COMPLETED PROJECT: SOPHIE'S UNIVERSE CAL.

After 13 weeks, 3300-3900m of yarn, half a dozen frogged rounds, four bouts of blocking and more stitches than I care to count, I have finally completed the Sophie's Universe crochet-a-long. I'm fairly reluctant to use the word "journey" (some residual resentment left over from grade 11/12 English, perhaps) but that's really the only way to describe it. What started out as a way to clear out some of the acrylics from my stash, until those first green and purple rounds where I didn't have just the right colours, to madly dashing to Spotlight half a dozen times for more yarn, twice in the final week when I ran out of yarn with only two dozen stitches left of the final round...

But Sophie has been more than that to me. After leaving my chosen career early in the year, largely because it didn't allow me enough time for the things that make me happy, completing this mammoth task has been not only rewarding but also comforting. Despite knowing that I have made the right choice for me, my relationship and my needs, I've still spent the better part of five months tackling feelings of failure. Producing this colossal piece of art has been a way for me to return to what I truly enjoy.

Sophie's easily the biggest project I've ever completed. She's substantially larger than the biggest blanket I've ever made - this Noah's Ark baby blanket that was supposed to be a gift and I had previously referred to Monstro as being my white whale but neither compares to the intricacies nor the sheer size of Sophie. Despite meaning to be 1.4m across as per the instructions for DK (8ply) yarn with a 4mm hook, the final measurement was 1.8m - the size for worsted yarn with a 5.5mm hook. I have no idea how that happened but I'm pleased that it did.

It does mean is that I probably won't be "growing" my Sophie as per the pattern suggestions with either the squares or the additional border. Probably not, anyway. At its current size it's more than enough to curl up in (it has been pretty cold here lately) and it's definitely got some heft to it. It isn't uncomfortably heavy to sit on top of you but folded up it's certainly weighty. I'm not the biggest fan of granny squares so adding them to this continuous style blanket doesn't hold a lot of appeal for me. Nevermind that towards to end there, even without frogging rounds were taking up to an hour each to complete.

For curious crafters: the bulk of this project was completed using Panda Magnum Soft 8ply and 4 Seasons Marvel 8ply, with the occasional use of acrylic that nobody could identify if they wanted to (Kmart? Big W? That little odds-and-ends Asian store?). If you have a particularly good eye, you might notice that I wasn't terribly worried about dye lots and there are points where I ran out of the original yarn and switched colours altogether.

For those wishing to complete the CAL: we have been assured by creator Dedri multiple times that the project pages will be kept live. If I have any recommendations, write out each round in point form. I know why Dedri has written the instructions as they are, but if you're an experienced crocheter like me a lot of the notes about counting and stitch placement just mean you'll just lose your place.

Highlights: watching the flowers come together was a thrill, especially the bigger ones in the corners. Completing millions of popcorn stitches was tedious but those tulips are just darling and despite not being a fan of actual roses, the roses are possibly my favourite part of the whole project!

Sections to dread: if you look carefully, you'll notice that the sides surrounding the larger purple flower are made up of literally hundreds of single crochet stitches. I can't tell if that or everything from the blue butterfly band onwards (which is mostly double crochet stitches) were more painful. It all comes together in the end though!