Long-awaited, but here it is!
It took quite some time, and I admit I have hesitated if I would do this, but decided that I will!!! A new CAL! I got inspired, and thought it should be doable, despite the super busy period I’m in personally. No worries, it is all very positive, but it takes a lot of my time and energy.
And I’m really wanting to do it! Because honestly, I became a little ‘crochet tired’. I have always been a woman with lots of crafting hobbies, and I like to switch between things. I also just wanted to spend more time with my weaving. Also to make my huge yarn stash a bit smaller, because I really had to do some cleaning up! In the mean time I bought a magnificent new professional loom, and I have made a nice shawl on it, but first time for this CAL!
Already some information
It’s going to be a big blanket again. Or a wall hanging. I will offer the pattern for the interwoven crochet technique as well as for mosaic crochet. I do have a pattern description for balanced mosaic knitting as well, but I cannot figure out in time how much yarn that will take. I just simply cannot make this all myself in time, so that will probably follow later.
The pattern will be just as wide and high as the HAL CAL 2018. This means for interwoven crochet that it will have the same size, and it will have the same yarn usage. I am still busy crocheting this in the mosaic crochet technique, so the measurements for that will follow later. I’m also checking the yarn usage for that, so that will also follow later.
The starting date and the schedule
For now I have set the starting date on thursday Februari 6. I think I know for quite sure I will manage that, if I will not even be ready sooner 🙂 . I will split up the pattern in 6 parts and release a new part weekly. So you will have to work hard to keep up, but taking the busy period I’m in into account this will be the best for me. And this way you can have it finished quickly. I know from experience that long going projects can turn out ‘negative’, because your attention can weaken because of all kinds of other lovely projects you see coming by that you also want to make 🙂 .
Availability of the pattern
The pattern will be available for free during the duration of the CAL. You can download it from this website. I will NOT offer it as a download on facebook, so you really need to go here to the website.
I will also offer the complete pattern for sale right from the start! I have to see yet through which channels, if I can do it all through Ravelry, or that I have to use another selling site. But I will let you know when it’s available. The price will be reduced during the duration of the CAL. After the CAL the free downloads will be removed from this website and the price of the full pattern will go up.
Not familiar yet with interwoven crochet?
If you’ve never done the interwoven crochet technique before, I advice you to already start doing the tutorials on this website. You can find a method on this page here (click here) which will help you to avoid some ‘starters problems’, so you can focus first on the concept of interwoven crochet. When you’ve done that, you can do the practice piece of the Hooked and Locked CAL 2018 (click here). There are videos to help you with it, and on the website at the HAL CAL 2018 you will also find written tutorials with lots of pictures.
Please do this, because a lot of people struggled with the setup of the previous CAL! In the end almost everyone managed to do it, and you can always ask for help on the facebook groups, but with the small samples you just have small things you can oversee! And also watch the video about the setup of the christmas table runners! I will use the same setup for this CAL! So you could start practicing with that also already. All videos about interwoven crochet are on my YouTube channel in this playlist (click here).
Not familiar yet with mosaic crochet?
I will be making a tutorial on this website with text and pictures! I do not know if I can find the time to make a video. I depend on the help of my dear husband, and we are both, as I already mentioned, very busy. We hope we can do it, because it’s always nice if you can watch it. I will keep you updated when I’ve finished stuff!
Already familiar with mosaic crochet?
I will do some things a little bit different than you may be used to, and my way of describing could be a little bit different than what you’re used to, but I figured out a way that I find very easy myself! And it works superfast. I experienced that myself working with it, so please do look at the (coming) tutorials, also if you are familiar with mosaic crochet!
And a bit about balanced mosaic knitting
Like I said, I will probably not manage in time to release the pattern with the expected yarn usage! I will think about maybe releasing it during the CAL, and have you figure the yarn usage out yourself. You can find the tutorials for balanced mosaic knitting on my website (click here) with the accompanying videos! Balanced mosaic knitting is a method that looks very much like regular mosaic knitting, but I developed this myself to tackle some possible issues. You can read all about it here on this website!
The facebook groups
It is best to join the facebook groups for the Hooked and Locked CAL. Click here for the Dutch group and click here for the English group. You will find lots of people there that already have done the previous CAL and are familiar with the technique, so please ask questions there. They are fun groups with lots of sweet and helpful people! I will not answer a lot of questions here on the website.
Meanwhile I will continue with my works. I am busy crocheting like crazy, and I will do the tutorials as well. In the coming weeeks I will keep you updated 🙂 .
Already have fun with preparing!
do you know how much yarn will be needed yet? I would like to go ahead and get mine. I love this design.
For the interwoven crochet version same as HAL CAL 2018. Glad to see you again, Robin 🙂