Good morning you beautiful not-so-patient bunch! I thought that I would feel a huge sense of relief when I wrote my last post, finally outing myself as the designer for the next official Scheepjes CAL. Instead, I have been bouncing up and down since Friday, too excited about showing you what it looks like to sit still for more than a minute at a time. And now I can finally show you (!!!!) AND tell you all about the Ubuntu CAL 2018.
This is Ubuntu! This is my new baby and my absolute pride and joy.
Ubuntu (n): the belief that we are defined by our compassion and kindness towards others.
If you would like to know more about why we chose this name and theme, please see my previous post HERE. You can also find links to all the parts HERE (as they become available).
What IS the Ubuntu CAL?
I have designed a hexagonal blanket that celebrates unity and humanity towards others. The design is detailed, but not overwhelming. For the overall feel, I took inspiration from traditional painted African huts (Google Image Search HERE). The inspiration for the shape, however, came from the carpet at the last Blogtacular I attended in 2017. Up until that point, I was still very unsure of which direction my design would take, but when I looked down at the carpet, surrounded by dear friends and flying high on all the talk of supporting each other and lifting each other up, I had a little ‘Eureka’ moment.
Finished Blanket Size
Due to the shape of the finished blanket, we have provided three measurements: Sides, Short Diagonal, and Long Diagonal. Below, you will find the measurements for all three ‘sizes’.
| Small | Medium | Large | |
| Long Diagonal | 120cm/47.3” | 151cm/59.5” | 192cm/75.5” |
| Short Diagonal | 104cm/41” | 131cm/51.5” | 167cm/65.5” |
| Sides | 60cm/23.6” | 75.5cm/29.7” | 96cm/37.5” |
Dates and Pattern Release
The CAL begins on the 12th of September 2018 and it will run for 12 weeks. Written-only PDF pattern pieces will be released weekly at 12:00 UK time for the duration of the CAL. You will find them via the official Scheepjes CAL groups (on Facebook) and the Scheepjes website:
You can also add the pattern to your Ravelry Queue HERE.
Resources
- Ubuntu Inspiration
- Ubuntu CAL Information (including links to my weekly photo-alongs)
- Special Stitches and Techniques
- Add this Pattern to Your Ravelry Queue
Pattern Support
Video tutorials will be available from It’s All in a Nutshell (UK terms and Dutch).
Although I have not done step-by-step photo tutorials for this CAL, I will be following along with you, sharing a photo of each complete round and tips and tricks for tricky parts. My testers all managed to create the blanket with only a couple of photos, so with Esther’s excellent video support, I am confident that you will thrive. Please see Suggestions below.
Translations
Official PDFs will be available in UK terms, US terms, Dutch, Czech, German, French, Finnish, Hebrew, Swedish, Spanish, and Portuguese.
Official Ubuntu CAL Kits
There are 3 kits: Small, Medium, and Large.
Kits will be available from most Scheepjes retailers on the 22nd of August 2018.
- Wool Warehouse (International)
- Black Sheep Wools (International)
- Deramores (International)
- Caro’s Atelier (Netherlands)
- Knotty House (Canada)
- Jimmy Beans (USA)
- More Retailers
All three kits contain an official CAL label, a button, and vintage stitch markers (I love the stitch markers).
The Medium and Large kits (only) also contain a goody pack – see Goody Pack below.
Small Ubuntu CAL Kit
This kit contains:
- Scheepjes Cotton 8
- an official CAL label
- a button
- vintage stitch markers
Price : €39 / £36 / $48
Medium Ubuntu CAL Kit
This kit contains:
- Scheepjes Stone Washed
- an official CAL label
- a button
- vintage stitch markers
- goody pack (see Goody Pack below)
Price : €108,50 / £98 / $133
Large Ubuntu CAL Kit
This kit contains:
- Scheepjes Stone Washed XL & River Washed XL
- an official CAL label
- a button
- vintage stitch markers
- goody pack (see Goody Pack below)
Price : €210 / £189 / $259
(I shouldn’t have favourite children, I know, but this large version is my favourite of the favourites I ‘don’t have’.)
Goody Packs
The Medium and Large kits come with a goody pack that contains everything you need to make your own beaded friendship bracelet (inspired by the CAL design). Instructions for making the bracelet will be provided, don’t worry!
I’m very excited about the fact that we will get to learn a new non-crochet skill (quite a mindful skill, actually). And when you have made your bracelet, you can wear it with pride or gift it to a friend :)
Suggestions
If you have never followed one of my patterns and would like to familiarise yourself with my written style or the techniques you will use in this CAL, I highly recommend having a look at my Special Stitches and Techniques post (especially the bit about gauge), written specifically for this CAL.
You can also try one of the following three (free) patterns while you wait:
Social Media
Please use #ScheepjesUbuntuCAL when you share on social media so that we can follow your progress and marvel at your work.
I cannot wait to start this journey with you!
This blog post contains affiliate links. I only link to products I personally use or would use. All opinions are my own.
Bayan says
Hi ,
I just received my Ubuntu package , it is the large kit , would you please tell how to assign the main color and cc1 , cc2 etc… ?
I did not find any color guide anywhere , even in the box I received.
Thank you .
Dedri Uys says
Hi,
You can find all the information online HERE.
Stefani Buhajla says
This is beautiful and I cannot wait for the written pattern (I am not advanced enough to complete through pictures). I am looking at this and thinking it is a perfect design to so something inspired by the Frozen movies! Thinking blue for the central snowflakes and royal purple and teal for the accents. Anyway, you create beautiful things that make me happy. I am just finishing my first (correctly done) Charlotte square that will be a baby blanket for my first grand baby due in July. Thank you for sharing and making your patterns free.
Dedri Uys says
Hi Stefani.
You’re in luck because you don’t have to wait. The written pattern is already available (has been for over a year now). You can find all the PDFs on the Scheepjes Website. The photos on my site are just additional help with the written pattern.
Take care,
Dedri
Noura says
Hi ,
I just received my Ubuntu package , it is the medium kit ( scheepjes stonewashed ) would you please tell how to assign the main color and cc1 , cc2 etc… ?
I did not find any color guide anywhere .
Thank you .
Regards all the way from ( Kuwait )
Jenny says
Hi Noura. The info should be in your pack, but you can find the info here in one of the photos HERE Hope that helps! Jenny :)
P. Waide says
Thank you Dedri for this stunning pattern. I’ve crocheted for 40 years and never have done anything quite this elaborate. I completed my Ubuntu this week and could not be happier with the result. It’s such a masterpiece I am tempted to frame and hang it instead of letting anyone use it LOL.
You are a design genius for putting these stitches together in such an amazing way.
Terri says
Hello, I would like to know if you could recommend and yarn brand and type that would be good for making this as a rug. Thank you for the pattern and any help you could provide.
Terri S.
Jenny says
Hi Terri. The large blanket would actually male a lovely rug if you can bear to stand on it!
Jenny :)
Donna Grybowski says
Hi Dedri! I’m trying to get started but stuck on round 2 of the first part. Is there a chart of the pattern available? Somewhere I keep making the same mistake and it does not shape up.Thank you for such a beautiful project and I’m trying to get some done before my teenage daughter finds my project and takes over like she did with “Sophie”.
Dedri Uys says
Hi Donna. Due to the 3-dimensional shaping of some of the aspects, there are no charts for this pattern. Have you had a look at the videos? They are incredibly detailed and take you through every step of making this pattern.
Cheryl R Rueby says
I purchased the large kit for this beautiful blanket and it is coming along nicely. This is my second creation from your wonderful patterns and all the great help from Ester with the step by step video tutorials.
Dedri Uys says
I’m glad you are enjoying the fruits of your labour :) Have you shared photos anywhere? I would love to see!
Rosallie says
Hi Dedri…a question I have is I am choosing to use a yarn that I can get at my local yarn shop(I live in the US), I cannot seem to find any info on how much I need for each color. I went to the links that ship to the US to figure it out and they just told how many balls of each ‘kind’ (28 of one and 32 of the other) of yarn, not how much of each color that will be sent. Am I missing it or do you not have the info available for someone choosing a different yarn posted somewhere? This is such a lovely pattern and I love the name/meaning you gave it! I can’t wait to make one for a friend.
Dedri Uys says
Hi Rosallie. You can find all that information in the tips and tricks PDF on Scheepjes.nl under CALS.
R Thompson says
I can’t find the hook size I am supposed to be using for the large blanket? The gauge square says what hook size to use and it may be that tat is the correct size? The pattern says hook A? The colour says contrasting colours? I can’t seem to find a list of colours either? My guage square weighs 21g and the size is 16cm so this seems way out to?
Dedri Uys says
You will find the recommended hook sizes in the tips and tricks/information PDF on Scheepjes.nl under CALS. Having said that, you should use the hook that helps you obtain gauge. In other words, use the hook you need to get the gauge square to size.
Deanna says
I’m not a seasoned crocheter but I wanted to join this call so I bought the small, turns out I don’t have a problem following or making the stitches however, I cannot make gage, I’ve tried and tried and tried again always way over by almost inch and half I even went down to 2.0 hook can I buy an extra skein of each color so I don’t run out, this is my fear I’ll run out before finishing.
Dedri Uys says
Hi Deanna. I am so happy to hear that you are finding the instructions easy to follow. I have just sent you an email.