2026 VVCAL
Published on May 1, 2026

2026 VVCAL: Cuttlefish 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 5 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.

Cuttlefish 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.

Cuttlefish Animal Facts - Sepiida - A-Z Animals

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10 Fun facts about Cuttlefish — Joes Gone Diving Bali

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Deadpool: The Dynamic Cuttlefish Mating System

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Five Fun Facts

Cuttlefish are highly intelligent marine mollusks, not fish, known as “chameleons of the sea” for their ability to change color and texture in under a second. Like its octopus kin, a cuttlefish hides from enemies with camouflage and clouds of ink. A cuttlefish can change skin color and pattern almost instantly. They use their chromatophores (pigmented skin cells) to create different patterns for camouflage, stalking prey, courting mates and fighting rivals.

They possess three hearts, blue-green blood, and a unique internal shell called a cuttlebone. Despite being colorblind, they have exceptional, polarized vision.

Cuttlefish are an important species for cephalopod fisheries in many countries. Highly valued food items in Japan, Korea, Italy and Spain, cuttlefish are marketed as both fresh or frozen. While cuttlefish have been heavily fished in the Mediterranean in recent years, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists this cephalopod as a species of Least Concern. Although human impact on the ocean is growing, so is the knowledge that we depend on healthy seas. Working together, people can discover solutions to pollution, overfishing, and other threats to the ocean.

Without this cuttlefish, many great works of art and literature would not exist! The dark-brown ink of the common cuttlefish, called sepia, was once used extensively for writing and drawing.

Cuttlebones have long been used as an inexpensive dietary supplement for birds. They are a great source of minerals and calcium, which help birds with bone formation and blood clotting, as well as beak maintenance.

Cuttlefish Motif Pattern

Reference

Scroll for chart and video instruction.

Stitch Guide (US Terms)

Note: Scroll down for UK Terms.

  • beg beginning
  • 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
  • yoh yarn over hook

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

Rnd 1 MR, [1sc, ch2] 6 times, ss in first sc. [6 sc, 6 sp]

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Rnd 2 [1sc, ch1, 3dc, ch1, 1sc] in each ch-sp around, ss in first sc. [18 dc, 12 sc, 12 sp]

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Rnd 3 Pull working lp to back of work, [1bpsc in sc from Rnd 1, ch3] 6 times, ss in first bpsc. [6 bpsc, 6 sp]

Back:

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Front:

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Rnd 4 [1sc, ch1, 4dc, ch1, 1sc] in each ch-sp around, ss in first sc. [24 dc, 12 sc, 12 sp]

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Rnd 5 Pull working lp to back of work, [1bpsc in sc from Rnd 3, ch5] 6 times, ss in first bpsc. [6 bpsc, 6 sp]

Back:

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Front:

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Rnd 6 Beg dc in ch-sp, [2dc, ch1, 3dc] in same sp, ch1, 1dc in next sp] 6 times omitting final dc on sixth rep, ss in beg dc. [36 dc, 12 sp]

Front:

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Back:

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Rnd 7 Ss in next 2 sts, beg dc in ch-sp, [ch1, 1dc in same sp, 7dc, 1dc in next sp] 6 times omitting final dc on sixth rep, ss in beg dc. [54 dc, 6 sp]

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Rnd 8 Beg dc in ch-sp, * ch1, 1dc in same sp, [ch1, sk1, 1dc] 5 times, rep from * 5 times omitting final dc on fifth rep, ss in beg dc. [36 dc, 36 sp]

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Rnd 9 [3sc in next sp, 11sc] 6 times, ss in first sc, cut yarn. [84 sc]

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Stitch Guide (UK Terms)

  • beg beginning
  • beg tr(1dc, ch1) – counts as 1 tr
  • chN chain N number of times
  • dc double 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, [1dc, ch2] 6 times, ss in first dc. [6 dc, 6 sp]

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Rnd 2 [1dc, ch1, 3tr, ch1, 1dc] in each ch-sp around, ss in first dc. [18 tr, 12 dc, 12 sp]

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Rnd 3 Pull working lp to back of work, [1bpdc in dc from Rnd 1, ch3] 6 times, ss in first bpdc. [6 bpdc, 6 sp]

Back:

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Front:

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Rnd 4 [1dc, ch1, 4tr, ch1, 1dc] in each ch-sp around, ss in first dc. [24 tr, 12 dc, 12 sp]

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Rnd 5 Pull working lp to back of work, [1bpdc in dc from Rnd 3, ch5] 6 times, ss in first bpdc. [6 bpdc, 6 sp]

Back:

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Front:

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Rnd 6 Beg tr in ch-sp, [2tr, ch1, 3tr] in same sp, ch1, 1tr in next sp] 6 times omitting final tr on sixth rep, ss in beg tr. [36 tr, 12 sp]

Front:

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Back:

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Rnd 7 Ss in next 2 sts, beg tr in ch-sp, [ch1, 1tr in same sp, 7tr, 1tr in next sp] 6 times omitting final tr on sixth rep, ss in beg tr. [54 tr, 6 sp]

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Rnd 8 Beg tr in ch-sp, * ch1, 1tr in same sp, [ch1, sk1, 1tr] 5 times, rep from * 5 times omitting final tr on fifth rep, ss in beg tr. [36 tr, 36 sp]

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Rnd 9 [3dc in next sp, 11dc] 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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