Scheepjes Colour Lab CAL
Published on November 8, 2022

Scheepjes Colour Lab CAL Announcement

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Hello, lovely crafter! Today I finally get to share something that I have been keeping under wraps for the past few years, if you can believe it. Well, now it’s time to let the cat out of the bag: I’m the designer for the upcoming Scheepjes CAL!

If you’re a member in the Scheepjes Facebook group, or just a Scheepjes Yarns groupie in general, you probably know that they host a huge CAL or KAL every year in the groups. The last three CALs were Ubuntu by Dedri Uys, Rozeta by Tatsiana Kupryianchyk, and d’Histoire Naturelle by Christina Hadderingh. To join the ranks of these talented designers is an honor.

Let me share all of the details with you!

The Colour Lab CAL

There will be a link to my Main Page of the CAL here soon, but for now this announcement will serve as a “save the date” for you to start getting familiar with the CAL theme, join the Facebook group, and of course to order a kit!

The upcoming Main Page will contain pattern release dates as well as more detailed information for you to hit the ground running.

In this announcement post, I will share some of the history that went into creating this design, and how it has evolved over the past few years to become the incredible project that it is today.

Related Links

As these sites become live, I will hyperlink them.

Where to Find Me

The Creation of the Colour Lab

The Colour Lab Blanket began with an obsession of mine: mixing and testing out different textures, stitches and patterns in the same design. If you have followed my work for any length of time, you know that I love to mix visual patterns, because pushing the limits of the geometry in a design is the most fun part for me.

The initial inspiration for the Colour Lab Blanket was the Salut Maroc boutique hotel in Essaouira, a port city in Morocco.

Salut Maroc

The gorgeous gem 11-room hotel, Salut Maroc, is an 18th century Unesco World Heritage Site that boasts “a truly contemporary take on Moroccan Design in a heritage setting, utilising all the Traditional Artisanal skills of the Moroccan craftsmen.” Continuing from the SalutMaroc.com About page, the artistry of the hotel is “a fusion of Islamic patterns, vibrant colours, and an eclectic mix of Contemporary and Antique furnishings.”

Below, I share a still of the Gallery page, which shows a glimpse of each of the 11 rooms. With just this one image, you can see how each of the 11 rooms feature an iconic mix of bold patterning. Every one of these rooms could become a crochet blanket — if I had enough hours in the day!

When I am in a creative slump, the Salut Maroc Instagram feed is on my list of websites to visit so I can reignite my creative flame.

Taking the theme to the Colour Lab was an easy leap when you consider each of the rooms as an experiment in pattern mixing. A dash of this and a sprinkle of that, and who knows what creation will poof into existence! Each room is completely its own science project. The quirky tile and bedding designs certainly informed my Colour Lab Blanket, as you can tell in its zig-zag paneled layout.

Designing the Panels

Color Lab is made up of four panels, each with its own personality and patterning. Panel 1 is like an introduction to the blanket, with simple squares and a little taste of the texture that is to come. For Panel 2, I bring a taste of my most popular designs, the VVCAL Blankets, with an array of fun granny squares. Panel 3 showcases two mondo-sized squares set on point to fit with the zig-zag layout, and Panel 4 is a fun little design made with the cutest mini-motif.

From mondo to mini motifs with some back-and-forth rows in between, this project is definitely the perfect opportunity to experiment with color. You will find something interesting to examine every time you snuggle under this piece!

Describe Colour Lab CAL

This CAL will be slightly different, as while of course there will be designated official color layouts, there will also be a way for you to put on a lab coat and make a hypothesis to develop your own color mixture with the yarn pack. With just one colour pack, you can remix the color placement and get an infinite variety of looks from the same pattern.

In the past, I have hosted many CALs and my favorite part is seeing what color placements the community comes up with is definitely my favorite part. I love the variety and versatility, and that is what the Colour Lab CAL is all about. Of course, if predictable is more your jam, there are a few pre-made layouts that the scientists in our lab have concocted for you.

Working Alongside Scheepjes

In 2016, I became a Scheepjes Blogger, and since then, my designer life has never been the same. I have had so many outstanding opportunities to create designs with Scheepjes Yarns, from magazines, to bookazines, to social media growth, my own book, The Art of Crochet Blankets, and eventually my first online class, the Creative Art Blanket Course. All of this has been made possible in large part by the sponsorship of Scheepjes Yarns! It only felt right that we should team up for one of their world-famous CALs.

Where to Get Support

During the CAL, if you need pattern support, there is definitely a ton of help out there! It has been proven time and time again that the Scheepjes CALs turn beginners into rock stars. Please do not worry if the pattern looks complicated, as this safety net of support points will be there for you, just a click away.

  • Facebook Group Support – Definitely join the Scheepjes Facebook Groups, so you can post progress pics, get inspired by others, and of course, ask for help. The groups are wonderful and very supportive! Worldwide: Scheepjes International Facebook Group and for Dutchies: Scheepjes Dutch Facebook Group
  • CypressTextiles Website Support – For each pattern release week, I will make a blog post here on the CypressTextiles website where I will include many, many step-by-step photos of any possibly tricky parts. The entire pattern won’t be photographed here, but I will do my best to make everything clear in my still photos.
  • YouTube Support – The very talented Esther of It’s All in a Nutshell has graciously made videos for this CAL which will appear weekly on her YouTube Channel. Her videos are well known worldwide, and she is an absolute treasure.

Yarn and Blanket Size

This blanket is designed for both Scheepjes Metropolis, and the new Scheepjes Scrumptious yarns. Metropolis is a lush Extra Fine Merino and Nylon blend, which gives it exceptional softness and strength, and a buttery hand. With Metropolis, you can expect your blanket to be 152x142cm (60x56in) after blocking.

The new Scheepjes Scrumptious yarn combines the softens of acrylic with a recycled plastic component which makes the yarn sustainable and very strong. The yarn is plush and soft, and just perfect for snuggly blankets. With Scrumptious, you can expect a blanket of 198×176 cm (78x69in) after blocking.

Official Scheepjes Yarn Kits

Scheepjes has made official kits in the Scheepjes Metropolis and Scrumptious yarns which contain the following:

  • Colour Pack (Metropolis or Scrumptious)
  • Balls of yarn in background colors (3 heathered shades of grey, light, medium, and dark)
  • Limited Edition Scheepjes Lanyard
  • Tapestry Needle
  • Classified Color Lab Booklet (contains a letter from me, the designer, color tables, and a sheet for coloring in)

Here is the link to the Main CAL Page (coming soon) for more detailed information including precise number of background color balls.

The Metropolis and Scrumptious Colour Packs are to die for, so I had to give you a peek of what those look like. These delicious mini-skeins are just part of the full kit!

Metropolis Colour Pack

These colors are gorgeous… I love this range.

Scrumptious Colour Pack

Note: This Scrumptious Colour Pack is exclusive to this CAL and will not be available to purchase separately.

Scrumptious is such a beautiful yarn!

Buy an Official Kit!

To purchase a kit, you can see if there is a Scheepjes Retailer near you, or please consider heading to one of the links below, as I am personally affiliated with these two shops. Purchasing through these links will gain me a small commission to help support my work, at no additional cost to you. I appreciate your support!

Colorway Information

This CAL is a bit different because we will all work from a pack of many colors, and we will just be moving the color placement to create the different layouts. It’s amazing how different the blanket will look depending on how you lay the colors out!

Examples of the Colour Lab Blanket

Rainbow split between red and orange (Metropolis)

Rainbow split between blue and green (Metropolis)

Randomized color layout (Metropolis)

Randomized color layout (Scrumptious)

The Colour Lab CAL is going to be a blast!!

CAL Start Info

Thank you for reading all about the Scheepjes Colour Lab CAL Annoucement!

As always, happy crafting to you!

Rachele C.

The Art of Crochet Blankets (affiliate)

Creative Art Blanket Course

Support My Work

You’re supporting by just being here! You can read my blog (Start Here!), like and comment on socials, and message me for a chat. All of this supports my work free of charge!

  • Affiliate links – Shopping through my links supports me at no additional cost to you as I get a small commission through my affiliates. Jimmy Beans Wool // WoolWarehouse // Amazon.com
  • Buy my pattern book – I wrote a super neat crochet blanket pattern book, published under Penguin Random House. You can buy it here!
  • Browse my self-published patterns – I have over a hundred patterns on Etsy and Ravelry
  • Creative Art Blanket Course – Check it out on Teachable

Related Links

As these sites become live, I will hyperlink them.