again, you are incredible, how your able to create things like this is mind blowing to me, until I made my first Sophie’s Universe my greatest achievement was finishing a granny square blanket, which I was inordinately proud of, now I know anything is possible, (including me living on my boat on the other side of the world) thank you for that x x x
Dedri Uys says
Lesley, it sounds like you are gearing up for an amazing adventure. Best of luck and thank you for telling me about your journey and letting me be part of it!
Dedri
Natalie says
Hi Dedri,
Firstly, Tha kyou so much for doing this… These are just amazing! I have never made anything like this so it’s going to be a really big project for me and I can’t wait. The other thing I wanted to ask was, do you necessarily have to use Scheepjes yarn ? If, say, you had quite a large yarn stash and went allowed to add anymore at this time would you be able to use the aran/dk yarns that you have? Would that still turn out OK?
Thanks again SOOOOO much!
Natalie
Dedri Uys says
Hi Natalie :)
Thank you for your comment. You, my dear, are welcome to use whichever yarn you have or want to use. Designers usually specify which yarn they used for a pattern, but that never means that that is the ONLY yarn that will work for that pattern. Any dk will work up to the same size as the medium version (provided your gauge is the same as mine). Any Aran/WW will work up to the same size as the large blanket.
Good luck on this wonderful and exciting journey!
Dedri
JESSICA MAIN says
Hi Dedri,
I just want to thank you for your beautiful pattern and tell you how much I’ve enjoyed making a Sophie. I’m almost done my first one, which I did in Rowan Calmer and because I’m a yarn addict, I’m already looking toward buying yarn for another. I’d really like to do it in the Stonewash XL, but I’m wondering about the washing instructions…. Have you ever stuck yours in the dryer? I’m curious what happens, shrinkage, de-fluffing?
Thanks so much for your help!
Jessica
Jenny says
Hi Jessica. Dedri machine washed my original (pale grey) Sophie’s Universe and air dried and blocked it. The yarn went almost fluffy and lost some of the stitch definition, so I would suggest you don’t put it in a dryer. It may have the same effect as felting, and you could end up regretting it.
Why not try a swatch and machine was and dry it to see what happens?
BW Jenny :)
Kim says
I was finally able to buy the book of this pattern. Thank you for that!!
Kim
Dedri Uys says
Oh yay. Enjoy!
Audrey Joan Hurst says
Hi could I ask if you do a written patten/ or down load to purchase please.Thanks in Advance.
Dedri Uys says
Hi Audrey. The pattern is also available as a printed book. You can read more about that HERE.
Meghann S Brogden says
Dedri,
Thank you for creating such a beautiful art piece and sharing it with us all. I just finished my first Sophie this evening, and am so proud of myself. I have shared a pic in the Facebook group.
Thanks for the detailed pattern. The amount of thought and preparation that you have all put into this is unbelievable; the video tutorials, the step-by-step pictures, the encouragement, it is all unbelievable. I am so grateful that there are people like you and your associates who are willing to work so hard to create such an enjoyable experience for strangers.
So, again, thank you.
Jenny says
Hi Meghann. Sophie’s Universe really is such a special pattern, and a joy to make. We are happy that it has given you such joy. Jenny
Skylar says
This is my first big crochet project ever and I adore it!! I am just about to start part 4 of my sophie and I cannot wait, I’m doing her in monochrome to fit the aesthetic for my bedroom. I am a 15 year old agender kid, my grandma(kate) showed me her sophie last week when i visited her on holiday in spain and I absolutely fell in love. I don’t rlly have a question lol, I just wanted to share my experience of sophie so far. I love how easy the pattern is to follow and I wanna thank you for putting photos as well, it makes it so much quicker for me. Many thanks and lots of kind regards, Skylar x
Dedri Uys says
Hi Skylar. Lovely to meet you. How wonderful that you can share this journey with your granny. Cherish every moment and do share photos of your progress :)
Lesley Bristow says
Hi
I have completed the Sophie’s Universe blanket and was wondering where I could get the patterns that you suggest for making it into a rectangular blanket – Lydia’s square and Betty’s border please.
Jenny says
Hi Lesley. They are all here on the blog.
Squares
Growing options
They are parts 19 and 20.
Jenny :)
DavetteB says
I’m late to this pattern, found it via Pinterest and Ravelry. I was wondering if it would work with a cake or mandala type yarn? I was thinking it might give the effect of the color changes without dealing with changing all that yarn.
Jenny says
Jenny here. I have made this with Scheepjes Whirl cakes. Check out the blog for Dedri’s write up :)
Karen says
Hi Dedri,
I came across Sophie’s Universe online and I absolutely fell in love. I want so much to be able to make this beautiful project. Only problem is I don’t know how to crochet. I know how to knit. But now I desperately want to learn how to crochet, do you think I could learn how to crochet by making this project? Or where do you think would be the best place to start. Unfortunately, I have no one in my area to teach me.I would appreciate your advice. Thank you.
Jenny says
Hi Karen. Jenny here. I learnt to crochet with this very pattern. There are videos to help you too, and it will be slow progress, but if you are enthusiastic and learn about the stitches required before you start, anything is possible ;) I would take it step by step as the pattern is broken up in to 4 parts first off, and then extends from there. You can try each stage up to the square Garden and see what you think. Maybe practice with some DK yarn first to see what you think.
Kelly Carter says
Hi, I love Sophie’s Universe. Can you tell me where I can download the pattern. Thank you
Dedri Uys says
Hi Kelly. The pattern is available as an 18-part free crochet-along. You can find the links to each individual part at the bottom of this post under ‘Timeline’. Alternatively, it is also available as a book through my wool warehouse shop.
Elisa Gregorio says
Hello, what a beautiful pattern! I have two nieces getting married in the next year and plan to make them both this afghan. I am on part 5 now and was refreshing myself with your notes on blocking. Your instructions read to block after part 7 of Sophie’s Universe. Once I block this part, is there any further blocking needed for this afghan? If yes, how often and after which parts? Thanking you in advance.
Dedri Uys says
Hi Elisa. Blocking after part 7 is entirely your choice. If you have gone up a hook size where suggested (twice) and you are happy that your centre remains flat, you can block again at the end.
özlem says
thanks for sharing