Hello!!!  I am so excited to finally reveal the blanket I designed for the Official Scheepjes CAL 2025:  Universe in Bloom. It is an explosion of flowers and colour, texture and lace, stories and joy!  I think it dances between structured and organic – like a garden bursting into bloom while still maintaining balance and symmetry. 

This crochet-along has been in the works for almost two years.  That is a long time to keep a secret!  The idea and name came to me within a week of accepting the invitation to design this blanket.  I even stumbled across an old sketch my friend Jack had done for me years ago – right as I was starting to plan.  It felt like a sign!

The name comes from a song I heard for the first time that same week:  ‘All You Got is Gold‘ by indie band The Great Escape.  Its uplifting spirit mirrors the vibrant, blossoming motifs in this design, reminding us that even in uncertainty, we hold the potential to bloom and shine.

What is the Universe in Bloom CAL?

This blanket begins with a Flower inside a Flower inside a Flower (Parts 1 & 2).  This giant bloom transforms into a large mandala (Parts 3 & 4) that could easily stand alone as a wall-hanging if that is your jam.  I like to think of it as a big meadow.

From there, we build a brook (Part 5), a floral border (Parts 6 & 7), a Pineapple band (Part 8), and a gentle path (Part 9).  Then – the Heart Houses and their triangle flower patches.  These help square the blanket up (Parts 10 & 11) before we finish with a brick road border.

Blanket Sizes

• Scheepjes Colour Crafter (DK) + 3.75mm hook:  approx. 160 x 160cm (63 x 63″)
• Scheepjes Cotton Create (Fingering) + 3mm hook:  approx. 145 x 145cm (57 x 57″)

*Universe in Bloom is bigger than both Sophie’s Universe and Charlotte’s Universe.

CAL Dates and Pattern Release

• Start Date:  Wednesday, 8 October 2025
• Duration:  11 weeks
• Release Time:  Every Wednesday at 12 noon CET/CEST

The week before we begin, I’ll publish:

• An Information Post with all key links
• A Tips & Tricks Post (Special Stitches + Techniques)
• The Heart House Gauge Motif (so you can test your tension)

You’ll find the pattern weekly here on my website, on the official Scheepjes CAL groups (Facebook), and on the Scheepjes Website:

• International CAL Group
• Dutch CAL Group
• Scheepjes Website

Pattern Support

• Pattern:  Official PDFs
• Video Tutorials:  English (by me) and Dutch (by Michael Wassenaar from Mikes Creatieve Wereld) 
• Photo Tutorials:  Step-by-step walkthroughs by me  
• Charts:  Created by Masako Kawahara from Crochet_hmmm
• Translations:  Dutch, German, Japanese (more to come!)
• Colouring-in Templates:  Available at the bottom of this post
• Ravelry:  You can add this pattern to your Ravelry Queue

Official Universe in Bloom CAL Kits

There are six official kits:  three in Colour Crafter and three in Cotton Create. 

These colourways were inspired by YOU!  Last year, I ran a survey asking for your favourite colour combinations.  Over 400 responses later, clear trends emerged (some surprising!), and I have done my best to honour the themes you shared.

Each kit includes:

• All the yarn you need for the blanket
• A large (gorgeous) tote bag
• A set of Tulip stitch markers
• A cute little ‘Look at what I Made’ lable to sew onto your blanket, should you wish to do so :)

For ‘Free Spirit’ crafters, the tote and stitch markers will also be available from select retailers as part of a ‘build-your-own’ option.

Please Note:  Each kit has generous yardage to allow for moderate gauge variation.  If you tend to crochet loosely, some colours may run tight.  I’ve marked those with an asterisk in the colour list for each kit.

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Where to Find Kits:

• My Wool Warehouse Shop (UK/International)*
• Black Sheep Wools (UK/International)
• Knotty House (Canada)
• Taemombo (Canada)
• Jimmy Beans (USA)*
• BellMae Yarns (Australia)
• More Scheepjes Retailers 

(*Affiliate Links – I earn a small commission from sales.)

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Colour Crafter:  Rainbow (11 colours)

Rainbow was my prototype.  She was designed and frogged and redisigned many times!  A vibrant, playful celebration of colour in my favourite rainbow palette.

Materials

• 3.75mm crochet hook
• Scheepjes Colour Crafter (100% Premium Acrylic; 100g/300m
  • Yarn A Brussel (2004) x 1 ball
  • Yarn B Sittard (1130) x 1 ball
  • Yarn C Den Bosch (1241) x 1 ball
  • Yarn D Tilburg (1083) x 1 ball*
  • Yarn E Heerlen (1432) x 2 balls
  • Yarn F Hengelo (1084) x 1 ball
    Yarn G Meppel (1061) x 2 balls*
  • Yarn H Delftzijl (1822) x 4 balls*
  • Yarn I Urk (1034) x 4 balls
  • Yarn J Den Helder (1068) x 1 ball
  • Yarn K Utrecht (1009) x 1 ball

Buy the Kit from Wool Warehouse

Colour Crafter:  Bouquet (7 colours)

Bouquet is bold and joyful – inspired by a summer bouquet sold at our local Esso.  She is the most vibrant of the gang – sunset hues with a playful purple pop.  Thank you to Minno Baarman for crocheting this one.

Materials

• 3.75mm crochet hook
• Scheepjes Colour Crafter (100% Premium Acrylic; 100g/300m
  • Yarn A Brussel (2004) x 3 balls
  • Yarn B Leeuwarden (1711) x 1 ball*
  • Yarn C Leek (1132) x 3 balls
  • Yarn D Kortrijk (2009) x 1 ball
  • Yarn E Brugge (2003) x 1 ball
  • Yarn F Delfzijl (1822) x 7 balls
  • Yarn G Charleroi (2016) x 3 balls

Buy the Kit from Wool Warehouse

Colour Crafter:  Delft (Air) (5 colours)

Delft (Air) is crisp and classic, like fine porcelain.  With her blue-and-white combination and soft grey for grounding, I think she is the most elegant of the gang.  Thank you to Kay Crone for bringing her to life!

Materials

• 3.75mm crochet hook
• Scheepjes Colour Crafter (100% Premium Acrylic; 100g/300m
  • Yarn A Weert (1001) x 7 balls*
  • Yarn B St Niklaas (2019) x 3 balls
  • Yarn C Texel (1019) x 3 balls
  • Yarn D Middelburg (1003) x 2 balls
  • Yarn E Delft (1117) x 4 balls

Buy the Kit from Wool Warehouse

Cotton Create:  Earth (11 colours)

With her muted purples, corals, and teals, Earth is organic, cosy, and slightly vintage.  I used the Large Sophie’s Universe as colour inspiration for this one.  Thank you to Ruth Lambert for making this version.  I’m a little bit in love with it!

Materials

• 3mm crochet hook
• Scheepjes Cotton Create (50% Recycled Cotton, 50% Premium Cotton; 50g/170m)
  • Yarn A Tie (501) x 8 balls*
  • Yarn B Adjust (639) x 2 balls
  • Yarn C Undo (650) x 2 balls
  • Yarn D Embroider (654) x 2 balls
  • Yarn E Fringe (653) x 2 balls
  • Yarn F Unwind (529) x 2 balls
  • Yarn G Weave (726) x 2 balls
  • Yarn H Cast on (664) x 4 balls
  • Yarn I Progress (723) x 2 balls
  • Yarn J Cast off (669) x 3 balls
  • Yarn K Draft (710) x 4 balls

Buy the Kit from Wool Warehouse

Cotton Create:  Galaxy (7 colours)

Galaxy!  Oh, Galaxy!!! You surprised me most of all!  You are so ethereal! The deep purples and teals make you feel like a swirling nebula, and I love the way the contrast plays with the design.  Thank you to Fional Kelly for making this one magical!

Materials

• 3mm crochet hook
• Scheepjes Cotton Create (50% Recycled Cotton, 50% Premium Cotton; 50g/170m)
  • Yarn A Unwind (529) x 4 balls
  • Yarn B Weave (726) x 2 balls
  • Yarn C Drape (721) x 2 balls
  • Yarn D Turn (724) x 5 balls
  • Yarn E Progress (723) x 5 balls
  • Yarn F Seam (665) x 10 balls*
  • Yarn G Shape (663) x 5 balls

Buy the Kit from Wool Warehouse

Cotton Create:  Seaside (5 colours)

Seaside is fresh and breezy, like sunshine dancing on waves.  I smile every time I look at her.  This kit uses fewer balls and is slightly more affordable.  Thank you Susanne van der Wal for working this beauty up.

Materials

• 3mm crochet hook
• Scheepjes Cotton Create (50% Recycled Cotton, 50% Premium Cotton; 50g/170m)
  • Yarn A Sketch (700) x 3 balls
  • Yarn B Fix (714) x 8 balls*
  • Yarn C Seam (665) x 9 balls*
  • Yarn D Progress (723) x 7 balls*
  • Yarn E Turn (724) x 3 balls

Buy the Kit from Wool Warehouse

And just because I can’t resist, I’ll share a colour-inspiration photo of this one from the planning stage… featuring my cute nephew Greyson (from the I Carry Your Heart mandala). 

I also can’t resist showing you each colourway laid out in a field full of wild-flowers…

Colouring-in Template

Claire Norden has created two beautiful illustrations to help with colour placement if you’re picking your own palette.  Download and print them here: 

• Universe in Bloom Full Size
• Universe in Bloom Quarter Size

Social Media

Please tag your posts with #UniverseInBloomCAL so we can follow your journey and celebrate your creativity.

We can’t wait to begin this adventure with you.  See you on 1 October for the pre-CAL posts!

This blog post contains affiliate links. I only link to products I personally use or would use.  All opinions are my own.