2026 VVCAL
Published on June 19, 2026

2026 VVCAL: Lumpfish 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 12 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.

Lumpfish 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.

Lumpfish Animal Facts - Cyclopterus lumpus - A-Z Animals

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Lumpfish

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Lumpfish | Monterey Bay Aquarium

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Fun Facts

These chubby-looking fish have round, stout bodies and large eyes. They’re not the fastest swimmers, propelling themselves through the water with their fanlike pectoral fins and broom-shaped caudal fin. 

Instead of scales, a lumpfish’s body is covered with spots and fleshy knobs  called tubercles. A row of larger bumps line the side of their body. The thick layer of skin covering the first dorsal fin creates an enormous ridge along their backs, making lumpfish look like they’re sporting massive, meaty mohawk! 

Some lumpfish species (like the Pacific spiny lumpsucker) are small and round and look like tiny, colorful chewing-gum bubbles. In contrast, Cyclopterus lumpus is bulkier, heavier, and lumpier. Males grow to 20 inches (50 cm) and females grow even bigger—up to 24 inches (61 cm)! The largest lumpfish can weigh up to 21lb (9.5 kg) but are typically much smaller.

In the first year of its life, a young lumpfish clings to seaweed in shallow nearshore waters. As adults, they move further from shore, spending more time  in colder waters on the rocky seafloor. The lumpfish lives throughout the North Atlantic. With a range spanning international borders, they’ve accumulated names in a variety of languages, including “henfish” and “lumpsucker” in English and “big sea chicken” (grosse poule de mer) in French. 

Lumpfish are designated ”Near Threatened” by the  International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN).Overfishing is an ongoing threat to their survival. Male lumpfish are considered a delicacy in some cultures, while female lumpfish are sought after for their roe which is sold as affordable caviar. Other threats the lumpfish faces include habitat change and seismic exploration, in which seismic waves are sent into the earth to help search for oil and gas.

Lumpfish 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
  • 4trcl 4tr cluster: * yoh 2 times, insert hook in st, yoh pull through, (yoh, pull through 2 lps on hook) 2 times, rep from * 3 times, yoh and pull through all 5 lps
  • 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
  • beg 4trcl beg tr, * yoh 2 times, insert hook in same 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 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 pc, [ch4, pc] 2 times, ch4, ss in beg pc. [3 pc, 3 sp]

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Rnd 2 Beg 2dccl in ch-sp, [(ch3, 2dccl in same sp) 2 rimes, ch3, 2dccl in next ch-sp] 3 times omitting final 2dccl on third rep, ss in beg 2dccl. [9 2dccl, 9 sp]

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Rnd 3 Beg 4trcl in ch-sp, [ch3, 4trcl in same sp, ch3, 4trcl in next sp] 9 times omitting final 4trcl on ninth rep, ss in beg 4trcl. [18 4trcl, 18 sp]

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Rnd 4 Beg 2dccl in ch-sp, * [ch1, 2dccl in same sp, ch1, 2dccl in next sp] 2 times, ch2, 2dccl in same sp, ch1, 2dccl in next sp, rep from * 5 times omitting final 2dccl on fifth rep, ss in beg 2dccl. [36 2dccl, 36 sp]

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Rnd 5 [2sc in next ch-sp, 1sc in next sp, 2sc in next 2 ch-sps, 5sc in next sp, 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
  • 4dtrcl 4dtr cluster: * yoh 2 times, insert hook in st, yoh pull through, (yoh, pull through 2 lps on hook) 2 times, rep from * 3 times, yoh and pull through all 5 lps
  • 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
  • beg 4dtrcl beg dtr, * yoh 2 times, insert hook in same 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 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
  • dtr double treble crochet
  • chN chain N number of times
  • dc double 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 pc, [ch4, pc] 2 times, ch4, ss in beg pc. [3 pc, 3 sp]

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Rnd 2 Beg 2trcl in ch-sp, [(ch3, 2trcl in same sp) 2 rimes, ch3, 2trcl in next ch-sp] 3 times omitting final 2trcl on third rep, ss in beg 2trcl. [9 2trcl, 9 sp]

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Rnd 3 Beg 4dtrcl in ch-sp, [ch3, 4dtrcl in same sp, ch3, 4dtrcl in next sp] 9 times omitting final 4dtrcl on ninth rep, ss in beg 4dtrcl. [18 4dtrcl, 18 sp]

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Rnd 4 Beg 2trcl in ch-sp, * [ch1, 2trcl in same sp, ch1, 2trcl in next sp] 2 times, ch2, 2trcl in same sp, ch1, 2trcl in next sp, rep from * 5 times omitting final 2trcl on fifth rep, ss in beg 2trcl. [36 2trcl, 36 sp]

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Rnd 5 [2dc in next ch-sp, 1dc in next sp, 2dc in next 2 ch-sps, 5dc in next sp, 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

Coming shortly!

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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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