2026 VVCAL
Published on April 17, 2026

2026 VVCAL: Blue Whale 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 3 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.

Blue Whale Motif

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

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

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Five Fun Facts

Blue whales are the largest animals known to have ever existed, reaching lengths of up to 100–110 feet (30-33 meters) and weighing up to 200 tons (400,000 pounds). They are generally larger in the Antarctic, with females being larger than males. Their hearts can be the size of a small car, and their tongues weigh as much as a female elephant. 

The blue whale is a filter-feeder. Its throat has an expandable, pleated structure to engulf a volume of water and prey that is greater than the animal’s own body weight. The water it takes in at the same time as its food is pushed out of the mouth by its enormous tongue, through strainer-like baleen plates which hang down from the upper jaw. During feeding season, individuals may consume as much as 4 tonnes of krill each day.

Blue whales are also famous for their signature vocalizations that can travel for thousands of miles underwater, making it the deepest voice of any animal. 

The number of blue whales today is only a small fraction of what it was before modern commercial whaling significantly reduced their numbers during the early 1900s, but populations are increasing globally. The primary threats blue whales currently face are vessel strikes and entanglements in fishing gear.

Scientists know little about the life history of the blue whale. The best available science suggests the gestation period is approximately 10 to 12 months. Weaning probably occurs at around 6 to 7 months on, or en route to, summer feeding areas. The age of sexual maturity is thought to be 5 to 15 years. Most reproductive activity, including births and mating, takes place during the winter. The average calving interval is estimated to be 2 to 3 years.

Blue Whale Motif Pattern

Reference

Scroll for chart and video instruction.

Stitch Guide (US Terms)

Note: Scroll down for UK Terms.

  • 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
  • chN chain N number of times
  • dc double crochet
  • MR make ring: slip knot, ch3, ss in third ch from hook
  • 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, 9sc, ss in first sc. [9 sc]

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Rnd 2 Beg dc, 1dc in same st, 2dc in each of next 8 sts, ss in beg dc. [18 dc]

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Rnd 3 [1sc, 1tr] in 18 sts, ss in first sc (Note: tr sts should pop to the RS of the work as tiny bobbles). [18 tr, 18 sc]

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Rnd 4 Beg 3trcl in first sc, [ch3, 3trcl in next sc] 17 times, ch3, ss in beg 3trcl. [18 3trcl, 18 sp]

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Rnd 5 5sc in each ch-sp, ss in first sc. [90 sc]

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Rnd 6 Ss in next st, [1sc in next st, ch3, sk4] 18 times, ss in first sc. [18 sc. 18 sp]

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Rnd 7 [5sc in first ch-sp, 3sc in next sp, 1sc in next st, 3sc in next sp] 6 times, ss in first sc. [72 sc]

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Rnd 8 [1sc in next st, 3sc in next st, 10sc] 6 times, ss in first sc, cut yarn. [84 sc]

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Stitch Guide (UK Terms)

  • 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 dtr (1dc, ch2_ – counts as 1 dtr
  • 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
  • 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, 9dc, ss in first dc. [9 dc]

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Rnd 2 Beg tr, 1tr in same st, 2tr in each of next 8 sts, ss in beg tr. [18 tr]

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Rnd 3 [1dc, 1dtr] in 18 sts, ss in first dc (Note: dtr sts should pop to the RS of the work as tiny bobbles). [18 dtr, 18 dc]

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Rnd 4 Beg 3dtrcl in first dc, [ch3, 3dtrcl in next dc] 17 times, ch3, ss in beg 3dtrcl. [18 3dtrcl, 18 sp]

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Rnd 5 5dc in each ch-sp, ss in first dc. [90 dc]

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Rnd 6 Ss in next st, [1dc in next st, ch3, sk4] 18 times, ss in first dc. [18 dc. 18 sp]

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Rnd 7 [5dc in first ch-sp, 3dc in next sp, 1dc in next st, 3dc in next sp] 6 times, ss in first dc. [72 dc]

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Rnd 8 [1dc in next st, 3dc in next st, 10dc] 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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