2026 VVCAL
Published on June 26, 2026

2026 VVCAL: Eelpout 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 13 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.

Eelpout 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.

Viviparous eelpout - Facts, Diet, Habitat & Pictures on Animalia.bio

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EUO © OCEANA Carlos Suárez 45605 | Viviparous eelpout (Zoarc… | Flickr

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Eelpout

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Fun Facts

By day, these brilliantly colored fish gather in small groups just above the edges of steep reef slopes. Here, strong currents provide a steady supply of the tiny, drifting animal plankton on which they feed. By night, or when larger predators threaten, squarespots seek shelter among the nooks and crannies of the reef.

Only males sport the bright, square spots on their sides that give this fish its common name. Squarespots are most common at depths of around 100 feet (30 m) or more. There in the dim light their spots seem to glow, warning rival males and catching the eye of females.

In some places unscrupulous collectors use cyanide, bleach and other chemicals to catch reef fishes for the pet trade. These poisons can kill fishes, corals and other reef life. Fishermen in the South Pacific and Southeast Asia often dynamite reefs to kill fishes for food. The blast stuns the fishes, which then float to the surface where they can be easily scooped up. But the explosions destroy the reefs and kill many more animals than just those taken for food.

In addition to the bright spots on their sides, males perform acrobatic swimming displays to mark their territories and attract mates. All squarespots start life as females. As they grow, some change into males.

Eelpout 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
  • 6trpc 6 treble popcorn: 6tr in st/sp indicated, remove lp from hook, insert hook front to back through first tr, grab lp, pull to front of work to close 6trpc
  • beg beginning
  • 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 dc (1sc, ch1) – counts as 1 dc
  • beg tr (1sc, ch2) – counts as 1 tr
  • chN chain N number of times
  • dc double crochet
  • beg FPtr (1FPsc, ch2)
  • FPsc front post single crochet
  • FPtr front post treble 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, beg dc, 11dc, ss in beg dc. [12 dc]

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Rnd 2 Beg dc in next st, [(1dc, ch2, 1dc) in next st, 1dc] 6 times omitting final dc on sixth rep, ss in beg dc. [18 dc, 6 sp]

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Rnd 3 Beg FPtr in next st, [ch3, FPtr in dc 2 sts before, (2dccl, ch3, 2dccl) in next ch-sp, sk2, FPtr] 6 times omitting final FPtr on sixth rep, ss in beg FPtr. [12 FPtr, 12 2dccl, 12 sp]

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Rnd 4 Beg 4trcl in next ch-sp, [ch3, 4trcl in same sp, ch3, 6trpc in next ch-sp, ch3, 4trcl in next ch-sp] 6 times omitting final 4trcl on sixth rep, ss in beg 4trcl. [6 6trpc, 12 4trcl, 18 sp]

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Rnd 5 [7sc in next ch-sp, 3sc in next sp, 1sc in next st, 3sc 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
  • 6dtrpc 6 double treble popcorn: 6dtr in st/sp indicated, remove lp from hook, insert hook front to back through first dtr, grab lp, pull to front of work to close 6dtrpc
  • beg beginning
  • 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 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
  • beg FPdtr (1FPdc, ch2)
  • FPdc front post double crochet
  • FPdtr front post 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, beg tr, 11tr, ss in beg tr. [12 tr]

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Rnd 2 Beg tr in next st, [(1tr, ch2, 1tr) in next st, 1tr] 6 times omitting final tr on sixth rep, ss in beg tr. [18 tr, 6 sp]

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Rnd 3 Beg FPdtr in next st, [ch3, FPdtr in tr 2 sts before, (2trcl, ch3, 2trcl) in next ch-sp, sk2, FPdtr] 6 times omitting final FPdtr on sixth rep, ss in beg FPdtr. [12 FPdtr, 12 2trcl, 12 sp]

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Rnd 4 Beg 4dtrcl in next ch-sp, [ch3, 4dtrcl in same sp, ch3, 6dtrpc in next ch-sp, ch3, 4dtrcl in next ch-sp] 6 times omitting final 4dtrcl on sixth rep, ss in beg 4dtrcl. [6 6dtrpc, 12 4dtrcl, 18 sp]

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Rnd 5 [7dc in next ch-sp, 3dc in next sp, 1dc in next st, 3dc 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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