The Scheepjes “Get Connected” MAL – Part 1

Hi, my fellow crafters.

Are you excited to start the Scheepjes “Get Connected” MAL. I surely am!

I already saw some really gorgeous color combinations and I look forward to see more. The MAL is taking place at the official Scheepjes Facebook groups and you will find a lot of support from the lovely admins and myself there.

I said in the announcement that I see this MAL as a community project and I want to encourage you to “Get Connencted” in the official SCHEEPJES Facebook groups.

OFFICIAL Scheepjes – International Group

and

OFFICIAL Scheepjes -Nederlandse Groep

Do not hesitate to give each other support and encourage each other by commenting and liking your fellow crocheters work. ❤

This part of the MAL will cover the first part of the cushion which is the increasing part from row 1 to 69. Aaaaaaaand ta-dah : The “Connected” Mega Wrap is released and can be found in US and Dutch terms HERE and in UK and German terms HERE for free.

You can also find a paid ready to print PDF version HERE on Ravelry.

And the free versions are HERE in UK and German terms and HERE in US and Dutch terms.

And… big surprise! Thanks to @nettis01 on Instagram we have also a swedish wrap pattern and a swedish cushion pattern.

Make sure that you have downloaded the newest version of the pattern. We did find a few typos and mistakes in former versions and I really want to thank all testers (@sunshineyalex) and translators (@ninamayerhaekelt, @huisvolgaren, Marianne den Dekker, and everyone else who reached out in a very polite way who found typos or mistakes) for working so hard on this pattern.

The best news in this part is of course that Esther of “It´s all in a Nutshell” made highly professional Youtube videos for this MAL which are covering each and every stitch of the cushion pattern both for right as for left handed. You can find them

HERE right hand version

and

HERE left hand version.

And they should really make it possible for those of us which do not want to follow written patterns or charts to take part in this MAL. Esther also wrote a lovely blog post and is selling yarn kits for the MAL so it is definitely worth visiting her wonderful BLOG.

The first 69 rows of the cushion pattern and the wrap pattern are exactly the same. The cushion is decreasing after row 70 and the wrap will be continuing his never-ending increasing journey. (In fact the crochet pattern IS ending, but as it is a repeating pattern from row 70 and forward you can basically make it as big as you want…. I will explain more details about that next week)

I also want to tell you already now that those who have bought the cushion pattern might not be in use of the wrap pattern because it is basically repeats of the rows that are mentioned in the cushion pattern and I do not want anyone to feel fooled.

Some technical advise (in US terms) to make the pattern as easy as possible:

The sc in BLO: All scs are worked in blo, except the first 7 rows and the stitches in first and last stitch of every row. (and the last 2 rows of the wrap and the last 8 rows of the cushion. If you follow the chart every square WITHOUT a cross, represents one sc in BLO.

The dc in FLO two rows below: All dcs are worked in flo in the second row beneath (same color row). It does not matter if you insert the hook from below or from above in the front loop. You will have slightly different results but the most important thing is that you are consistent with your dcs.

How to read the chart:

It is much easier than you think. As every row is crocheted in one color you simple follow every row. If there is a cross in a square you do a dc in the front loop two rows below. If there is no cross you crochet a sc in back loop only. Easy as that. Do NOT let distract you by the different colors of the squares. They should help you to get the bigger picture of the pattern you are going to create.

Example, Row 11 :

• The two red squares in the beginning and in the end representing 2sc in first stitch (through both loops)
• Then you have one white square which means you crochet one sc in blo.
• Followed by 5 squares with a cross. So you crochet 5dc in flo in 2 rows below.
• Then you see 1 blue square and 2 white squares, all without a cross and that means that you are told to crochet 3sc in blo.
• After that there is one square with a cross. You already know that. That means one dc in flo two rows below.
• Next “section” is 2 white squares and one blue square = 3sc in blo.
• Then you see 5 squares with a cross again which means 5 dc in flo in two rows below. And one last white square which means you are crocheting 1sc in blo
• You finish your row with 2 red squares. So you crochet 2sc in last stitch (through both loops).

Join yarn: I join the yarn by placing a slip knot on the hook, insert hook through both loops of the first stitch. Pull through and making a slip stitch, followed by ch2. And, ready to go.

Cut yarn: Leave a longer thread in the beginning and in the end of every row. You will never now if you change your mind and make a wrap instead of a cushion when you reach row 70 and you will need the ends as fringes when you go for the wrap.

Color choice: It is easier to cover light colored yarn with dark yarn rather than the other way around. Both is possible but for beginners i recommend that you chose the darker color as main color.

I already made my way to the very middle stitch with my new colors SCHEEPJES River Washed Nile and SCHEEPJES Stone Washed Amazonite. Row 70 which is the row our paths will part. Those who do the wrap are continuing increase and for those who do the cushion, row 70 is the “changing row. The only row in the pattern which is neither increasing nor decreasing. So excited to see your colorways in the SCHEEPJES official Facebook Groups and on other social media.

Follow Scheepjes on Facebook and Instagram to be sure to not miss any exciting news about this MAL and all the other great projects they have in store.

The official hashtags for this MAL are: #ScheepjesMAL #GetConnectedMAL #ScheepjesStoneWashed #ScheepjesRiverWashed don´t forget to use them when sharing your projets in social media.

or simply tag @martin_up_north on your social media.

You can also click here to add the CONNECTED CUSHION or here to add the CONNECTED Mega WRAP to your favorites on Ravelry.

You will find your local SCHEEPJES dealer or favorite online store HERE.

Lets get Connected!

Part 2 of the SCHEEPJES “Get Connected” MAL will be appearing here on the 12th of May.