2026 VVCAL
Published on April 10, 2026

2026 VVCAL: Pipefish Motif

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Hello, and a huge welcome to this week of the 2026 Vibrant Vintage Crochet-A-Long (VVCAL)! I’m so glad you’re here! I love spending this time with the VVCAL community. We are going to have so much fun relaxingly working through these motifs each week.

Attention!

If you have not yet seen the Week 2 Instruction post, please head there first and see the instructions for the version that you are working. Below, you will find the Motif pattern, in US, and UK Terms, Chart, Video, and Step by step photos.

Social Media Hashtags: #VVCAL and #CypressTextiles

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.

Pipefish Motif

Find the Ravelry Page for this motif here and add your project!

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Sea Creatures: Pipefish

Enjoy a small reflection on one of this week’s featured sea creatures.

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Five Fun Facts

Like their seahorse relatives, pipefish follow a unique reproductive behavior. The males have a specialized brood pouch on their belly, where the female deposits her eggs. The male then fertilizes the eggs and carries them in the pouch until they hatch.

Due to their lack of strong swimming ability pipefish are often found in shallow waters that are easily disturbed by industrial runoffs and human recreation. Shorelines are also affected by boats and drag lines that move shoreline sediment. These disturbances cause a decrease in seagrasses and eelgrasses that are vital in pipefish habitats. The aquarium trade of pipefish has also increased in recent years.

At least 30 species of pipefish have been recorded in southern Australian waters. Pipefish look like straight-bodied seahorses with tiny mouths. The body and tail are long, thin, and snake-like. This makes them excellent at hiding among seaweed foliage and seagrass blades.

Those witnessing courtship have observed lengthy and complicated shows of display. The dance involves groovy wriggling and abrupt shaking motions. Young are born as free swimmers and begin feeding immediately. From the moment they hatch, they are independent of their parents and are especially vulnerable to predation.

Male pipefish may cannibalize their own young moments after reproducing with one female so that they have the resources to reproduce with a larger, more attractive female. (Yikes…)

Hi!

Pipefish Motif Pattern

Reference

Scroll for chart and video instruction.

Stitch Guide (US Terms)

Note: Scroll down for UK Terms.

  • 2dccl 2dc cluster: (yoh, insert hook in st/sp, yoh, pull up lp, yoh, draw yarn through 2 lps) 2 times, yoh, draw yarn through 3 lps
  • 3trcl 3 treble cluster: * yoh 2 times, insert hook in st, yoh pull through, (yoh, pull through 2 lps on hook) 2 times, rep from * 2 times, yoh and pull through all 4 lps
  • beg beginning
  • beg 3trcl (beg dc, 2trcl) in same st/sp – counts as 1 3trcl
  • beg dc (1sc, ch1) – counts as 1 dc
  • beg pc beginning popcorn: (beg dc, 3dc) in st/sp, release lp from hook, insert hook front to back through beg dc, grab lp, pull through to front of work to close popcorn
  • chN chain N number of times
  • dc double crochet
  • MR make ring: slip knot, ch3, ss in third ch from hook
  • pc popcorn 4dc in st/sp, release lp from hook, insert hook front to back through first dc, grab lp, pull through to front of work to close popcorn
  • sc single crochet
  • sp space (ch-sp = chain space)
  • ss slip stitch
  • st stitch
  • tr treble crochet
  • yoh yarn over hook

Written Instructions & Step-by-step Photos (US Terms)

Rnd 1 MR, beg dc, 11dc, ss in beg dc. [12 dc]

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Rnd 2 Beg 3trcl, [ch3, 3trcl] 11 times, ch3, ss in beg 3trcl. [12 3trcl, 12 sp]

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Rnd 3 Beg pc in first ch-sp, [(ch2, 2dccl) 4 times in next ch-sp, ch2, pc in next sp] 6 times omitting final pc on sixth rep, ss in beg pc. [6 pc, 24 2dccl, 30 sp]

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Rnd 4 [1sc in ch-sp, ch2] 30 times, ss in first sc. [30 sc, 30 sp]

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Rnd 5 * 1sc in ch-sp, ch2, 1sc in next sp, ch3, [1sc in next sp, ch2] 3 times, rep from * five times, ss in first sc. [30 sc, 30 sp]

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Rnd 6 [2sc in next ch-sp, 5sc in ch-3 sp, 2sc in next 2 sps, 1sc in next st, 2sc in next sp] 6 times, ss in first sc, cut yarn. [84 sc]

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Stitch Guide (UK Terms)

  • 2trcl 2tr cluster: (yoh, insert hook in st/sp, yoh, pull up lp, yoh, draw yarn through 2 lps) 2 times, yoh, draw yarn through 3 lps
  • 3dtrcl 3 double treble cluster: * yoh 2 times, insert hook in st, yoh pull through, (yoh, pull through 2 lps on hook) 2 times, rep from * 2 times, yoh and pull through all 4 lps
  • beg beginning
  • beg 3dtrcl (beg dtr, 2dtrcl) in same st/sp – counts as 1 3dtrcl
  • beg tr (1dc, ch1) – counts as 1 tr
  • beg pc beginning popcorn: (beg tr, 3tr) in st/sp, release lp from hook, insert hook front to back through beg tr, grab lp, pull through to front of work to close popcorn
  • chN chain N number of times
  • dc double crochet
  • dtr double treble crochet
  • MR make ring: slip knot, ch3, ss in third ch from hook
  • pc popcorn 4tr in st/sp, release lp from hook, insert hook front to back through first tr, grab lp, pull through to front of work to close popcorn
  • sp space (ch-sp = chain space)
  • ss slip stitch
  • st stitch
  • tr treble crochet
  • yoh yarn over hook

Written Instructions & Step-by-step Photos (UK Terms)

Rnd 1 MR, beg tr, 11tr, ss in beg tr. [12 tr]

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Rnd 2 Beg 3dtrcl, [ch3, 3dtrcl] 11 times, ch3, ss in beg 3dtrcl. [12 3dtrcl, 12 sp]

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Rnd 3 Beg pc in first ch-sp, [(ch2, 2trcl) 4 times in next ch-sp, ch2, pc in next sp] 6 times omitting final pc on sixth rep, ss in beg pc. [6 pc, 24 2trcl, 30 sp]

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Rnd 4 [1dc in ch-sp, ch2] 30 times, ss in first dc. [30 dc, 30 sp]

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Rnd 5 * 1dc in ch-sp, ch2, 1dc in next sp, ch3, [1dc in next sp, ch2] 3 times, rep from * five times, ss in first dc. [30 dc, 30 sp]

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Rnd 6 [2dc in next ch-sp, 5dc in ch-3 sp, 2dc in next 2 sps, 1dc in next st, 2dc in next sp] 6 times, ss in first dc, cut yarn. [84 dc]

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Chart

Note: Chart is meant as a visual guide to the written instruction and might not be able to stand alone due to special stitches.

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Video

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Note: Video is spoken in US Terms.

Subscribe on YouTube for more videos like this one!

Links to Weekly Instruction Posts

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

Pin the Motif!

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Thank you so much for stopping in for this week of the 2026 VVCAL!

You may also enjoy these completed CALs

Happy crafting,

Rachele C.

The Art of Crochet Blankets

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