cal – India Yarn Circle

Nifty Thrifty Eco CAL

April 15, 2022April 25, 2022 indiayarncircle

We are Back!! A brand new Collaboration, an Eco friendly Project and a novel Purpose.

IndiaYarnCircle is collaborating with GoKraftz Yarns to bring the Nifty Thrifty Eco CAL Designed by Divya of @Stringtierey

Read through the post for all the details on the CAL

Inspiration and Purpose:

IndiaYarncircle aspires to be aware and mindful of the things we do as a community together. One of the things we envisioned, was use crafts as a means to recycle reuse and reduce waste and plastic consumption. Getting the community involved together to participate in a “Avoid Plastic Campaingn” became an idea we pursued. Not only does this CAL project help in the community learning new techniques and construction, but it also becomes a platform to spread awareness towards reducing the use of plastic and use reusable and recyclable materials and items.

About our Collaborator – GoKraftz Yarns:

Lets hear from our collaborators GoKratfz yarns

Hello IYC Members! We at Gokraftz yarns are super excited to collaborate with IndiaYarnCircle to bring our yarns for the community to work with.

It took a month for us to name our brand because we wanted our continuous efforts to provide engaging products to the craft community and to reflect on the name. With ‘Go’ we want you to never stop doing what you’re best at and you love – curating the finest craft products and expressing yourself fully. And, Kraftz is our creative way of saying, ‘craft.’ We are totally focused on quality craft material which is ahead of the league. And this is the story behind the name – GoKraftz.

We know our customers need three things :

Best of quality yarns.
Colour richness and fastness of the yarns.
Innovation that brings comfort, convenience, and speed while working.

Don’t be surprised, because we’ve got you covered. Whether you’re working on a crochet, knitting, quilting, embroidery, or any craft project, GoKraftz aims to bring the finest yarns maintaining the highest standards of quality. We bring out the balance and richness of the colours in the yarns that we dye.

Nifty Thrifty Eco CAL

As a collaboration with Gokraftz yarns, we decided on a reusable crochet cotton bag as our project, useful for daily use for groceries and other shopping. Designed by our very own IYC member Divya Bhat of Stringtierey, the Nifty Thrifty Eco Bag is a uniquely constructed market tote bag. This beginner project is easy to make, light, and meshy, making it the perfect fabric for a tote bag.

Materials and Yarn:

The Bag design has an option to be made in two different types of yarn,

Gobulky yarn – sport weight yarn – 100gms each in 2 colours – total 200gms

Gohibulky Yarn – heavy DK weight yarn. – 150 gms each in 2 colours – total 300gms.

For this CAL you will need

3.5/ 4mm hook for gobulky yarn.

5/ 5.5mm hook for gohibulky yarn.

Stitchmarkers

Yarn needle, scissors and measureing tape.

How to participate in the CAL:

So to participate in the CAL,

Register for the CAL.
Buy the kit with your favourite colour combination from Gokraftz yarns using the link in the below section.
Follow IndiaYarnCircle and GoKraftz.
Join our Facebook Group Here.

and show some love to our host and designer Divya of Stringtierey.

As we are collaborating with GoKraftz Yarn for this CAL, the amazing people at GoKraftz had put together Yarn kits at discounted prices for making the bag. These yarns are super soft and colour fast, perfect for our CAL!!!

Registrations are now closed.

The yarn kits at discounted prices are no longer available now.

However, You can still buy Gokraftz yarns at the link below at normal prices.

BUY GOKRAFTZ COTTON YARN HERE

Timeline:

The CAL will be running for 4 weeks after the delivery of the yarn kits.

Starting from 15th April 2022, the timeline for the CAL is as below:

15th – 1st May – Registration till 25th April and delivery of yarn kits from Gokraftz.

Week 1 – 2nd May – 8th May – Section 1 of pattern

Week 2 – 9th May – 15th May – Section 2 of Pattern

Week 3 – 16th May – 22nd May – Section 3 of pattern

Week 4 – 23rd May – 29th May – Finishing and Photos submission.

We would love to see your colour combinations and your choices. so dont forget to tag us, gokratfz and stringtierey on instagram and use hashtags #goiyccal2022 #goiycecocal #niftythriftyecocal #iyccal2022 #goiyccal #niftythriftyecobag

Community Activity, IYC

Envie-a-Hexie Doily CAL – Registration

January 17, 2022February 7, 2022 indiayarncircle

Hello Everyone!! Wishing you all a very Happy New Year!!!
Hoping you guys are staying safe in this pandemic and maintaining Covid Precautions!!

We hope you all enjoyed making our last CAL and participating for the IYC Christmas Charity beanie event!

We are back with a brand new CAL and this one is absolutely stunning!!!

Designed by our very own Vimala Vignesh of @vimalavignesh especially only for this CAL, the Envie-a-Hexie Doily is simple yet striking and perfect for homedecor, dreamcatchers, etc. It will for sure make you fall in love with Mandalas and add to your crochet skill set!

PRESENTING….

The Envie-a-Hexie Doily

The name “Envie” is a French noun meaning “desire”. We are sure you will desire to make this project too!!

The IndiaYarnCircle team and Vimala will guide and help you every step of the way to make this gorgeous design.

So dont worry! We got you!

Let’s Dive in and see how you can participate in this CAL:

The CAL will be running for 3 – 4 weeks and each week part of the pattern will be published here on our blog. The first week is for registration and gathering of the materials and next week onwards we will begin making the Doily.

You need to register for the CAL (scroll all the way below to the register here button) .

Join our facebook group for all the CAL discussions and queries. (Scroll down to find the link)

MATERIALS

Materials used Baroque thread size 20 and 1.1mm hook.

The doily can be made with AKC 4057 or redrose knitting cotton and 2 mm hook. However this will make it bigger.

* Stitch marker
* A pair of scissors
* darning needle

Yarn Substitutions

These are the threads/ yarns that one can use .
1: Baroque / size 20 thread – 100 gms( won’t use full) – 1.1mm hook
2: Anchor knitting cotton 4057 – 150gms – 2 mm hook
3: Hobby India crochet thread 200 gms ( won’t use much from the second ball) – 2.5 mm hook
4: Gulera 3ply 200 gms – 3 mm hook
5: kotton 4ply 200 gms 2.5 mm hook

Hook
1.1mm or 1.5mm crochet hook (the sample is made with 1.1mm hook)

You can choose any colour combinations you like and build you own colour pallete for the doily.

Measurements

The doily measures 15″ across and is hexagon shaped.

Level

Beginner/Intermediate

Now that all the basics are covered lets set you up for the CAL.

REGISTRATION HAS BEEN CLOSED FOR THIS CAL.

join our facebook group here

follow our blog

follow our designer to see her works

We hope you join us in making this CAL a huge sucess and make this beautiful doily that Vimala has created just for you!!

Use hashtags #envieahexiecal #indiayarncircle #enviecal #IYCcal #iycdoilycal #iycdoilycal2022

Please feel free to comment below your queries or post a question on our facebook group or DM us on instagram.

Community Activity, IYC

Sunburst Diamond Mochila CAL – Week 3

August 2, 2021August 9, 2021 indiayarncircle

Hello Everyone!!! Can you believe it?? It’s Week 3 already!!

Time surely is flying by and we are swiftly progressing ahead on our Bag CAL.

We are absolutely loving the pictures of all your Sunburst Diamond Mochilla bags and definitely keep tagging us in all your pictures!!

For Week 3, we will continue with the body or the side section of th bag.

Recap of previous weeks you can find below:

Materials and Registration Week – CLICK HERE.

Base of the Bag – Week 1 – CLICK HERE.

Side / body of the bag part 1 – Week 2 – CLICK HERE.

So lets begin with Week 3 Instructions.

Written instructions

Round-19.   *6A, 2B, 2C, 2D, 5E, 2D, 2C, 2B, 7A*   {6x}
Round-20.   *7A, 2B, 2C, 2D, 3E, 2D, 2C, 2B, 8A*   {6x}
Round-21.   *8A, 2B, 2C, 2D, 1E, 2D, 2C, 2B, 9A*   {6x}
Round-22.   *1C, 8A, 2B, 2C, 3D, 2C, 2B, 9A, 1C*   {6x}
Round-23.   *2C, 8A, 2B, 2C, 1D, 2C, 2B, 9A, 2C*   {6x}
Round-24.   *1B, 2C, 8A, 2B, 3C, 2B, 9A, 2C, 1B*   {6x}
Round-25.   *2B, 2C, 8A, 2B, 1C, 2B, 9A, 2C, 2B*   {6x}
Round-26.   *3B, 2C, 8A, 3B, 9A, 2C, 3B*   {6x}
Round-27.   *2B, 2C, 10A, 1B, 11A, 2C, 2B*   {6x}
Round-28.   *1B, 2C, 11A, 1B, 12A, 2C, 1B*   {6x}
Round-29.   *2C, 26A, 2C*   {6x}
Round-30.   *1C, 28A, 1C*   {6x}
Round-31.   *30A*   {6x}
Round-32.   *30A*   {6x}

Button holes

We will make Button holes in Round 33…Crochet 4 stitches around the yarns you carry. Slide the stitches if needed, pull the yarns gently. Skip 4 stitches and insert the hook in next stitch.
In this video we will see how to make button holes:

See instructions below:

Round-33.   *9A, BUTTON HOLE, 18A, BUTTON HOLE, 19A, BUTTON HOLE, 18A, BUTTON HOLE,     19A, BUTTON HOLE, 18A, BUTTONHOLE, 19A, BUTTON HOLE, 18A, BUTTON HOLE, 10A*

Round-34.   *30A*   {6x}
Round-35.   *30A*   {6x}

As we work in spiral, there is a difference in height at the end of the round.
we can minimize the height by cutting the yarns one by one in Round-36.
20 stitches before the end, cut yarn color E. 15 stitches before the end, cut yarn color D. 10 stitches before the end, cut yarn color B. At the end of the Row, cut yarn colorA.

Round-36. *30A* {6x}
Round-37. Crab stitch with color C, (Do not make crab stitch in every stitch, skip every other stitch)

Graph

Thats it for Week 3! You can always get in touch with us by leaving a comment below or dm us on instagram @indiayarn.circle or join us on our facebook group where all the action happens!!

join the facebook group

We would love to see your makes!! So dont forget to tag us @indiayarn.circle and our designer @handmadeby_ashita on instagram and facebook and use hashtags #sunburstdiamondcal #indiayarncircle #sunburstdiamondmochilacal #IYCcal

HAPPY CRAFTING!!!

Community Activity, IYC

SunBurst Diamond Mochila Bag CAL – Registration

July 12, 2021July 12, 2021 indiayarncircle

Hello Everyone!! How are you guys doing?

We hope you all enjoyed making the Solitaire Mochila CAL by Rosy of @mnhcrochetcreation and we loved seeing all your entries for that CAL! Check out the final makes of all the participants HERE!

We are back with a brand new CAL and this one is going to blow your minds!

Designed by the very talented Ashita Javeri of @handmadeby_ashita especially only for this CAL, the Sunburst Diamond Mochila bag will make you fall in love with mochila crochet and up your crochet game!

Before we dive into the specifics of the CAL, let’s hear from the Designer herself and know a little more about her journey into crochet and designing.

Ashita Jhaveri

My name is Ashita, a happily married mum to a daughter, a self-taught crocheter and the maker behind handmadeby_ashita on Instagram.

My passion for crochet started about 6 years ago. Spent my whole childhood and youth watching my grandma and my mama creating beautiful things with yarns. But it wasn’t until I saw a crochet page on Facebook that I felt the need to learn to crochet. This was how my journey started. I started my Facebook page with the purpose to inspire anyone with a do-it-yourself attitude.
I am a home-maker, my days are often busy but I always find time to pick up my crochet hook to create beautiful things.

I learned crochet entirely by watching tutorials on YouTube and I am happy to pass it on to the people who want to learn this art. I came across Mochila work last year but never initiated anything until one of my friends asked me to make her a Mochila Bag. I then, visited Marion’s Facebook group, watched her YouTube tutorials to get started and tried my first Mochila Bag (it would never have been possible without her tutorials). I am still a beginner to mochila techniques, but managed to create my second design to inspire everyone and grab their hooks and say, “this is my crochet!”
Yes, I say we can. And I look forward to seeing YOUR OWN Mochila.

Special mention to my friend Rosy for encouraging and supporting me to do this CAL without which I would have never thought of taking this up. It’s been an absolute pleasure to collaborate with India Yarn Circle and working as a team with all of you.

PRESENTING….

The Sunburst Diamond Mochila Bag

This Bag is designed with the purpose to learn Mochila techniqes.

The IndiaYarnCircle team and Ashita will guide and help you every step of the way to make this gorgeous design.

So dont worry! We got you!

Let’s Dive in and see how you can participate in this CAL:

The CAL will be running for 4 – 5 weeks and each week part of the pattern will be published on our blog here. The first week is for registration and gathering of the materials and next week onwards we will begin making the bag.

You only need to register for the CAL (scroll all the way below to the register here button).

Join our facebook group for all the CAL discussions and queries. (Scroll down to find the link)

MATERIALS

* Recommended Yarn for Mochila bag is Mercerized cotton yarn, 125 meter/ 50 grams.

The sample bag is made with 100% cotton, 4ply, DK weight yarn.

Different brands we can use:
1) Mercerised cotton 3ply 2 strands hold together. Can be bought @magic needles, @Anish Sharma, @miss_crochet.
2) 100% cotton 4ply @magicneedles @Anish sharma @yarnkart
3) GulEra 4ply @magic needles @pradhanembroiderystores
4) Anchor 4060 @magic needles @pradhanembroiderystores

* Color A, Orange         – 81 grams
* Color B, Green           – 93 grams
* Color C, Yellow          – 40 grams
* Color D, Dark Blue       – 57 grams
* Color E, Light Brown    – 14 grams

* Stitch marker
* A pair of scissors
* darning needle

Hook
2 or 2.5mm crochet hook (I have used 1.9mm hook with 100% 4ply yarn)

You can choose any colour combinations you like and build you own colour pallete for the bag.

Measurements

Bottom: 10.7cm / 6.3 inch
Height: 20 cm / 8 inch

Level

Easy/ Beginner

Some tips and Notes before we begin

Important
The whole bag will be worked in BACK LOOP ONLY.

Tension:
It is important to have an even tension throughout the bag. We will need to give each stitch attention and SLOW DOWN. when there are so many color changes it will not be difficult but when there is no color changes or a very few color changes, we can easily pull the yarns that we carry, too much or not enough.
When we will pull the yarns too much, the work will get smaller and wider/wavy when we will pull the yarns not enough.
The only reason we pull the carrying yarn is to get the yarns straight within the stitches and never to get the stitches closer together.

Color Change and massaging the Stitches

In this video you can see how to change color and massage the stitches every few stitches.

How to Prevent Yarns from Tangling
Use the yarn from the inside of the Skein.
Place the yarns in front of you. Make sure the distance between your work and the skeins is not too long. When you change the color, pick up the yarn from the skein and follow to your work.

Two color increase:
Round 9 and 10 of our base have two color increase.
Round 9: 1C, 2A, 2D, inc DA, 1A….
* 1C       = one stitch with color C
   2A       = two stitches with color A
   2D      = two stitches with color D
   inc DA   = insert the hook in the next stitch, 2 loops on the hook of color D, take the color
                  A yarn, pull through 2 loops, insert the hook in the same stitch again, and                                                                           make second stitch.

This Mochila will have 5 colors and to make our bag firm, we carry all the yarns throughout the whole bag.

For the base:

Graph:
There are 3 ways we can make our Mochila base.
With 8 increases, with 10 increases and with 12 increases.
To make our base flat and firm, 8 increases is just not enough so we will be making our base with 12 increases.
The program i have used here is originally for bead designs which always have 8 increases. I have divided the base in 8 equal parts and seperated 1/8th part to repeat 12 times. i.e. we will repeat only 1/8th part 12 times not follow the full graph.

Now that all the basics are covered lets set you up for the CAL.

join our facebook group here

follow our blog

follow our designer to see her works

We hope you join us in making this CAL a huge sucess and make this beautiful bag that Ashita has created just for you!!

Use hashtags #sunburstdiamondcal #indiayarncircle #sunburstdiamondmochilacal #IYCcal

Please feel free to comment below your queries or post a question on our facebook group or DM us on instagram.

Community Activity, IYC

Solitaire Mochila CAL 2021

May 10, 2021May 17, 2021 indiayarncircle

Hello everyone!!

We are back with a new crochet along!! This one is going to be super fun and exciting!! We have an out of the normal, new technique and style of crochet this time and it is hosted by Rosy of MNHcrochetcreation!!

So what are we exploring this CAL?? Why ofcourse its Mochila crochet!!

Want to know how to participate and register Scroll to the end of the post!

Dont know what Mochila Crochet is or what to do in it?? Fear not, We are here along with Rosy to help, guide and explain everything about it!!

Before we dive into the details of the CAL lets first hear a little from our host – Rosiland Bakshi.

Hello,

My name is Rosy Bakshi short for Rosalind. Just a very small introduction about myself.

I am a mother of two. My son Mayank is 26 years old and daughter Hina is 18 years old. I work for an airline for the past 25 years.

I have always been very interested in handwork. It can be anything, whether it is any paper artwork like quilling, making envelops or gift bags or thread work like embroidery and cross stitch. I had no knowledge about knitting or crochet. I learnt crochet and knitting from YouTube in order to teach my daughter for her school project. That was 3 years back. My family members and close friends saw my work and encouraged me to start this work professionally. Without thinking too much about the success of my work, I created a Facebook page on 8^th March (Women’s Day) and named it after my children M & H Crochet Creation.

I love colours so whenever I see any Crochet work with lots of colours, I immediately get very fascinated by it. I came across Mochila work 3 years back and wanted to try it but was very intimidated by the complicated designs and beautiful work created by so many artists as I was a beginner then. It took me 2 years to finally try it and all thanks to Marion Verloop and her weekly CAL (Crochet along) that I was able to learn (very slowly). I am yet to master this art completely, hence, I should be the last person to take up a CAL for Indiayarncirle group, but having said that, I also believe that its better to share whatever I know about this beautiful art with everyone rather than do nothing at all. Besides, Indiayarncircle’s main objective is to help others learn all kinds of yarn related art. I managed to create a simple Mochila Clutch pattern so that everyone can start with a simple and small pattern before venturing out to try bigger projects. My Solitaire Mochila Clutch pattern is coming your way soon.

History of Wayuu Mochila Crochet:

Mochila is a Spanish word which meant “backpack”

Wayúu are best known for the beautiful and colourful crochet textiles created by women. They even have a popular saying: “To be a woman is to know how to weave.”

The most common woven creations are the mochilas, small bags, made of colourful yarn with intricate patterns and motifs. Through the motifs, the weaver shares their cosmological view of the universe, and their traditions. The techniques are passed from generation to generation of women, making it one of the primary traditional aspects of the tribe, included as a rite of passage. Mochilas, chinchorros (hammocks), and other woven creations, have become a means of economical income for Wayuu women who sell them to tourists or people outside their tribe. The mochilas have raised awareness of the tribe, as well as the critical conditions they face.

If you have ever travelled to the Caribbean, you may see Mochilas on exhibit in vendors and most of you will recognize they are not like a cheap purse.

What Is Wayuu Crochet?

If you have ever done tapestry crochet, you have partially trained already. Primarily single crochet, but you can use other stitches too, you carry the unused yarn strands under the working stitches. So, there are no bobbins associated with colour switching. As you need to change colour, you need to pull up the colour you need and place the existing colour under the next stitch.

Wayuu Crochet is not a quick going process. It is slow going and intricate. The end results are second to none. It can take 2 weeks up to one full month for a person to weave a single bag depending on the complexity of the design and skill of the weaver. Weaving these bags takes great dedication from these Wayuu women and really shows how devoted they are to their craft! Today, the Wayuu bags are a crucial part of the Wayuu economy and means for financial support, which enables them to preserve their culture, traditions, and way of life.

Mochila art is similar to tapestry. Difference between them is:

In Mochila single crochet is done only at the back loop whereas in tapestry you do a full single crochet.
Also, if you have ever submitted your work at Marion’s Facebook group, you will promptly be corrected by her saying “keep your stitches small and tight” the reason for this is that all the yarns you carry is well hidden. In tapestry you can keep your stitches close but it’s not something that you have to be particular about.

How to understand Mochila techniques?

Please do watch all the Tutorials hosted by Marion Verloop. English is not Marion’s first language but she does an excellent job for us to understand her. We will be putting up all the links along with our weekly pattern so that it’s easy for all of you to understand.

Now lets check out the material list. Since the quantities are lesser you could dive into your own stash and scraps to work on this project!

Level

Easy/ Beginner

Material List

Mercerized Cotton Yarn. (I am using White Rose Cotton Yarn from Crochet Bella. You can use Laura Yarn, Gulera 4 Ply, Anchor 4060, Kotton 4 ply from Magic Needles, Mercerized Cotton yarn from Yarnkart.

Scissor

Zip for Bag – 18/20 cm

Lining Material (optional)

Hook Size

2mm

It is extremely important that you do not use hook size bigger than 2.5mm because you will want to keep your stitches close and tight.

Colours and Yardage

COLOUR A – 30 gm

COLOUR B – 30 gm

COLOUR C – 75 gm

COLOUR D – 15 gm

COLOUR E – 15 gm

COLOUR F – 20 gm

COLOUR G – 20 gm

COLOUR H – 20 gm

Note: The above colour index is just an example. The project uses 8 colours but you can use 4 to 5 colours too. Please use your imagination and use any colour combination of your choice.

Schedule of the CAL

We will start the Solitaire Mochila Clutch CAL on the 10^th of May, 2021. The first week is for Registration and material gathering.

Week 1 – 17^th May,2021

Week 2 – 31^st May,2021

Week 3 – 7^th June Submission of Complete Bag pictures to indiayarncircle@gmail.com

How to Participate:

Join our facebook group!

join the facebook group

Use the hashtag #mochilacal2021 #solitairemochilacal and tag us @indiayarn.circle and @mnhcrochetcreation.

Community Activity, IYC

Dream CAL 2021!!

February 15, 2021February 15, 2021 indiayarncircle

Hi everyone!!!

Are you ready to register for our next CAL? We have completed our Summer Cal and Winter Cal, and now we are here with our DREAM CAL 2021, we will be making a dreamy dreamcatcher with Crochet doily as focus.

This crochet along will be hosted by Noumin aka naore_the_blot

Interested??? Just scroll to the end of this post and Click the register button. This is to help us keep the logistics straight so that we can award the certificates to all of you who complete the CAL.

If you wish to keep the design as a doily, you may do so. If you can’t find a big hoop to attach the crochet piece, you can alter it to fit the hoop you can get.

We will have weekly release of various parts and there will be written and video instructions for the same.

It’s totally doable!!! Come on , join in, what are you waiting for???

Materials required :

1. Hoop – 18″ diameter is preferred. (12″ and above will be considered fit for the certificate) .

2. Yarn – 3 ply cotton yarn (3ply acrylic also works fine, but cotton is considered suitable for dreamcatchers) .

3. Hook – 2.5mm.

4. Hangings – Satin ribbon, pompom lace, cotton lace, feathers, macrame cords (anything of your choice)

170 meters yardage .. (The sample is made using 3ply soft cotton from pradhan 60gms approx. )

or you can use any yarn and hook which meets the gauge below:

Gauge :

18 DC X 9 Rows = 3″ X 3″ square

Yarn Options:

Please check gauge before deciding with any of the yarn below

Gulera 3ply soft cotton
Anchor 4057
3ply yarnkart cotton
3ply kotton
Hobby India
Bliss cotton
White Rose cotton

Now that you are all set with all the information, click below to register!!!

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR DREAM CAL 2021

Also do not forget to join our facebook group and follow us in instagram to be updated every step of the way!

join our facebook group

Community Activity

Week 2 – Summer Fashion cal 2020 with The JuJu Scarf

July 27, 2020 indiayarncircle

Welcome to Week 2 of the cal!!!

We are sure you guys have all got your materials by now and are all super excited to begin!!

Week 2 is the actual start of the CAL and the pattern will be shared to everyone who has registered for the cal, via email. Once you get the email, download your pattern and you are all good to go!!

Week 2 is all about taking it slow, reading all the instructions, and going step by step as per the pattern. Our Designer Divya Bhat will be availble on our facebook group to answer all the questions and queries’ . She will also be going Live on the IndiaYarnCircle Facebook group to answer all your queries and address your issues. So do look out for that!!!!

The cal is happening on the IndiaYarnCircle Facebook group. So do Join the group below.

Join the facebook group

You can also leave your queries and questions here if you need.

Community Activity

Come Along – we will together explore !

July 10, 2020July 10, 2020 indiayarncircle

I am joining a CAL, I saw someone post about KAL on Insta and it got us thinking – does everyone know about what a CAL is? Its often taken for granted that crafters know what it means, however we understood not many understand the same and nuances. In the past few days of going live we have had many ask us are you hosting a CAL and some asking what is a CAL and we believe it’s best to come together on even grounds as we embark on this journey of pursuing various yarn crafts.

What is a CAL?, What is a TCAL? What is a KAL? What is a SAL? What is a MAL? So many acronyms and very little information on what these stand for.

PIN IT NOW! READ IT LATER!

So here is a list of acronyms to begin with

CAL – Crochet Along ;

TCAL – Tunisian Crochet Along ;

KAL – Knit Along ;

SAL – Sew Along ;

MAL – Make Along

and there are more versions of this for various forms or arts and crafts.

Now that we know the acronym, lets get into details

Before that, do watch our video explaining all things cal for better understanding.

What do people do?

A group of people coming together to work on a project at the same time and pace with an objective of learning new technique , work on a new pattern, clarify doubts , share experiences, learn from each other and commit to finish along the group. This is team is often led by a designer of the pattern or a group can decide on a pattern / theme that be pursued together. In our experience joining a team often leads to connecting with people / community who have similar interests and leads to strengthening the passion to pursue yarn crafts even after the project

Who can Join?

A person with some experience of yarn craft can join the project. Some are targeted towards advanced designs and some for everyone can participate, no matter their skill level. It’s a good practice to always check the skill level that is required for the project before joining

How does it work?

The host or a group decides the pattern or a theme which will be made available to the participants on registration either by way of sharing a full pattern or partial based on progress, sometimes free.

The group can leverage various platforms to connect share and interact – e.g. either by way of closed groups on facebook, a blog platforms, instagram chats or whatsapp groups

Material list like recommended yarn, yarn weight, hooks, needles et, al are published, choice of color scheme is completely up to the designer unless and until specified.

Official start date and end dates are published for the participants to start and finish the project – usually enough time is provided considering that this would be a learning phase for many

Progress update – the host may seek for progress pictures, as a good practice no matter where you’re at, so be sure to share, receiveing constructive feedback always helps in improving!

Do’s and Don’ts in a CAL

Do’s

Try to use the recommended yarn weight and hook size
Follow the guidelines well enough to get the project right
If you finished your work early post the progress so others in the group can learn
When in doubt – participate, engage and interact with members to learn and refine
Do share your feedback on the CAL and finished products on your social media platforms to encourage the community

Don’ts

Don’t be in a rush to finish the project – stick to the schedule, CAL’s often work on a schedule
Don’t modify the pattern , Finish the project as per design of the CAL – Making your own versions can offend the designer
Avoid using offensive language or negative comments on others work
Stick to the schedule and don’t prompt the designer to share beyond schedule
Let the designer handle technical queries and concern
Don’t circulate the pattern freely unless its free for all. Remember designers put in a lot of effort to get one pattern out. As a community its our responsibility to protect interest of our designers

Finally – don’t forget to show of your finished work! Some modelled pictures will always be a huge encouragement for the designers to engage again and again!

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