MooglyCAL2026 Block 7 Debuts a Textured, Color-Rich Crashing Waves Square

The Crashing Waves Blanket Square, Block 7 of MooglyCAL2026, uses spike stitches as its structural foundation to deliver rolling, dimensional texture that flat stitch patterns simply can't replicate. Michele Costa of Stitch & Hustle designed the square, and Tamara Kelly published it free on Moogly on April 2, opening it to the full CAL community.

Spike stitches work by dropping the hook below the current working row to pull up a tall loop, creating the raised ridges that give Crashing Waves its dimensional quality. Costa describes the block as offering "texture and lots of color possibilities for all skill levels," and the stitch choice backs that claim: spike stitches reward color contrast, so the wave effect reads more sharply when makers choose shades that sit on opposite ends of the value scale.

One gauge note every Block 7 maker should read before casting on: Kelly worked her sample to 8 inches while Costa's original measured 10. That two-inch gap is not unusual across a community CAL, where makers bring different yarn weights, hook sizes, and tension habits, but it has real consequences if left unaddressed. Kelly compensated by skipping rows, adjusting border rounds, and adding surface crochet to bring her finished square into alignment. Her documentation of all three adjustments is the most practically useful part of the post, turning a potential frustration into a solved problem.

On spike stitch placement specifically, Kelly flags a technique detail worth noting before anyone picks up the hook: "your hook will go in slightly to the side of where you might think." That micro-adjustment, easy to miss on a first read, is exactly what separates a clean wave pattern from one that looks off-center. In textured work, hook placement is everything.

Compared to the earlier blocks in the 2026 CAL, Crashing Waves introduces the most prominent surface dimension so far. Where prior squares relied on color blocking or stitch variety for visual interest, Block 7 adds physical height to the fabric itself. Set next to a smoother square, the raised spike ridges create a tactile contrast that unifies the blanket the same way a raised cable panel anchors a flat knit, giving the eye somewhere to land and the hand somewhere to feel.

For makers who want to practice spike stitches without committing to a full afghan, this 8-to-10-inch square is the right scope. Kelly's post includes tutorial links covering spike stitches, standing single crochet, surface crochet, abbreviations, and seamless joins, so learners can address each new technique as they encounter it rather than problem-solving from scratch.

The CAL's community is active on Moogly's Facebook group and Pinterest board, where tester colorway photos are already surfacing. Posting your Block 7 palette there gives the next wave of makers concrete references to pull from, particularly since value contrast is what makes the spike stitch pattern read as Crashing Waves rather than a muddy texture, and a well-chosen palette from a fellow maker is worth more than any color theory chart.