2026 VVCAL Main Information Page

Quick Links to Each Week: 1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9/10/11/12/13/14/15/16/17/18/19/20

PDF Version

2026 VVCAL PDF COMING SOON! – My Online Shop // Etsy // Ravelry

36 hexies to mix and match
3 Joining methods
Wide Lace Border
US and UK Terms included

Of course I have also created a value bundle for you COMING SOON! – 2022, 2024, and 2026 VVCALs US and UK Terms (5 PDFs) – Available on Etsy and Ravelry.

Introduction

Hello, gorgeous crafter! Today I am shouting out the announcement for my 2026 VVCAL! You may have heard of my 2016 VVCAL, my 2018 VVCAL, 2020 VVCAL, which are made with squares. They tie up nicely in a neat bow in my VVCAL Mega Pack which you can find on Etsy or Ravelry.

For the 2022 and 2024 VVCAL, I wanted to do something different, so I decided to change the game with hexagon motifs. This 2026 VVCAL will be hexagons as well, and they will mix and match with the previous hexie motifs. This is going to be a very exciting make, as I know many of you are interested in making a hexagon blanket, but are looking for new ways to create the layout or start joining them.

Please read through this entire post, as there is a ton of information here.

Theme

Yes we will have a theme! Let’s look at the themes of VVCALs past:

2016: Names of important people in my life (This was before I knew the VVCAL would become what it is today!)
2018: Beautiful Trees
2020: Gorgeous Cities Around the World
2022: The Cosmos
2024: Ode to Flowers

And the 2026 theme will be… Sea Creatures – Get ready to see some beautiful sea creature named motif posts every Friday during the CAL!

This page will be updated with new information every Friday from now until the 2026 VVCAL is over on August 14th.

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2026 VVCAL Quick Links

2026 VVCAL Main Information Page (You are here!)
2026 VVCAL FAQ Tips & Tricks Page
2026 VVCAL Ravelry ebook Motifs link back to their blog posts. Favorite the hexagon, add it to your Ravelry queue, see others’ projects, and more!
Vibrant Vintage CAL (Official) Facebook Group Post VVCAL WIP/FO pics, ask questions, post your FO pic of the previous years’ VVCAL blankets.
CypressTextiles Tree Huggers Facebook Group – This is my main FB group (join!). Share your VVCAL progress pics in this group if you like, and I will share CAL highlights here, but the weekly action will be in the other group linked above.
YouTube Channel (Subscribe!) – Here I will be posting CAL pattern videos weekly for the duration of the CAL.

Here’s what to expect during the CAL:

The 2026 VVCAL will begin April 3rd, and run through August 14th. It is a slow-paced CAL with 20 weeks.
Look for CAL posts here on this website (CypressTextiles.net) each Friday during the CAL (subscribe to post notifications in the sidebar so you never miss a post).
The hexagon patterns are in US Terms and UK Terms, written, chart, and video instruction form, as well as step by step photos.
Every Friday during the CAL, I will release new hexagon patterns and we will make them, then eventually join them and add a border at the end!
A bit after we start, I will release the entire CAL condensed as a PDF for purchase.

FAQs, Tips, and Tricks

I have collected some frequently asked questions over the years of doing the VVCAL, and these FAQs as well as an introduction to the VVCAL can be found on the separate 2026 VVCAL FAQ page.

Note: I picked sea colors for these demo hexies, but I used the whole pack!

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2026 VVCAL Blanket Versions

There will be only 3 versions of this blanket shown in the CAL each week. You can choose 1 or more and join along! Scroll below to find your version and see all of the related information, including what to do if you want to use stash yarn.

Catona 10g Colour Pack version – Stash busting? This is fingering weight cotton
Catona Color Palette version (uses 50g balls) – Fingering weight cotton
Scrumptious Color Palette version (uses 100g balls) – Stash busting? This is DK weight premium acrylic

Note: All shopping links below are affiliate links. This means any purchase made through those links will gain me a small commission at no additional cost to you!

Catona Colour Pack Version Information

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Catona Pack Blanket Details

Measurements: Approximately 54x58in
Gauge: See measurements below – less than 10g per motif
Note: For the Catona Colour pack, there is 1 size blanket offered for this version during the VVCAL, but you can make any size blanket you like! I will give tips for resizing your blanket

Catona Pack Materials

3mm hook
1 x Catona 10g Colour Pack
8 x 50g balls of preferred border color. I will be using Catona color 106 for my border.
Note: If you aren’t using color 106, swap out your chosen color motif color for 106 when it comes up in the CAL. For example, if you chose color 253, then when the color 253 motif comes up in the CAL, sub in color 106 instead. In the final layout, you may need to swap those hexies, but it shouldn’t be a big deal.

Catona Pack Order Yarn

Find the Catona 10g Colour Pack at one of these shops.

Find the 50g Catona No. 106 at one of these shops.

Or you can head to the Scheepjes website to find a retailer near you!

Catona Pack Motif Measurements

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Catona Pack Layout

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We will be using a similar color layout as we did for the Catona Pack during the 2022 VVCAL, which is shown below.

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The only difference is that for my Catona Pack demo blanket this year, I will be showcasing a different joining method.

Of course, you can order extra Catona 50g yarn and work any join you prefer, or no join at all and just use the PLT Join from the 2024 VVCAL, shown below.

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Catona Pack Schedule

Weeks 1-9 (April 3-May 29)

Each week, make 6 hexies total: Make 1 each of Plain Hexie A and Plain Hexie B, AND make 2 each of the Sea Creature hexies that are listed below.

April 3, Week 1: Abalone, Bell Jelly
April 10, Week 2: Pipefish, Squid
April 17, Week 3: Blue Whale, Anglerfish
April 24, Week 4: Bryozoan, Snailfish
May 1, Week 5: Cuttlefish, Anemone
May 8, Week 6: Bubblegum Coral, Barracuda
May 15, Week 7: Sea Lion, Nautilus
May 22, Week 8: Fangtooth, Coralline
May 29, Week 9: Sunstar, Diatom

Week 10 (June 5)

Make 7 full hexies total: Make 1 of Plain Hexie A, AND make 2 each of Plain Hexie B and the Sea Creature hexies that are listed below.

June 5, Week 10: Feather Star, Flapjack

Weeks 11-17 (June 12-July 24)

Each week, make 7 full hexies and 2 half hexies total: Make 1 of Plain Hexie A, Half Hexie A, and Half Hexie B, AND make 2 each of Plain Hexie B and the Sea Creature hexies that are listed below.

June 12, Week 11: Octopus, Sea Dragon
June 19, Week 12: Lumpfish, Squarespot
June 26, Week 13: Eelpout, Prickleback
July 3, Week 14: Owlfish, Blackdragon
July 10, Week 15: Viperfish, Parrotfish
July 17, Week 16: Mantis Shrimp, Pink Bamboo
July 24, Week 17: Sea Angel, Rosy Rockfish

Weeks 18-20 (July 31-August 14)

July 31, Week 18: Joining
August 7, Week 19: Joining catch-up and Border Part 1
August 14, Week 20: Border Part 2 – Finish and block!

Catona Color Palette Version Information

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Catona Color Palette Blanket Details

Measurements: Approximately 56x60in
Gauge: See measurements below – less than 10g per motif
Note: For the Catona Colour pack, there is 1 size blanket offered for this version during the VVCAL, but you can make any size blanket you like! I will give tips for resizing your blanket

Catona Color Palette Materials

3mm hook
2 x Catona 50g balls each in the following colors: 249, 388, 514, 179, 264, 245
14 x 50g balls of preferred joining/border color. I will be joining with Catona color 505 for my demo blanket.
Note: If you aren’t using color 505, swap out your chosen color motif color for 505 when it comes up in the CAL. For example, if you chose color 253, then when the color 253 motif comes up in the CAL, sub in color 505 instead. In the final layout, you may need to swap those hexies, but it won’t be a big deal.

Catona Color Palette Order Yarn

Find the 50g Catona at one of these shops.

Or you can head to the Scheepjes website to find a retailer near you!

Catona Color Palette Motif Measurements

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Catona Color Palette Blanket Layout

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For this blanket sample, I will be showcasing a granny stitch join for hexagons!

Here is what the continuous Granny Stitch Join looks like when it is used for squares, just so you can get a feel for what it will look like with hexagons. Of course, ours will be a solid color join.

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Catona Color Palette Blanket Schedule

All of these details, plus the colors used for each motif are also listed in the weekly CAL posts. For this sample layout, there are 58 full hexies and 10 half hexies total.

Weeks 1-12 (April 3-June 19)

Each week, make 4 hexies total: Make 1 each of Plain Hexie A and Plain Hexie B, AND make 1 each of the Sea Creature hexies that are listed below.

April 3, Week 1: Abalone, Bell Jelly
April 10, Week 2: Pipefish, Squid
April 17, Week 3: Blue Whale, Anglerfish
April 24, Week 4: Bryozoan, Snailfish
May 1, Week 5: Cuttlefish, Anemone
May 8, Week 6: Bubblegum Coral, Barracuda
May 15, Week 7: Sea Lion, Nautilus
May 22, Week 8: Fangtooth, Coralline
May 29, Week 9: Sunstar, Diatom
June 5, Week 10: Feather Star, Flapjack
June 12, Week 11: Octopus, Sea Dragon
June 19, Week 12: Lumpfish, Squarespot

Weeks 13-17 (June 26-July 24)

Each week, make 2 full hexies and 2 half hexies total: Make 1 each of Half Hexie A, and Half Hexie B, AND make 1 each of the Sea Creature hexies that are listed below.

June 26, Week 13: Eelpout, Prickleback
July 3, Week 14: Owlfish, Blackdragon
July 10, Week 15: Viperfish, Parrotfish
July 17, Week 16: Mantis Shrimp, Pink Bamboo
July 24, Week 17: Sea Angel, Rosy Rockfish

Weeks 18-20 (July 19-August 2)

July 31, Week 18: Joining
August 7, Week 19: Joining catch-up and Border Part 1
August 14, Week 20: Border Part 2 – Finish and block!

Colour Crafter Color Palette Version

There will be instruction for a Colour Crafter (Joined with Scrumptious) version of the 2026 VVCAL blanket using a lovely and bright Color Palette.

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Colour Crafter Blanket Details

Measurements: Approximately 64x72in
Gauge: See measurements below – about 8-9g per motif
Note: There will be one size layout offered for this version during the VVCAL, but you can make any size blanket you like! I will give tips for resizing your blanket

Colour Crafter Materials

US Size 4.25mm hook
1 x 100g ball each of the following Colour Crafter colors: 1114, 1084, 2002, 1010, 2016, 1822
6 x 100g balls background color – I am using Scrumptious No. 302

Order Yarn

Find the Colour Crafter at:

Or you can head to the Scheepjes website to find a retailer near you!

Motif Measurements

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Sample Layout

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For this version, I will be showcasing the continuous Flat Braid Join for Hexagons.

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Schedule

All of these details, plus the colors used for each motif are also listed in the weekly CAL posts. For this sample layout, there are 58 full hexies and 10 half hexies total.