Hopefully you’ve heard of the Back To School Sweater CAL by now. If you haven’t then you’ve still got a month before the Crochet-A-Long ends. It is the perfect excuse to try something you’ve never done before. I had never made myself a crochet jumper before. Now I have made two! And it’s partly due to this fabulous sweater party that has been devised by Tamara from Crafty Escapism and Helen from Making at Number 14, not to mention shouted from the roof tops by awesome Fay of the Crochet Circle podcast. Go on, click on their names. They will take you to a hive of information and lead you down a rabbit hole of jumpery goodness. There are loads of specially written blog posts by some truly knowledgeable people.
I’ve stopped caring about showing my mad face to the world. It doesn’t really matter does it? I expect you’re looking the the jumper/sweater anyway. And you have probably noticed that both my jumpers are the same pattern. It’s the Cleckheaton Colour Block Jumper and I have mentioned it several time now, mostly over on my YouTube channel (episodes 13-16), where I’ve shared the details of yarn (it’s Drops Lima, which I’ve learned is deffo handwash only) and other super informative stuff .
You can find the pattern for free on Ravelry along with many others that, are in a useful bundle put together by the CAL team. Look here, aren’t there so many you could make?!
Yes, my seaming is a bit dodgy but I’m saying it’s part of the look. And you can always turn it inside out, where it blends in more. And if I’m not mistaken, I appear to have walked past many (far more than usual) doors/walls/strange places that all have nails (or other protruding things) poking out, waiting to grab hold and snag at my granny clusters. It’s a handmade jumper’s worst nightmare (that, and the shrinking/felting thing that I achieved on the first wash).
As it’s a CAL, there are prizes to be won if you enter your project into the Ravelry threads. I have offered one of my patterns as a prize. I don’t know if it’ll be a bundle of prizes for just a couple of winners or if they’ll be many prizes for different categories. Here is the Chatter thread so you can see what everyone is getting up to. And here is the Finished Object thread. I admit that I’m not very good at chatter threads. I easily forget to check in but I do enjoy seeing other crafter’s takes on projects. Simply by joining in on the threads (and by using the Instagram hashtag #BackToSchoolSweaterCAL) means you’re eligible to be entered into the prize giveaways.
Again, sorry about the face. This photo really shows the jumper off though so I’m over looking the crazy stare (it’s not as if people cross the street when I walk by or anything).
Have you already made crochet garments before? Is it something you enjoy? I loved making mine and will definitely make more crochet clothes for myself in the future. And please shout out if you are already taking part. Or maybe you’ve had a spark of inspiration and now feel the pull of the CAL?! Let me know! Cheers.
It’s about time, it’s sweater weatha… x
Looks good… I haven’t done any crochet for decades now… But yours look very comfortable and prettt
That’s a great pattern and your jumpers look great on you. I’m off to check out the pattern now 🙂
Sad face. The clecheaton (?sp) site is down for a while.
Nooooo! I just and had a look too 🙁
It says they’re merging with another company but on the 3rd Oct? Well, that’s been and gone…
ps, I’m glad you like the jumpers! x
Love it in three colours – it’s really different. I’ve never crocheted a jumper before but this one is tempting.
Thank you! It was the best introduction to garment making. Nothing fancy, no tricky stitches and very quick to make. Ideal! 😀
You’re such a bad influence, I’m now gathering crochet sweater patterns on ravelry. Yours looks fab – mad faces are grand 🙂
Haha! Sorry, not sorry! 😀
Thank you lovely lady for letting people know about our Back to School Sweater CAL on your blog!!! I cannot believe it’s only halfway through. It’s been amazing to see so many folk taking the leap and crocheting garments for the very first time and doing a fantastic job of it like yourself!! Hurrah for crochet garments!!!
Thank you too 😀
I really loved jumper making and will absolutely make more garments in the future. It has been the perfect CAL for me right now!
Thank you so much for taking part in our little CAL and helping us celebrate crochet garments. Super post (& I love your facial expressions!)
I really enjoyed it and it spurred me on in the making of them too. Thank you 😀
I love both your jumpers. I didn’t even notice what you called your crazy stare in the photo. Good grief that’s nowhere near as crazy as some of the looks I’ve seen on the faces of models in crochet magazines or photos on Ravelry. Now, the photo of you with your kitty…LOL! Might as well have fun with it, right?
Haha ! Now I want to see the pictures you’ve seen!! Having fun is definitely up there as a top priority. 😀
And btw, I love crocheting garments. It’s great to be able to make the style and color of sweater I want rather than having to search for it in the stores.
They both look fab! I don’t really do crochet jumpers etc but I’ve made a lot of slippers!
Thank you very much! I would like to make more in the future but I’m a bit jumpered out at the minute!
I’m loving those jumpers Rosina, and I love the picture where you’re standing (with and without the cat!), your outfit just looks so cute! I wish there was 48h in a day to be able to make a jumper but I’ve already got too many WIPs (as usual). There is always next year!
Thanks! There really are not enough hours in the day to make all the things I want!! 😀
Loving all those poses Rosina ha! Jumper is fab & funny enough I like the bright one best !
I can’t be arsed any more, Maura. I just don’t care about finding the perfect picture. It takes too long to find a goodun!
I know IG is getting a bit too perfect for me
Tell me about it! I’ve heard so many people say they’re fed up with the hierarchy that may or may not exist. Wtf?! Is that really where it’s headed? ugh.
Only seeing this now and have to say I agree!
There seems to be a few power houses there who like to think they are the big deal. They also play the follow/unfollow game. I have seen this done to me a few times, now I wait and see ……… whilst i adjust my tin foil hat ha ha!
Hahaha, yes, I have a few follow/unfollow people. Do they thing we can’t see?!!
Love both jumpers and your cute face!! I hate all the photos I’ve taken of me for dressmaking blogs (way to posey, who did I think I was?!)
I really wanted to do this CAL but I really don’t have the time… Making for craft fairs has to take a priority I think. Then I might make some money to buy more yarn! Xx
I’m gonna aim for super posey next time. Go extreme!
I don’t think I’m going to do a craft fair for a while. This town is too small. Everyone bought stuff from me the first time and now they don’t need more!! And when I come home with loads of unsold stuff, I feel bitter… Haha 😀 xx
The craft fair scene in Nottingham is quite good, but I just don’t seem to be able to get my foot in the door! It doesn’t help either that my husband works weekends so I have to plan the child care months in advance!! 😫🙄 😀 xx
Not having the freedom at weekends is annoying. I know what that’s like but I’m lucky that it isn’t an issue these days (certainly used to be though).
Your stuff is beautiful, people just don’t know who’s knocking at the door! x
Ta Mrs! 😘😘
Hi!! Remember me? The lady from Japan. Your blog is doing great!!! I love what you’ve done with it. And stop apologizing for your ” face” – you are beautiful – ! I decided to kill my Japan blog. I just wasn’t into it anymore. I decided to create a blog around crochet because it’s something I’m much more interested in than blogging about everyday life in Japan which recently has gotten pretty mundane ~ ha. Anyway- I’ve followed you here. Hugs from Japan.
Hello! Yes, of course I remember you! You were the first ever person to make a comment here on my blog. I will remember you forever because of that. You gave me a much needed boost of confidence. Thank you very much for that.
I love the name of your new blog and I will definitely pop by to check out what it’s like to crochet in Japan. Japan is up there in our top three wish list places to visit one day.
😀 Rosina. x
Awesome! I didn’t know I was the first ever person to comment! That’s super! I’m just starting to get some content on it…lost steam for my other blog ( it was 6 years old). Anyhoo… I love connecting with ” old friends” in bloggy-land! I’m am thinking of doing some guest posting once I get going ! Yarny hugs from across the miles!
Yay for sweater weatherrrrr! This is too cute! I wanted to try to make a sweater for Thanksgiving and I’m not so sure I’ll achieve my goal. (Since I haven’t even started one) 🙄
Yay! I didn’t know “sweater weather” was a thing until a few weeks ago!! Mind you, if you ask me, it’s sweater weather 9+ months of the year!!
Start now, you can do it!! 😀
This is beautiful !!!
Thank you!
Great sweaters! I love the color combo with the yellow.
Thank you very much! 😀