Good morning!
I had a bit of catching up to do, so I spent most of yesterday afternoon finishing Part 17 of my Stonewashed XL Sophie. I sat on “my” manky old couch with the doors open while the boys ran around outside and Christiaan cooked.
See the blanket at my feet? That’s last year’s Block a Week CAL. I am ashamed to admit that it still needs a border.
I ended up staying up until 2 am to complete most of part 18 of the large as well. And now I am wrecked, but happy :)
This week’s photo challenge is to take a “Selphie”…
A what?
A selfie of you and your Sophie. No feet Selphies. That is a challenge for another day. Please share your photos using #selphie.
Sophie’s Universe Part 17
©Dedri Uys 2014. All Rights Reserved.
Resources
- Add this CAL to your Ravelry Queue
- Sophie’s Universe CAL 2015 Information
- Use the Print-friendly button at the bottom (right) of this post to print/save this tutorial. Don’t know how? Find out HERE.
- **Part 17 VIDEO TUTORIAL** by Esther Dijkstra from It’s All in a Nutshell.
Translations
- Dutch Translation by Dianne Baan
- German Translation by Maja Heidingsfelder
- Spanish Translation by Lynda Hernandez
- French Translation by Sandra Larvin (with Video Tutorials by Géraldine Cymer)
- Danish Translation by Tina Poulsen
- Russian Translation (with Video) by Natalie V. Alimpieva
- Swedish CAL Information by Emma Vingqvist, Agnetha Magnusson, Åza Karlsson, and Ulrika Larsson
Materials
See the Information Post.
| Colours for Part 17 | |||
| Click on the images to enlarge them. |  |
 |
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| Cotton 8 | Softfun | Stonewashed XL | |
| Round 105 | Light Turquoise | Olive | Moonstone* |
| Round 106 | Light Turquoise | Light Blue or Rose | Moonstone |
| Round 107 | Fuchsia | Bordeaux | Canada Jade |
| Round 108 | Light Turquoise | Violet | Moonstone |
| Round 109 | Light Turquoise | Light Rose | Moonstone |
*If you are making the large version and using the same colours as me, you will need 284 meters (190 g) of Moonstone to complete Parts 17 and 18 (224 meters for Part 17 and 60 meters for Part 18).
Please note that these numbers suit my own tension. If your tension is “looser” than mine, you will need more (see the yardage-per-round tables). I actually still have 30 g of Moonstone left at the end of Part 18. I think this is largely due to the fact that the majority of my skeins had more than 50 g on them.
Abbreviations
US Terminology Used (Basic US/UK comparison chart here)
- Blo – Back loop only
- Bpsc – Back post single crochet
- Ch – Chain
- Dc – Double crochet
- Hdc – Half-double crochet
- Sc – Single crochet
- Sl st – Slip stitch
- St/st’s – Stitch/stitches
- * – Repeat instructions between asterisks the number of times specified. This is a hardcore repeat and will consist of multiple instructions.
- () – Repeat instructions between parentheses the number of times specified. This is a lower level repeat.
Special Stitches
- Standing Stitches: Standing sc’s, hdc’s, and dc’s are stitches used to start the round without the need for the traditional beginning chain. Links to tutorials are supplied in each relevant round.
Instructions
Rounds 1 – 104
You can find the links for Rounds 1 – 104 HERE.
Round 105
- If you are using the same colour, sl st into the next ch-2 space. (Ch 1, sc, ch 2, sc) in the same ch-2 space.
- If you are using a new colour, join your yarn by making a standing single crochet in any ch-2 corner around. (Ch 2, sc) in the same corner space.
*Skip the first (hidden) stitch. Make a sc in each of the remaining 193 st’s across. (Sc, ch 2, sc) in the next ch-2 corner space.*
Repeat from * to * 3 more times, omitting the last corner on the last repeat. Join to the first sc with a sl st.
Stitch Counts:
- Total: 780 sc’s and 4 ch-2 corner spaces
- Per Side: 195 sc’s
Round 106 {Diamonds – Base Round 1}
- If you are using the same colour, sl st into the next ch-2 space. Ch 3 (count as your first dc). (Dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in the same ch-2 space.
- If you are using a new colour, join your yarn by making a standing double crochet in any ch-2 corner around. (Dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in the same corner space.
*Dc in the first (hidden) st (Photo 1). (Dc in the blo of the next stitch – Photos 2 and 3, dc in the next 3 st’s – Photo 4) 48 times. There should now be 2 stitches left before the ch-2 corner space (Photo 5). Dc in the blo of the next st. Dc in the last st. (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in the next ch-2 corner space (Photo 6).*
Repeat from * to * 3 more times, omitting the last corner on the last repeat. Join to the top of the beginning ch-3 (or the standing double crochet) with a sl st.
Stitch Counts:
- Total: 796 dc’s and 4 ch-2 corner spaces
- Per Side: 199 dc’s {49 of which are made into the blo}
Round 107 {First Part of Diamond Pattern}
In this Round you will be working primarily around the posts of the stitches from Round 105 that already contain a back loop dc. You will see that the front loops of these stitches form a dotted line across your work, making it easier to identify them. See the photo of Round 106 above for visual help.
I suggest that you make this round and Round 110 in the same colour so that your surface “diamonds” are the same colour.
- If you are using the same colour, (ch 1, sc) in the same stitch as the sl st join.
- If you are using a new colour, join your yarn by making a standing single crochet in the second-to-last dc of any side (Photo 1).
*Ch 3 (Photo 2). Skip the last dc, the ch-2 space, and the first dc of the next side. Sc in the next st (Photo 3). Ch 3. Working in front of the st’s from Round 106, make a sl st around the front post of the second sc from Round 105, which already contains a back loop dc (indicated with an arrow in Photo 4 and illustrated in Photo 5). Ch 3, skip the next 3 st’s of Round 106 and make a sc in the next st. This will be the central of the 3 dc’s between back loop dc’s (indicated with an arrow in Photo 6 and illustrated in Photo 7).
(Ch 3. Working in front of Round 106, skip the next 3 st’s of Round 105 and make a sl st around the next st, which will already contain a back loop dc. Ch 3. Skip the next 3 st’s of Round 106 and make a sc in the next st, which will be the central dc of the 3 dc’s between back loop dc’s) 48 more times (Photo 8). There should now be one dc left before the ch-2 corner space (Photo 9).*
Repeat from * to * 3 more times, omitting the last sc on the last repeat. Join to the first sc with a sl st. Fasten off and work away your tails of yarn.
Flip the corner ch-3’s to the back of your work.
Stitch Counts:
- Total: 200 sc’s, 396 ch-3 spaces {including ch-3 corner spaces}
- Per Side: 50 sc’s and 98 ch-3 spaces {not including ch-3 corner spaces}
Round 108 {Diamonds – Base Round 2}
It is important that you work in front of the ch-3 spaces from Round 107 when making your corners. You will be using these ch-3 spaces when you make the second part of your diamond pattern in Round 110.
Working in front of the ch-3 space from Round 107, join your yarn by making a standing half-double crochet in any ch-2 corner from Round 106. (Hdc, ch 2, 2 hdc) in the same corner space (Photo 1).
*Still working in front of the ch-3 corner space from Round 107, hdc in the first (hidden) stitch of Round 106 (Photo 2). Skip the first sc from Round 107.
(Hdc in the next 3 st’s from Round 106, between the sc’s that form the “zigzag hills” – Photo 3. Make a bpsc around the next sc from Round 107 – Photos 4 and 5) 49 times (Photos 6 and 7).
Working in front of the corner ch-3 space from Round 107, hdc in the last dc from Round 106 (Photo 8). Still working in front of the ch-3 corner space from Round 107, (2 hdc, ch 2, 2 hdc) in the next ch-2 pace from Round 106 (Photo 9).*
Repeat from * to * 3 more times, omitting the last corner on the last repeat. Join to the top of the standing half-double crochet with a sl st.
Stitch Counts:
- Total: 808 dc’s and 4 ch-2 corner spaces {196 bpsc’s and 612 hdc’s}
- Per Side: 202 st’s {49 bpsc’s and 153 hdc’s}
Round 109 {Diamonds – Base Round 3}
- If you are using the same colour, sl st into the next hdc and into the ch-2 space. (Ch 2, hdc, ch 2, 2 hdc) in the same ch-2 space.
- If you are using a new colour, join your yarn by making a standing half-double crochet in any ch-2 corner around. (Hdc, ch 2, 2 hdc) in the same corner space.
*Skip the first (hidden) stitch. Hdc in the remaining 201 st’s across. (2 hdc, ch 2, 2 hdc) in the next ch-2 corner space)*
Repeat from * to * 3 more times, omitting the last corner on the last repeat. Join to the top of the beginning ch-2 (or the standing half-double crochet) with a sl st.
Fasten off and work away your tails of yarn.
Stitch Counts:
- Total: 820 hdc’s and 4 ch-2 corner spaces
- Per Side: 205 hdc’s
This part of the pattern was tested by Kimberly Slifer, Claire Martin, Maja Heidingsfelder, Lynda Hernandez, Susan Wilkes-Baker, Venetia Smith, and Dianne Baan.
This blog post contains affiliate links. I only link to products I personally use or would use. All opinions are my own.
Roz says
Just wanted to say a big thank you for allowing us access to Sophie, your written instructions were so easy to follow, was nice not to have to follow a video tutorial.
So thanks again.. was really appreciated and my Sophie (in my own colour scheme) looks amazing x
Dedri Uys says
Hi Roz. Your colours are gorgeous! Thank you for sharing your Sophie journey and happy 50th!
Carol S. says
I love this blanket! I’m so far behind but getting there! I started in May 2015. Here it is Jan. 2017 almost February. I’m on row 106. Almost done. My 12 year old granddaughter saw it about a year ago. Her eyes got big! Yep, it’s gonna be hers when its done.
Thanks for all the pics! They’ve been a big blessing on parts that just got my mind twisted around!
Dedri Uys says
Hi Carol :) You’re almost there! Im sure she will be so excited to get it x
Marian Akins says
I started my Sophie in March with yarn I had left over,thinking I couldn’t do it, here I am onto part 17 and have a second one on the way. Thank you for your beautiful design And Esther’s tutorials. You have made me realise that I can do it. Thank you again you are a wonderfully talented designer
Jenny says
Well done Marian! It is a great feeling, isn’t it? :)
Marian akins says
It most certainly is. I am now looking forward to the next one,I have been going crazy buying all new yarn in preparation. Thank you once again for the challenge and the many hours of sheer pleasure of doing Sophie’s universe.
Anna says
I really need to buy a lot of yarn! My hands are itching real bad now but I don’t have the yarn I want to use yet and won’t be able to get it before June. The agony! :-P
You’re a great designer! :-)
Dedri Uys says
Good luck, Anna! June’s just around the corner :)
Carol D says
I read your comments about Red Heart Yarns ‘Unforgettable’ – which is a beautiful looking yarn…and feels so very nice to work with. But a note I would give you is be very careful when working with it. It does NOT take kindly to frogging…(and I’ve seen this comment made by several others on blogs across the ‘net). The ‘fuzz’ tends to get very tangled…and frogging is extremely tedious – and, depending on the stitches used, may be impossible without cutting.
I like those Clover Stitch Markers as well – and I’ve probably tried 3 or 4 different brands in attempts to find some that worked well. I very much like their larger size — as you stated, easier to place, as you don’t have to spread it to get on stitch…and they are very clearly visible…unlike some smaller ones I’ve used that almost seemed to get lost in the stitches!
Have to once more thank you, Dedri, for all of your beautiful work on Sophie! It amazes me when I look on the internet and see Sophies from all over the world! from the tiniest towns in the USA to South Africa! And so fun to see the many color combinations that have been used!
God bless you and your family. You son is almost too ‘pretty’ to be a boy (though can tell from pix that he IS all boy!) and that husband of yours is just NOT hard to look at…seems you both are very ‘lucky’ to have each other. When given a chance, the Lord does wondrous things in our lives!
Dedri Uys says
Carol, He does indeed do wonderful things in our lives, and sometimes in such unexpected ways. I have heard a few people say that the Unforgettable is terrible to frog, so I would probably use it on a relatively easy project when I try it out.
Have a wonderful day!!
Melody says
I am at the end of row 108. Do you make a black on last zig zag? And is there a hex in the last dc before the lip stitch? Thanks in advance.
Dedri Uys says
Melody, hi. Yes to both.
Jacqui Marsh says
I was interested to see that you mentioned that your Sophie’s Garden still doesn’t have a border. I came across your wonderful blog a few months ago and tried to backtrack to gather all the info to make Sophie’s Garden but kept hitting a blank when I tried to find your finished blanket. I have the link to Betty’s blanket and border but couldn’t work out why I couldn’t find yours – so now I know, mystery solved!!
I have the yarn to make Sophie’s Universe, now I just need to find the time! Thank you for sharing this amazing blanket with everyone.
Jenny says
You won’t find a finished Sophie anywhere yet, Jacqui. The CAL isn’t finished. It is a Mystery hook along so the blog does not cintain the finished item as yet as it is all still a CAL in progress. That’s the beauty of the mystery CAL, nobody knows what it will look like finished as we are currently on part 17 :)
Dedri Uys says
Jacqui, are you talking about last year’s block a week CAL? I didn’t actually include Sophie’s Garden in my block a week blanket from last year. Sophie’s Garden was a separate pattern for a large square that some people chose to include in their Block a Week Blankets (like Betty). The main reason my block a week still doesn’t have a border is because I immediately fell into designing the current CAL.
Charlotte Huffman says
I started late (April 2) but have caught up. I started part 17 last night but stopped on row 106 for bedtime. I’ve tried to use the same colors but have had to improvise by using my yarn stash. I’ve also started another using size 10 thread. Fun project!
Dedri Uys says
That’s good going, Charlotte! I don’t think I’d be able to do it that quickly.
Charlotte Huffman says
I started late (April 2) but have caught up. I started part 17 last night, but only got to row 106 before bedtime. I’ve tried to use the same colors but have had to improvise but using my yarn stash. I also started another using size 10 thread and I’m on row 49 with it. Fun project!
Janet Davis says
Thank you Dedri for the most interesting crochet project I have ever done. I started when you had just published week 10 and have now caught up to the end of week 16. I have done lots of stitch combinations that are new to me but your excellent instructions have made it easy to see what to do. I have only gone wrong when as a UK crocheter my tired brain read a US term as UK.
I’ve read your post about the bulge effect which I have too, I thought it was caused mainly by the chains on the leaf rounds being too tight but have come across some information on tension which might explain it. Jane Crowfoot is doing a CAL in conjunction with Stylecraft yarns, link http://www.stylecraft-yarns.co.uk/Crochet.htm
which I will be doing after I finish this.
On her blog
http://www.janeknits.blogspot.co.uk/2015/04/tension-blocking-pressing.html
she explains a lot about tension. Basically smaller stitches have a tighter tension than long ones so uses a bigger hook for sc (UK dc) and a smaller one for dc (UK ). As there are a lot of sc on the short sides of Sophie I think that might be the cause of the bulge.
I have bought the yarn ready to do the large version, in winter to keep my knees warm, and will experiment with using different size hooks on the sc sections.
Sorry this is so long but I am so grateful for your hard work and generosity in bringing us Sophie I wanted to try and give something back.
Hope it helps.
Janet x
Jenny says
Hi Janet!
I too am doing the Lily Pond CAL you mention. I am doing my first in the Stylecraft Classique Cotton and my second in Special DK. It too is a lively pattern, but my heart belongs to Sophie lol
Joke Dolsma says
So love working on Sophie but almost out of yarn, i use soft fun. Had to use pink instead of the light blue. Hope i have enough to finish her. Worried
Bethany says
Agh, I’m only on part 6, but I’m super anxious about running out of certain colors. Since it takes 2-4 weeks for the yarn to arrive from Deramore’s for me, I’m considering buying an extra skein of everything just in case. I’m pretty sure I’m a tight crocheter, but what if I run out and have to put her down for a few weeks? What will I do with myself? =P
Anita Westerveld says
Dedri, you are my hero!!!!!!!