“Around-the-Bases” Crochet Along (CAL)

Welcome to the Around-the-Bases CAL (start Aug 9, 2015)!

I am excited to announce a crochet along (CAL) that will turn YOUR favorite square into an afghan!  It will start on August 9, 2015.  A new set of rounds will be released every Sunday at 8:30 am Central Time for 16 consecutive weeks.  You can join the Facebook CAL – Crochet A Long group and Ravelry Around the Bases CAL group and crochet along with us or you can finish this project at your own pace.  Each week’s clues will be released here on this blog.

What are we making? – We will start with a square block of your choice (more on this next week) and make it into an afghan.  You can use any center square you like as you have {multiples of 6 minus 2} number of stitches per side.  I’ll give more information on this next week.

Above is a sample project at half way (after 8 weeks).  This pattern was worked up while I watched college baseball, thus the name “around-the-bases”. Just like baseball, you go around a base block. And just like baseball, each round (or set of rounds) is different and fun to go around!

Will it be a mystery CAL? – No.  A picture of the final sample project will be posted next week on July 12, 2015.

Yarn & Hooks – You can use your favorite yarn and respective hook for this project.  My sample is made with Scheepjeswol Cotton 8, which is a fingering/sock/#1/super fine yarn, with a 3.25 mm hook.  The pattern also works well with DK and worsted weight yarn.

You can finish this CAL with just one hook but you may want to have a hook one size bigger to make single crochet (sc) stitch rows.

You can use as many or few colors as you would like.

Yardage – The yardage needed will depend on the size of your starting square, the type of yarn you use, and how tightly you crochet. My sample I will be using throughout this CAL was made with an 8-inch wide Tropical Delight in the center.  I used 1 skein of 8 colors and a little over 1 skein of 4 colors, with a total of 16 balls with left ove yarn.  The blanket weighs 525 g, which is approximately 1,785 m.

My very first sample incorporated Sophie’s Garden as the center block with permission from Dedri Uys of Look at What I Made and took 20 balls of Cotton 8 with some yarn left over.  The total weight is 900 g (@3,060 m).  Here is a picture of my prototype with Sophie’s Garden in the center but please note that the pattern for the CAL will be slightly different from this sample.

Sophie’s Garden @ Olsen Field, Texas A&M Univ.

Finished Size – Again, it depends on the yarn and hook you use, how tightly you crochet, and the size of your center block.  My sample with Tropical Delight in the center measures 35 inches when finished.  My Sophie’s Garden center block measured 17 inches, so the total afghan finished at 45 inches across.

Difficulty – Easy to intermediate.  More challenging stitches will have photo tutorials.

Video Tutorials – (drum roll, please!) Video tutorials will be provided each week by Esther of It’s All in a Nutshell.  Woo hoo!  She is the super video instructor on a variety of crochet CALs, including Sophie’s Universe, and you will absolutely love her tutorials!

Pattern – The pattern will be written in English using American crochet terms.

Schedule – All new info released on this blog at 8:30 am Central Time

• July 12, 2015 – Picture of finished sample, more information on “using YOUR favorite square in the center” & instructions on how to get any square ready for this CAL
• August 9, 2015 – Week 1, CAL starts!
• November 22, 2015 – Week 16, all done!  (the pattern will stay here on the blog, so no need to worry if you cannot finish with us)

Support Groups –

CAL – Crochet A Long on Facebook – Please join this FB group where you can find tips and ask questions, etc. as well as be tempted by other CALs that are going on!

Around the Bases group on Ravelry – This group will be a good place to visit to see other people’s samples, join chats, etc.  The group is specifically for this CAL.

I’m really excited about this CAL and hope to see many of you join!  Till next time, sayonara!