Welcome to the Z&R Cardigan CAL!

Hello and welcome to the first post about my Cardigan CAL 2024!! I have been brewing this idea for a few weeks, ever since I thought about publishing two crochet cardigan patterns at the same time. (She Sells Seashells and Little Fluffy Clouds are being released on January 13th! – keep your eyes peeled for discounts as they’re on the way and don’t forget to scroll down to the end of this post for further info on both. That way, you can be prepared in advance!)

Starting January 13th and continuing throughout the first few weeks of 2024 and finishing at the end of March, I thought it would be a lovely idea to have a Crochet Along so that a community of crafters can come together and crochet cardigans. If we are all making patterns at the same time, wouldn’t it be great if we could chat to each other? Talk to each other about the patterns we’re making, and ask for advice on yarns, stitches and construction!?

What is a CAL?

A CAL stands for Crochet Along. You may have also heard of a MAL (Make Along) and KAL (Knit Along). In a nutshell, it’s a fun get together where folks can encourage each other and have a fun time with like minded people. Participation can be as in depth as you choose. In the past, when I have hosted a CAL, there has been a fabulously diverse mix of makers of all different skill levels.

The social side of a CAL is a huge perk for me but it’s not the only reason for taking part. The sharing of ideas, as well as learning tips and tricks brings a disparate bunch of enthusiasts together, enriching what can be a quiet and solitary hobby. In other words, it’s loads of fun hanging out with your crochet mates!

There are other benefits too. Joining a CAL is the opportunity to try something new that you might not otherwise feel brave enough to make. A CAL can give you focus and encouragement so you can achieve your goal without the energy wearing off. It can remove the pressure of working out all the details too. And let’s not forget the potential for a prize or two!

There are lots of different platforms you can choose to hang out on. I’ve seen CALs hosted on Facebook, Instagram and Ravelry to name just a few.

Which Cardigan Can I Make?

Ok, so here’s the bit I struggled with the most. I know that most CALs stick to one pattern but I cannot do it. I am always so indecisive and torn by choices. It seemed unfair to say you had to make just one crochet design when I don’t like being restricted myself. So, I have opened up the options a little bit.

It also allows me to make a cardigan of my choice too and seeing as I have already made samples of my own designs, I wanna make something different! I am going to make a cardigan designed by one of my friends, which you can find out about here on the CAL Discount and Prizes post!

I have put a little crochet cardigan bundle together on ravelry, for some different styles. A couple have free options but I have pulled together few friends who are offering discounts on their paid patterns too. A few fellow designers are offering 25% off their cardigan patterns so that you can make whichever one is your favourite. Or buy them all and save some crocheting for a later date!

How Do I Join in the Cardigan CAL?

To join the CAL all you need to do is crochet a cardigan during the first few months of 2024. If you join in the chat and share your progress, your name can also be added to a prize draw where I will pick one winner who will receive a lovely bundle of digital crochet patterns.

There are three different places to take part so it’s a bit more inclusive than just running it in just one place. Not everyone uses Instagram, for example. But fear not, you don’t need to participate in all three if you don’t want to. You only need to use your preferred social media platform.

Links to all three are below. We are live so you can get started on the chat straightaway!

The CAL Facebook Group

I have already set up the Facebook Group. Please forgive its current barebones, I don’t really use Facebook at the moment and haven’t added any bells and whistles. What I’m hoping for is to build a community there as I know it’s still a popular place for crochet chat.

Ravelry Cardi Chatter Thread

I have also set up a Cardigan CAL Ravelry forum as I know people love this platform for chatter threads and sharing progress. It has been a while since I used Ravelry for its forums but it is very easy to do.

Instagram Fun

If you’re an IG user, I’ll assume you’re familiar with sharing your pics on your feed. I would love to see all your progress shots, not just one finished photo at the end of the CAL. Keep active and people will see your hard work. Obvs, I don’t mean sharing every day but perhaps once every couple of weeks to keep in the loop. If you’re enjoying it and want to share more, go for it!

Use hashtags on Instagram to share what you’re making. #ZeensAndRoger #ZCardiCAL2024

Feel free to use both of these hashtags but the one I’ll use for the prize draw at the end is #ZCardiCAL2024

CAL Prizes?!

The prize draw is optional and just for fun. Ok, it’s an incentive to join in too but ultimately, this is the sort of thing I’d join even if prizes weren’t on offer! I might have a couple of runners up too, depending on what I can work out for the number of prizes there are at the end. I have already roped in a few friends who have offered some gorgeous patterns and discounts. It’s so good already! In previous CALs, I managed to boost the bundle even more throughout the CAL’s duration so if you’re a designer and would like to offer a digital pattern (It doesn’t need to be a cardigan pattern), please get in touch!

What I haven’t done yet is ask for you to join newsletters for me and my crochet friends, but please consider it as it’s a really helpful method of getting designers known by a wider audience. I very rarely send a newsletter but when I do it will be because I have discounts or free patterns to offer, or just some really exciting news to share!

At the end of the CAL, I will pull the names of participants together and draw names out of a hat. There isn’t much you need to do apart from being present in one or more of the community groups and/or use of hashtags on Instagram.

Prize info revealed here!!

The CAL Rules

I want this CAL to be as laid back as possible. This is for two reasons:

• 1) I don’t want you to have to jump through hoops to join in.
• 2) I want to do as little work as I can (sorry but it’s true! Haha). I just want to have fun watching all the cardis get made.

Therefore, this means there aren’t loads of rules. However, you can’t just dig out an already made cardigan from your wardrobe and enter that. No! That’s cheating. Here are the basics:

• A cardigan is an open front sweater. This CAL is not for any other garments.
• Please no WIPs, I would like you to start your cardigan at some point from the beginning of the CAL. By all means, start a week or two later if you’re not able to start on the 13th Jan. Even later if you’re a speedy crocheter and will still finish by the end of March.
• You can double dip. So if you have seen another CAL or MAL and wish to enter that too, I have no objections.
• You only need to join one of the groups above to be part of the CAL but you can be present in all three if you fancy.
• This CAL is for everyone, whether you have just started to crochet or you’ve been hooking for decades, this crochet along is for you. Please remember to be respectful of what others are making.

What Cardigan Are You Going To Make?

So, that just leaves you to choose which cardigan you fancy making! What will it be?!

Read on for the additional details about my own designs. …

Little Fluffy Clouds

Dropping especially for the Cardigan CAL 2024 is Little Fluffy Clouds, a puff stitch cardigan in DK weight yarn. I have been working on this for more than two years!! Life kept getting in the way and I procrastinated way more than was necessary. However, I am over the moon to say that my crochet cardigan, Little Fluffy Clouds is live!!!

You can get 25% off the pattern and for the whole duration of the CAL. Discount news on all the cardigan patterns is here!

She Sells Seashells

I love wearing this cardigan, it’s warm yet light weight and uses an alpaca 4ply. It was first featured in Inside Crochet magazine back in the autumn. You can read about sizes and yarn quantities on Ravelry. I am pleased to say you can buy the crochet pattern independently in time for the CAL. And yes, it has the 25% discount!

Other Cardigan Patterns

I also have the Perfect Cardigan, a striped v-neck pattern, which has the discount as well.

And if you were trying to save bit of cash, don’t forget the JW Anderson inspired crochet cardigan, which is a free pattern here on my blog. It is also a great stash buster so you could absolutely raid lots of your leftover yarns to make that colourful crochet pattern.

I will come back and suggest some other cardi patterns soon too.

Thank You!!

Finally, a massive Thank You!! I have had such a ridiculously positive response about this crochet along, I’m thrilled that you want to join in. I often have sparks of inspiration but then chicken out in bringing them to fruition because I’m afraid it won’t be of interest. Without the enthusiasm from you guys, this idea would have been fleeting and surely fizzled out. Thank you very much.

If you have read through this post and it has raised a question, please let me know in the comments and I will address your queries in the next post.

Cheers. x

Crochet Ribbing Stitches

I’ve been a crocheter for almost fourteen years, and I think I can say that I have finally found crochet ribbing stitches that I actually, genuinely love! And no, there’s no single crochet in the back loop only here.

You can use crochet ribbing stitches in all kinds of projects. For the most part, I use them in the obvious scenario of adding a crochet edging to my designs. So we’re talking: cuffs on mittens, waistbands on jumpers & cardis, the brim of a hat or perhaps as fun edgings on a shawl or scarf.

Below, I share my thoughts about my faves and their written patterns. I have also put together a video tutorial for YouTube:

For the stitch patterns, I used DK yarn and a 4mm hook. All swatches start with 24 stitches.

What I’m not going to do in this post is talk about Join As You Go ribbing. I think I’ll save that for another day; it is a subject all by itself.

Favourite Crochet Ribbing

Ok, so in this blog post, I am going to share my favourite crochet ribbing patterns. I will not share all the rib patterns out there because there are quite a few. Every time I discover a new stitch, I will always try it to see if I like it. I know I don’t really like double crochet (US sc) in the back loop, as I don’t think it’s the best ribbing. Neither am I keen on htr (US hdc) in the back loop only (blo). It’s not stretchy enough, it hasn’t got decent definition, and it doesn’t look very rib-like. *shrugs*

However, I do have a soft spot for front and back post stitches. I think they can be really effective in a garment design or accessory. But I get it. Those raised post stitches don’t always fit other design elements, and there are excellent alternatives which I love and use regularly. Luckily, for all of us, there’s lots of choice, which is awesome.

In terms of crocheting garments and accessories, I’m after a certain look in my ribbing that will complement the rest of the item and look fabulous, too. If the stitch offers fab stitch definition and a bit of ba-doing, then yes, I’ll take some of that, please!

Two Categories of Crochet Ribbing

I would split my faves into two categories of crochet ribbing. One, it’s all about getting the look using textured front and back stitches worked around the post of the stitches below. These are simple to work up and great for beginner friendly crochet makes.

The second category is about manipulating rows of stitches so that the tops of each row are pushed forward when the next row is worked, to become the rib itself. That’s why the htr (US hdc) is used so often, as it has three top loops to use rather than the usual two.

I often start my ribbing with Foundation Starts, as it is a more elastic technique than working into chains. Don’t be scared of starting your crochet this way; it’s awesome. I have a video tutorial on How to crochet a foundation start, and it covers the main stitches: dc, htr & tr (US sc, hdc &dc).

Crochet Post Stitches

I’ll get these out of the way first, as post stitch ribbing is well known, but seeing as I really enjoy using them in my design work, I cannot leave them out of my collection of fave ribbing stitches. In the UK, they might be referred to as “raised stitches” as well.

More often than not, you would work these stitches in the same direction as the rest of your work.

Essentially, to create the textural quality that looks kinda like ribbing, standard treble (US dc) stitches are worked around the front and back post of a stitch rather than in the top of it.

Look at the picture above. There are three swatches to show post stitches acting as a rib. I like to refer to them as 1×1, 2×2, and 3×3.

• 1×1: worked as a repeat of 1FPtr &1BPtr (US dc) over a multiple of 2 stitches.
• 2×2: worked as a rep of 2FPtr & 2BPtr over a multiple of 4.
• 3×3: worked as a rep of 3FPtr & 3BPtr over a multiple of 6.
• You get the idea……

I find that post stitches look daintier and therefore more effective with finer weights of yarn. This is entirely subjective, but it’s worth bearing in mind. Try out a few swatches and see what you think.

Take a look at post stitch ribbing in action….

We have See My Vest, my granny striped tank top. January Hues, a cosy hat. Companions, a cowl and wrist warmer set. And then there are the Bifrost mittens, gorgeous chunky rainbow stripes, and Dreckly crochet mittens, which kick-started an obsession with mittens and wrist warmers! I’ve linked these to Etsy but you can also find them on Ravelry as well.

Crochet Post Stitch Pattern

Post Stitch Pattern Notes

• “ftr” means a foundation UK treble.
• Not sure how to work an ftr stitch? Check out how to work foundation stitches in my video tutorial.
• For US terms take that “tr” and swap it for “dc”

Here is an example of the pattern for working a 2×2 post crochet rib worked in the round.

• Rnd 1 (r/s): 32ftr, join with sl st to form a circle, right side facing out. 
• Rnd 2 (r/s): 1ch (does not count as a st here & throughout), *2FPtr, 2BPtr in next st; rep from * around, join with sl st, do not turn.
• Rnds 3 – 6: Rep Rnd 2.

Simple Front Third Loop

And so, we move on from post stitches…

The rest of these smashing stitch patterns are, most likely, worked perpendicular to your main piece of crochet.

Simple Front Third Loop. I’ve used this easy stitch in a few projects now and it can be really effective. It’s for days when anything with a slip stitch is too much like hard work. I find it intriguing that a lot of people choose to work the stitches in the back loop rather than the loop that sits at the front of an hdc. There is definitely a difference, which you’ll notice in the video tutorial and in the pics below.

The left shows htr back loop only (blo), the right, shows the stitches when worked in the front third loop. It creates much better stitch definition and squatter, compact stitches.

Note that the photos were taken at different times of day and the swatch on the right has two extra rows.

The anatomy of the half treble (US dc) stitch is that it has 3 loops on the top rather than the usual 2. Instead of working under the usual 2 loops that form a “V” at the top of the stitch, insert the hook into the horizontal loop that sits at the front of the stitch below that “V”.  This pushes the top of the stitch forward to produce a rib-like effect, creating the neat linear wedges.

As I said, I’ve used this in a few projects because it’s simple yet effective. My stripey sweater, Riley Too not only uses it for the cuffs and waistband but it’s also used as a feature at the boat neckline, which I think looks great! It is really effective as the button band in my Perfect Cardigan and my free recipe for a crochet JW Anderson cardigan.

Front Third Loop Pattern

Note, again, I’m using UK terms in the pattern here. Just swap the htr for hdc and voila!

• Row 1: Work as many fhtr stitches as desired, turn.
• Row 2: 1ch (does not count as a st here & throughout), htr in front third loop to end, turn.
• Rows 3 – however many you like: Rep Row 2 ending on an even number if joining ends together.

Using Slip Stitches for Crochet Ribbing

Ok, so we’re moving into more fiddly territory here but it is well worth the effort. This is where the stitches are, relatively speaking, more recent for me so I don’t have quite so many photo examples of my own work.

Slip stitches in back loops do a great job of pushing the stitches forward and create the most springy fabric out of all the crochet ribbing stitches. The important thing here is to work the stitches quite loosely. Wriggling a hook into teeny stitches that are too tight is what put me off slip stitch ribbing for years. Another trick is not to pull on the individual stitches once you’ve worked them.

I often see slip stitches made in two clunky parts, especially when worked slowly. Practice a few times to become comfortable making deft, singular movements with the hook. This kind of swift movement definitely helps achieve the right tension.

Hdc With Slip Stitches

In my green jumper (sorry, no pattern!) I used a ribbing stitch that I first used in the Color Pop Sweater from My Square Hat (below). I used it for the cuffs and waistband, but, funnily enough, I used a htr (US hdc) back loop only for the cowl neck to ensure a loose drape. I’d be tempted to make the cowl with a htr front 3rd loop if I revisited this crochet sweater.

Htr and Slip Stitch Ribbing Pattern

• Row 1: Work a row of ftr stitches, turn.
• Row 2: 1ch (does not count as a st here & throughout), sl st in BLO in each st along, turn.
• Row 3: 1ch, htr in blo along, turn.
• Rows 4 – However many you like: Rep Rows 2 & 3. If joining in a round, make your last row a slip stitch row.

Yarn Over Slip Stitch

The ultimate, best ever crochet ribbing! It looks so good and is lovely and springy and bouncy. I first discovered this stitch at the beginning of last year when I made Ana D’s Rockmore cardigan (note that the sleeves are all yarn over slip stitches. Every row. Looks good, hey?!). It’s used on the button band, and it looks Uh.may.zinG! I went on to use it in my crochet Granny Sweaters.

For such a small change from htr to a yarn over slip stitch (also referred to as an htr sl st (US hdc sl st), I am gobsmacked. Essentially, you just yarn over before the slip stitch is made. But this one minor change really adds extra spring, squish and the magic ba-doing. I love it! And, it’s not as fiddly as if it were solely working regular slip stitches. We have a winner!!

Take a look at the two photos above. It is the same swatch in both pics, showing the “wrong” side on the left and the “right” side on the right. Both sides look great, to be honest, but it’s the one on the right where you could argue that it looks more traditionally rib-like.

Yarn Over Slip Stitch Pattern

Let’s work into a chain for this one. Work as many chains as you like.

• Row 1: Working in back bumps, YO sl st in second ch from hook, YO sl st to end, turn. [You’ll have one stitch fewer than your original chain].
• Row 2: ch1 (does not count as a st here & throughout), sl st BLO along to end, turn.
• Row 3: ch1, YO slst BLO, turn.
• Rep Rows 2 & 3 to end. End of a slip stitch row if joining the ends together.

And there we are, all my faves in one place!! Remember that you can hop over to YouTube to watch my tutorial on The Best Crochet Ribbing stitches here. Listen out for the cute cat sneeze…

Which is your favourite crochet ribbing? Let me know in the comments.

If you like any of the patterns pictured, check out my Free Patterns Page, my Ravelry store, and take a look at Etsy shop, and Lovecrafts store.

Cheers! x

This is the Lorax Scarf, a large crochet chevron scarf that is one of the cosiest makes ever! I made it as an experiment for some super soft merino yarn that the yarn company, Rico, sent me a few months ago. There wasn’t going to be enough yarn to make the kind of scarf I like (proper warm and snuggly) so I prepared for a major stash dive. There is a mix of all sorts of yarn in this colourful crochet chevron scarf but still only eight colours. Scrutinise it and you’ll see that there are all kinds of slightly different shades and different yarn weights. But, do you know what? No one ever looks that closely!

Therefore, this scarf pattern is a great stashbuster!

Crochet Chevron Scarf Pattern

There were so many lovely comments about this eyelet crochet scarf over on Instagram and YouTube, so I thought it would be nice to make it into a proper pattern to release. There is a download available to buy on Ravelry in both UK and US terms.

Lorax, this crochet chevron scarf, has all the info you need: written pattern, chart (hand drawn this time – speedier than software), pics, and a table to show colour rows etc. I also included a couple of other suggestions as to how you could use this pretty eyelet chevron stitch.

The chevron crochet pattern is available on Ravelry HERE. And it is also in my Etsy shop, HERE

Crochet Scarf Video Tutorial

I also recorded a video tutorial for the Eyelet Chevron stitch. It shows a swatch being worked up in the stitch, which should be good for the more visual learners out there. You can find the video tutorial HERE.

The stitch pattern for this crochet chevron scarf uses multiples of 16. Therefore, if you want to make a narrower scarf, feel free to reduce it by 16, or even 32 chains. I enjoy a wide scarf so the original width (42cm / 17.5 inches) might be too wide for you.

However, with the scarf being almost Lenny Kravitz style scarf proportions, you would only need to add a couple more stitch multiples to create a beautiful crochet ripple blanket!

I can’t claim to have come up with the name myself. One rather splendid podcast viewer said it reminded them of Dr Seuss’s The Lorax and I have to say, I agree!! So it couldn’t really be called anything else, the colours were just too similar and before I knew it, it was The Lorax!

Note that on Etsy, I had to change the name as whoever owns the story nowadays, they don’t like people using the name.

I do hope you like it. And don’t forget to let me know if you make it. Cheers. x

xx