Are you ready for a crochet along? This CAL is all about making it with minis! We’ll be using one of my three patterns that features mini skeins, so you can choose which crochet pattern you would like to make between the Minnow Throw, One More Chapter Infinity Scarf, and Venture Shawl.
There’s tons of information in this post, so be sure to read all the way through to get all the details and learn how you can join this CAL!
What is a Crochet Along (CAL)?
A crochet along, or CAL, is where a group of makers will crochet the same pattern(s) together at the same time! This is the perfect opportunity to join a crochet community to make new friends, ask questions, and have a little extra motivation!
This CAL is a free crochet-along featuring my three mini skein patterns! In this CAL, you can choose between the Minnow Throw, One More Chapter Infinity Scarf, and Venture Shawl.
Pick Your Pattern!
This pattern is all about MINI SKEINS! I absolutely love working with minis and thought this would be the perfect time to use some of those winter countdown minis you may have in your stash!
This CAL will feature all three of my Woods and Wool mini skein crochet patterns. Learn more about each pattern below or head over to Etsy or Ravelry directly to grab your copy.
Minnow Throw
The Minnow Throw was designed using mini skeins and a unique, knit-like texture created with a simple crochet technique. This pattern is flexible enough to use ANY yarn weight and amount of yarn, so you can pick out your favorite mini skeins or use it as a stash busting project!
This is the perfect crochet pattern to get creative with your colors and yarn to create your very own masterpiece.
Get the Minnow Throw crochet pattern on Etsy or Ravelry! Learn more about the pattern on the blog here.
One More Chapter Infinity Scarf
The One More Chapter Infinity Scarf crochet pattern features simple stripes and beginner-friendly stitches that make crocheting this scarf so much fun.
This pattern has all kinds of perks that you’ll love! In the pattern you’ll find an exclusive mini video tutorial to walk you through pattern tips to show you how to create a straight, nearly invisible seam, no weaving in ends, and a gauge check point to help you check your gauge without having to make a separate gauge swatch.
Get the One More Chapter Infinity Scarf crochet pattern on Etsy or Ravelry! Learn more about the pattern on the blog here.
Venture Shawl
The Venture Shawl is all about choosing your own adventure. It is an elegant shawl pattern, full of gorgeous details and interesting texture, but with mindless repeats that make for a relaxing project.
If you’re still not sure which pattern is best for you, keep reading the next section to help decide which one is best for you!
Get the Venture Shawl pattern on Etsy or Ravelry! Learn more about the pattern on the blog here.
Planning Your Project: Colors, Yarn, & Yardage
These patterns all feature mini skeins, which are fingering (1) weight yarn. There’s quite a few things to consider when picking out your yarn for each project! One thing I like to consider is how you want to use color, for example you could make a gradient fade with your colors or go with more traditional stripes. Some patterns are more flexible if you would like to work with a different yarn weight or different amount of yarns (like using up odds and ends from your stash!). Check out all the details below to help choose the best pattern for you.
*Keep in mind that not all mini skeins have the same amount of yardage. These patterns are each designed using 20g mini skeins with 80-92 yards per mini skein.
Minnow Throw
Minnow Throw: 14 mini skeins (1,300 yards) – Designed with a gradient fade of colors, this pattern is really about creating your own masterpiece and swimming through a sea of color. This pattern is super flexible and would work well with more or less minis! The pattern includes approximate yardage for 5 sizes of this blanket. It would also be excellent for any full size skeins or odds and ends from your stash! You can even make this blanket in other yarn weights, like DK, worsted, or bulky.
One More Chapter Infinity Scarf
One More Chapter Infinity Scarf: 12 mini skeins (960 yards) – Designed with traditional stripes and a color blocked look, this pattern is perfect for solid tonal colors and mixing up colors to create contrast. I would recommend using exactly 12 mini skeins for this pattern so that your scarf is the correct finished size!
Venture Shawl
Venture Shawl: 15 mini skeins (1,200 yards) – Designed with many different colors, this pattern is all about choosing your own adventure and is the perfect combination of a gradient fade and color blocking. This is a large shawl, so you could easily use anywhere between 12-16 mini skeins giving you a slightly smaller or larger finished shawl. This pattern would also work up beautifully in DK or worsted weight!
Where to Buy Mini Skeins
If you’re looking to find mini skeins for your project, I have three amazing options to share with you! You’ll find a lot of indie yarn dyers carry mini skeins in their preorder collections, but it can be tricky to find in-stock minis that are available and ready to ship to you quickly. For this CAL, I knew timing would be important so I wanted to highlight these three options that are in-stock (yay!) so you can get them sooner.
Hue Loco carries an amazing selection of all kinds of minis! You can grab a mini set or shop individual mini skeins and pick out the perfect palette of variegated or tonal colors. It blows my mind that they have so many unique colors for mini skeins that are in stock and ready to ship!
Sewrella Yarn has stunning seasonal mini skeins sets so all the work of creating a beautiful color palette is done for you. I love how these sets could easily be arranged for pops of contrast or a soft fade. These 10 skein mini sets are easy to mix and match with other yarns or stash away for future projects!
WeCrochet is a budget-friendly option with a luxury feel. Their 5 skein mini sets have several options from neutral fades to bright pops of color. I’m always so impressed with their yarns and this one is no exception. It’s super soft, affordable, and absolutely gorgeous!
Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.
CAL Sponsors
We are incredibly lucky to have FIVE of my favorite brands sponsoring this CAL. To be a sponsor, each company has graciously offered to contribute not only one, but TWO prizes for our weekly CAL winners (more on that below!). This was incredibly generous! I’d love to personally thank each company and share a little bit more about why I chose them:
Lion Brand: Lion Brand is the first company I ever partnered with (all the way back in 2017) and have always been incredibly supportive of my ideas and designs. Not only do they have wonderful yarns, but I love how they have supported the knit and crochet community with their kit collaborations!
Hue Loco: If you’re familiar with hand dyed yarn, you know that shopping for it can be *stressful* at times. Hue Loco creates some incredible color ways and stunning collections, but what is extra special about them is they have one of the largest in-stock selections available for an indie hand-dyed company.
WeCrochet: WeCrochet is the sister-company to Knit Picks. Now, I’ve loved Knit Picks yarns before I ever started designing and I was THRILLED back when they launched WeCrochet as their sister company, dedicated to crochet. Not only this, but I have partnered with them many times and love how they support indie designers and creators in the crochet community.
Furls Crochet: My world changed when I tried my first Furls Crochet hook back in 2017. Now I own too many of their hooks to count and use them for 95% of my crochet projects. They are so comfortable for me and I don’t know what I would do without them!
Sewrella Yarn: Where do I begin with Sewrella Yarn? With Ashleigh, of course. Ashleigh from Sewrella Yarn is just inspiration all around. From her colorways, to business strategy, and even the bits of baking and mom life she shares, she is just an incredible human. Not only will you find beautiful yarns from her, but you’ll get a taste of the true Sewrella experience just by looking at her feed.
See? I told you we had some incredible sponsors! Not only are they wonderful people to work with, but they’re helping to make this CAL even more special with some incredible prizes!
The Biggest Sponsor of All…
Where would I be without my biggest sponsor? YOU! This CAL would not be possible without your support. I appreciate every single pattern sale and your support on social media through likes, comments, and sharing your Woods and Wool projects. If you would like to help by contributing to this free CAL, buy me a coffee – I appreciate it so much!
Prizes
Let’s talk about prizes! Each week there will be TWO winners, who will each win:
- Week 1: Lion Brand $35 gift card (US only)
- Week 2: Hue Loco $50 gift card
- Week 3: WeCrochet $40 gift card
- Week 4: Furls Crochet $50 gift card
- Week 5: Sewrella Yarn $50 gift card
How to Enter to Win:
Instagram: Post on your Instagram feed using the CAL hashtag #WWMinisCAL AND tag @woodsandwool in the photo/video of your post. Enter as many times as you’d like each week! Remember, your account must be public to enter (otherwise I won’t be able to see your posts!).
Facebook: Join the CAL Facebook Group, Woods and Wool Minis CAL, and keep an eye out for the weekly post. Share a photo of your project one time in the comments of the weekly post to enter to win. One entry per person will be counted each week.
The Nitty Gritty Details
- Each week, one winner will be chosen from the Facebook group and the other will be chosen from the Instagram hashtag.
- Winners cannot win both prizes in the same week, but are still eligible to win prizes during future weeks of the CAL.
- Entries will only be included from that week of the CAL. For example, an entry from week 1 of the CAL will not be included in the entries for the week 5 prize.
- Each prize is open internationally, with the exception of the Lion Brand prize which is open to the US only.
Schedule
This is a 5 week CAL that will take place from Monday, January 16th through Friday, February 19th, 2023.
You’ll want to plan on working through about 3 mini skeins each week of the CAL (or 9 stripes if you’re making the One More Chapter Infinity Scarf). This will help you stay on track to finish your project before the CAL ends on February 19th.
This CAL is meant to be casual and fun! Keep in mind, this “schedule” is just a recommendation to help you pace yourself through the CAL. This CAL is 5 weeks, so you’ve got plenty of time and can take as little or as long as you need!
- Now – Monday, January 16th: Plan your project! Use this time to get your yarn, plan your colors, make sure you have the correct hook size, and take a peek at the pattern.
- Week 1: Monday, January 16th – Sunday, January 22nd
- Week 2: Monday, January 23rd – Sunday, January 29th
- Week 3: Monday, January 30th – Sunday, February 5th
- Week 4: Monday, February 6th – Sunday, February 12th
- Week 5: Monday, February 13th – Sunday, February 19th
How to Join the CAL:
You can join the CAL by participating on Instagram or joining the Facebook group!
- Use the #WWMinisCAL hashtag on Instagram. Make sure you follow the hashtag so you can see everyone’s progress! Bonus points if your account is public, because then I can share your posts – yay!
- Join the Woods and Wool Minis CAL Facebook group! This is a fun space where you’ll really get to be a part of the community. 🙂 Be sure to answer the membership questions in order to get approved to join the group.
FAQ
How much does it cost?
The Minis CAL features 3 paid pattern options that you can purchase on Etsy or Ravelry, but the CAL itself is FREE! Please keep in mind that it still requires a ton of time and effort to put together and run a CAL, so I would love your support!
One easy way to support this CAL and help build up the community is to share it! Use the #WWMinisCAL hashtag and tag me @woodsandwool to let your friends know about the CAL. This is also how you win prizes!!
If you’d like to go the extra mile, you can also buy me a coffee! Your donations help make projects like this possible and I sincerely appreciate your support!
How much crochet experience do I need to join?
These patterns are all ideal for the adventurous or advanced beginner crocheter. You’ll want some experience with basic crochet stitches and pattern reading. And don’t worry – you’ll also have the Facebook group to help you out!
Where can I find mini skeins?
My top picks for this crochet along are Hue Loco, Sewrella Yarn, and WeCrochet! Hop over to the Woods and Wool Minis CAL Facebook group or check out the #WWMinisCAL hashtag to see what yarns everyone is using for their projects!
I requested to join the Facebook group. When will I get approved to join?
Very soon! The group is open now so everyone can get settled in, ask questions, and start chatting before the CAL begins on January 16th!
I’ll be reviewing member requests to the Facebook group once a day, so please allow at least 24 hours for your request to be approved. You must answer the membership questions to be approved to join. If your request to join was not approved, please try again!
Have questions about the CAL? Send me an email and I’ll be happy to help out!