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.
DIANA says
Dedri, I forgot to ask you to describe the yarn you are using for your Cal’s. My hands and fingers are a little old and the tight twisted cotton yarn really hurts me to work with. Is there any yarn that I could use that would give the same appearance of your work and not be so hard for me to handle? I really appreciate any suggestion you may offer.
Jenny says
Hello Diana. I have arthritis in my left hand and wrist, and find the Scheepjes Stone washed XL very comfortable to work with. It is the chunkiest wool Dedri is using for one of her versions of this lovely CAL :)
DIANA says
Hi Jenny, I’ve tried to find Scheepjes Stone Washed XL on the Net, with no luck. I live in a small town in the state of Virginia. We don’t have too many places to buy yard. Thank you for taking your time to help me out, I’ll just try the different yarns that I use.
DIANA says
I love the patterns that you share. I’m in the US and hope to order some yarn from the UK. I love visiting my friends in Shropshire. Thanks for the lovely patterns.
Jenny says
Shropshire is a lovely area indeed Diana. We are glad you are enjoying the lovely patterns here :)
Melanie says
Hello Dedri, I absolutely loved watching everyone’s results from the 2014 CAL and I’ve decided to make your 2015 CAL as a gift for my daughter (your choice of colours in the Scheepjeswol Stonewashed XL is perfect for her.) Unfortunately, my budget doesn’t stretch to such luxury so I’m trying to match the colours in Stylecraft Special DK as closely as possible instead. I have a quick question – what would you say the closest match to Moon Stone is in Stylecraft Special DK? Would you go for Stone, Cream or Parchment? I think Stone is the closest match but I just want to check that the colours on my computer screen are right. Thank you for such lovely patterns and all your hard work!
Jenny says
Hello Melanie. I would look at the cream or parchment (I adore the latter, but it is a little darker than moonstone). I haven’t seen the stone in real life so can’t really comment about that. Maybe Dedri will be able to add to this :)
Tanya says
Hi, I’m using Stylecraft as well and chose cream as substitute for moonstone. It looks great!
Christina says
Hi,
What an amazing CAL. I love it.
You can see my results at my blog here: https://madebyrogilds.wordpress.com/2015/01/27/sophies-universe-cal-2015/
Laurie says
As soon as my yarn arrived I’ll be over joyed so I can make a start on it. Its looking beautiful so far.
Jenny says
I hope your yarn arrives very soon Laurie!
Lin says
Hi there,
is it possible to make a group on ravelry? So we can easily talk and show our pics…
I love the design-
Thank you for the work you put into this blanket
Jenny says
I am not sure if there is a group on Ravelry, but the details of the FaceBook group where everyone is sharing and discussing the CAL is on Dedri’s Ravelry page :)
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/sophies-universe-cal
Lin says
Hi Jenny,
I found a group on ravelry.
Look here
http://www.ravelry.com/groups/look-at-what-i-made—crochet
vicki says
I am having a blast with the CAL! It’s very cold and snowy here in New York and it’s the perfect time to binge watch Downton Abbey and crochet. The amount of time and effort you have put into this project is amazing – your photos have been so helpful! Thank you so much.
Dedri Uys says
Vicki, Downton Abbey will forever be linked to this CAL for me. I watched all 5 seasons while I frogged all the way back down to round 37 (from Round 108 at the time) because of a design flaw. The flaw is now fixed, but it took 3 weeks of evening and late-night crochet, furious re-designing, and a LOT of hours of Downton, to fix it. May your Downton memories be happier ;)
libby cable says
Wow Dedri you do have a lot of patience! I have nearly finished week 4 and touch wood have followed the pattern OK. I am a beginner to crochet so am amazed every time I count my stiches and they are right!! It’s because of your fabulous detailed tutorial. thank you so much for the time and effort you have put in, you deserve a medal!!
LINDA says
WOW THIS IS GOING TO ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL. I CAN’T WAIT TO START MINE. I WAS ONLY WANTING TO DO FIVE COLORS. AND SUGGESTIONS ON HOW TO SUBSITUTE USING JUST FIVE COLORS?
Jenny says
Linda, have you looked on the CCC Facebook group for colour inspiration? There are hunderds of lovely versions that may help you decide your colourway. I would take your favourite colour, add a few shades and a contrast and go from there :)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/officialcccsocialgroup/
Brenda says
Hey! I found this CAL about a month ago and then locate it again until today. I’ve just ordered my yarn from your suggested website and a lot of the yarn is on back order. I live in the US, so I don’t know how long it will take to get the yarn to me, but I hope I won’t be to late to get in on the CAL. This looks so beautiful and exciting. I can’t wait to get started. Thanks for such a beautiful and detailed project.
Dedri Uys says
You are very welcome, Brenda. The Scheepjeswol yarn is very lush and I think you will find it worth the wait once it does arrive. Hope that is soon!
Martie says
How do I get the patens to crocher or what must I do please HELP
Dedri Uys says
Martie there is a list at the bottom of this post that says timeline. Clicking on each link will take you to the relevant tutorial. If there is no link, we haven’t done that part yet.
Parts 1-3 are already available.
Roxy Maggrah says
I am doing your CAL 2015. My hubby said I had to use yarn I already had so I am just winging it with the colors. So far, it doesn’t look too bad. I am learning so many new techniques and your patterns are explained very well. Thanks for doing this.
Roxy Maggrah says
Also, I live in Milk River, Alberta, Canada by the Montana border. I am originally from Ottumwa, Iowa USA.
Kinske deVos says
Howdy neighbour! I’m just up the road from you, near Taber.
Dedri Uys says
You are very welcome, Roxy. Milk River…what a wonderful name for a place :)
Cally says
For the Scheepjeswol Stonewashed XL, you say 23 balls of colorway Moon Stone. Is that accurate?
Dedri Uys says
Yes it is. Please note that it is only a predicted amount as I haven’t made that blanket yet. It will be predominantly moonstone.
teresa says
I just finished your sophies garden large Mandala…still have to block it. I want to try this CAL as I love your patterns and the beautiful colors. I have lots of stylecraft DK weight yarn so I will use the remainder from the mandal….I appreciate your love of crochet!!
Dedri Uys says
Thank you, Teresa.
Kristine says
I started the CAL and have decided I don’t like the yarn I’m working with (worsted weight acrylic – looks and feels like “grandma” yarn to me), so I’m going to return it and order something new. I think I’m going to get Scheepjeswol but haven’t decided between the Softfun or the Cotton 8. Do you prefer one over the other as far as how it wears and how it is to work with? I’ve made a lot of baby blankets in the last several years, so I tend to use cotton. I’m willing to pay a little more to ensure a quality product in the end.
I think your work is divine by the way. I’m so excited to be doing this CAL!
Dedri Uys says
Thank you, Kristine.
Of the 3 yarns I prefer the Stonewashed XL, but that is just because I am a big and bulky kind-a-girl. The Cotton 8 has got the most amazing colours and it is a dream to work with. It is the thinnest yarn I have used yet and I am surprised at how effortlessly it works. The Softfun is soft and lovely. It feels like chenille. The colours are more subdued than the Cotton 8, but equally pleasurable to work with. I would find it very hard to recommend one over the other as they all have their own plusses. It really just depends on what you feel most comfortable with.
MimiB says
I just started… love your designs so thought I’d give this CAL a try. I need to work through many skeins and colors of worsted wool I’d bought a few years ago, before moving to tropical South Florida… I suspect some of my family still living in chilly New England will be getting a warm surprise next Christmas. What I love about your patterns are the rich mosaics and interplay of colors. I will use what I have on hand, but since I originally bought colors that not only do I love, but also work together, I’m sure my project will turn out well.
MimiB says
I should add that my worsted wool stash yarns for this project are all the same brand, type and gauge. [Yes, there was a sale ! ]
Dedri Uys says
Thank you, MimiB :) I am glad you are joining us!
Jenny Lowman says
Kelly, the Lucy pack will prove to be a very colourful Sophie’s Universe :) Keep your eyes peeled at the end of the CAL for the growing options. They may prove useful to you :)
Kelley Hartsell says
I’m looking forward to trying this. I bought the Lucy pack at Deramores last year for my mood blanket that I never really stuck to making. So I’m going to use it for this. I think it’s DK weight. I live in TX though so even in winter not super cold here. So I’m going to still use an I hook for a looser design. I’m going to go for making a rectangle blanket as opposed to a square though.
Raedene says
Hi Dedri
I’m so excited to start this CAL. I’m part of a crazy group of girls in South Africa who have a passion for crochet and we are all going to be doing this together. We wait with anticipation for the release of next week’s instructions! :)
I am yet to start as I’m still trying to decide on what Yarn to use… decisions decisions :) Somewhere in your posts I have seen you give alternative colours if we were using Stylecraft, however I can’t seem to find it. Could you send me the link to this so that I can see which colours you have suggested.
Thanks so much, and thanks for being so enthusiastic to share your love for this amazing craft :)
xxx Rae
Dedri Uys says
Raedene, you can find that list in the Files Section of the Official CCC Social Group. Kimberly posted it there.
I am so pleased to hea that there is a “crazy” group of you. Please do keep me updated on your progress so that I can feel like part of the fun.
D
Iris says
i like very nice
Susan M Jensen says
Decided 1 day late and want to get the yarn called for. I have way too much yarn BUT not enough of right colors and same fiber. So I will order and practice and do double time when I get my yarn. I could do with wahat colors & Fiber would be mixed etc tho. Ty
Susan M J