Last year I did my first every CAL and it seemed to be a hit with yarny sleuths, so I decided to do it again this year. This time I’m doing a row by row CAL instead of a block each month. We’ll still be reading a cozy murder mystery each month. I’ve written the pattern so you can make a blanket of the size you choose or a really long scarf. You get to decide! Let’s get this cozy murder mystery CAL started!
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Now I love a good murder mystery no matter the kind, but cozy murder mysteries are a little tamer than most. Plus they are usually easy to get through in a limited time frame. Here’s the details for the CAL:
- I’ll post a new book to read & new crocheted row pattern here on the blog the first Friday of the month after the first post.
- The books will be digital books from Amazon. All the books I’ve picked are under $5 and some are even free if you have Amazon Prime.
- We’ll be doing about 10 rows, plus or minus, each month. I’m aiming for a total of 5″ each month, so this will vary. The first month is 11 rows plus the base.
- You can share your finished rows in the Cozy Murder Mystery CAL Facebook group.
- Everyone that shares their finished rows in the Facebook group will be entered to win a Mini Maker bag made by me. I will post a pick in the group once I get it made. : )
I hope everyone enjoys the patterns even if you decide you don’t want to read the book. Let’s get started yarny sluethes! Check out last year’s CAL for a block of the month if you missed it.
April & May Book
April was such a busy month it put me behind! I feel like that’s a theme with me this year and I hope to get caught up over the school break. You get two books to choose from this month since April’s post is late. I have only managed to read one book this year so far, so maybe y’all are having more luck with it!
Yarn
I’m sticking with the #4 worsted weight yarn since I know most crocheters have a ton of it on hand. I will be using some I Love This Yarn from Hobby Lobby that I got during one of their fabulous clearance sales. I’m using several different blue yarns and will change them throughout the pattern. Feel free to use all one color or change colors as you like. It would be a great pattern for a scrapghan as well.
The written pattern will be for a lapghan that is about 60″ x 60″. As I mentioned above, you can adjust the pattern to the size you prefer or even make a scarf that will be 60″ long. Here’s how to do that:
- Your foundation should be multiples of 3+1 if you are starting with foundation single crochet. If you start with chains, it should be multiples of 3+2 to account for the turning chain.
- 30+1 single crochets gives you a width of about 10″. {which is perfect for a scarf}
- I’m using 180+1 single crochets for a lapghan that is 60″ {10″ x 6 = 60″ & 30 x 6 = 180 sc}. If you want a blanket that’s say 70″ wide, you would start with 210+1 single crochets. {10″ x7 = 70″ & 30 x 7 = 210 sc}
- Also, the sections will have repeating rows. So if you wanted longer sections, you would just add rows until it’s the height you want. For example if you did 12 sections at 10″ tall, you would have blanket that’s 120″ long at the end.
Hopefully this will help you make the blanket or scarf the size that you like! You can also ask questions in the Facebook group.
You can use whatever yarn fiber and/or weight you would like to use. The pattern can be adjusted for different yarn weights. For example, add more sections/rows for lighter yarns if needed or leave off sections/rows for heavier yarns if needed to make the measurements listed.
Pattern – Basics
This pattern starts off with a foundation single crochet and it is not counted as the first row. The row count starts after that.
Supplies:
- Yarn – I Love This Yarn by Hobby Lobby {acrylic}, #4 worsted weight {use the weight, fiber, & color you prefer}
- Hook – 5.5mm {I9}
Abbreviations:
- st – stitch
- ch – chain
- fdsc – foundation single crochet
- sc – single crochet
- dc – double crochet
- trc – treble crochet
- hdc – half double crochet
- fpdc – front post double crochet
- beg – beginning
- dctog – double crochet together
- 3dctog – 3 double crochet together
- pops – popcorn stitch ~ 4 dc in stitch indicated , remove hook from stitch & place in first dc, pull loose stitch through dc, ch 1 to close {see pictures in pattern below}
- fan – 9 dc in same st
- V – dc, ch 1, dc in same st
April Pattern
Note: Beginning ch 3 counts as dc & beginning ch 2 counts as hdc.
R32 – ch1, turn, sc same st, ch 1, sk 2 dc, *(dc, ch1, dc, ch 1, dc) in next st, ch 1, sk 2 dc, sc next st* repeat * to * to end
R33 – ch 6 {counts as dc & ch 3}, turn *sc in center dc, ch 3, pops in sc, ch 3* repeat * to * to last center dc, sc in last center dc, ch 3, dc in last st
R34 – ch1, turn, sc same st, ch 1, *(dc, ch1, dc, ch 1, dc) in next sc, ch 1, sc in pops* repeat * to * to end
R35 – repeat R33
R36 – ch 3, turn, dc in next st and across to the end {1 dc in each pops & sc, 2 dc in each ch 3}
R37 – ch 2, turn, hdc in same st, *sk next st, (hdc, ch 2, hdc) in next st* repeat * to * to last two st; 2 hdc in last st
R38 – ch 4 {counts as dc & ch 1}, turn *3dctog in each ch 1, ch 1* repeat * to * to last two st: dc in last st
R39 – ch 2, turn, hdc in ch 1, *(hdc, ch 1, hdc) in ch 1* repeat * to * to ch 1 just before last 3dgtog, hdc in last ch1 & in 3rd ch
R40 – ch 3, turn, dc next st, *3dctog in each ch 1, ch 1* repeat * to * to last two st, dc in last two st
R41 – ch 2, turn, hdc in next st and across to the end
May Pattern
R42 – ch 1, turn, sc same st & next 2 st *sk 3 sc, fan in next sc, sk 3 sc, sc next sc* repeat * to * to last 4 sc, 4 dc last st
R43 – ch 1, turn, sc same st, ch 3 *V in sc, ch 5* repeat * to * to last 3 st, dc in last 3 st
R44 – ch 3, turn, 3dc same st *sc in middle dc of fan below catching ch 5, fan in V* repeat * to * to last V, sc in last st
R45 – ch 4 {counts as dc + ch 1}, turn, dc same st *ch 5, V in sc* repeat * to * to last sc, ch 3, sc last st
R46 – ch 1, turn, sc same st *fan in V, sc middle dc of fan below catching ch 5* repeat * to * to last fan, 4 dc in 4th ch of beg ch
R47 – ch 1, turn, sc same st, ch 3 *V in sc, ch 5* repeat * to * to last fan, V in last st
R48 – ch 1, turn, sc same st and evenly across {5 sc in ch 5 catching middle dc of fan below with 3rd sc, 3 sc per V, & 3 sc in ch 3, sc in last sc}
R49 – ch 3, turn, dc next st, *skip 2 st, dc next st, ch 1, dc in 1st skipped st* repeat * to * to last 2 st, dc in last 2 st
R50 – ch 1, turn, sc in every st across
R51 – ch 3, turn, dc next st, *skip 2 st, dc next st, ch 1, dc around first dc in “X” below* repeat * to * to last 2 st, dc in last 2 st
R52 – Repeat R50
R53 – ch 3, turn, dc next st, *skip 2 st, dc next st, ch 1, dc around first dc in “X” below* repeat * to * to last 2 st, dc in last 2 st
Rows 32 thru 53 complete.
I hope y’all enjoy the pattern and the books I picked this month. Let me know if you find any errors & I will correct them. This pattern has not been tested by anyone but me. : D
I will be on the search for murder mystery type fabrics and I will share picks of the Mini Mini Maker bag up for grabs in the group. Happy making y’all!
