I just signed up for the ripple-along today, although I've been watching you all ripple for a while now.
This isn't the first time I've made ripples. Here's a blanket for our queen-size bed which I made 5 or 6 years ago now -- it took me a long time. It's been several years since I've had my crochet hook out. I've been doing more knitting and sewing in recent times.
I have some Red Heart Yarn that's been sitting waiting for me to be ready to make an afghan (cheap and easy to wash is good for an afghan in my book, especially now that I have a baby in the house). Depending on how big I decide to make this afghan I may have to get more, but I have supplies to get started.
Now for the dilemma. My problem is what stitch pattern to use. The ripples I've done before came from a pattern booklet called "Rippling Effects" by Carole Prior. I've been looking through and trying to decide whether I want to use one of those patterns this time.
One thing I don't like is that they mostly seem more zig-zag than ripple to my eye. But I can't find my other crochet pattern book at the moment, and I don't want to risk getting sidetracked searching around the Internet...
So I made this swatch using the "rustic ripple" pattern from my booklet. I can't decide whether or not I like the way the colours transition. It's a bit like the back of plain knitting which can be great.
Any thoughts? Or recommendations for a ripple pattern online that's fluid not pointy?!
(I also posted about this at my own [new] blog - Commonplace Iris)
This isn't the first time I've made ripples. Here's a blanket for our queen-size bed which I made 5 or 6 years ago now -- it took me a long time. It's been several years since I've had my crochet hook out. I've been doing more knitting and sewing in recent times.
I have some Red Heart Yarn that's been sitting waiting for me to be ready to make an afghan (cheap and easy to wash is good for an afghan in my book, especially now that I have a baby in the house). Depending on how big I decide to make this afghan I may have to get more, but I have supplies to get started.
Now for the dilemma. My problem is what stitch pattern to use. The ripples I've done before came from a pattern booklet called "Rippling Effects" by Carole Prior. I've been looking through and trying to decide whether I want to use one of those patterns this time.
One thing I don't like is that they mostly seem more zig-zag than ripple to my eye. But I can't find my other crochet pattern book at the moment, and I don't want to risk getting sidetracked searching around the Internet...So I made this swatch using the "rustic ripple" pattern from my booklet. I can't decide whether or not I like the way the colours transition. It's a bit like the back of plain knitting which can be great.
Any thoughts? Or recommendations for a ripple pattern online that's fluid not pointy?!
(I also posted about this at my own [new] blog - Commonplace Iris)
8 comments:
I don't know of an on-line ripple pattern (though others probably will) -- am using the "Soft Waves" pattern from Jan Eaton's book -- but don't like the look of the pattern you're asking our opinion on. Having colors "overflow" into their neighbors looks choppy and disrupts the smooth effect you probably want.
I've been using this pattern:
Here
I like it because it gives the number of chains to repeat for a larger blanket, and its really simple. My ghan is definitly ripply and not zig zagging...
Good luck in finding a pattern you like!
to "soften" the waves, increase (two dc in one st) over several st - try four. and decrease (dctog) over eight. Base chain should be multiples of 30 (plus ch three which counts as 1st dc in subsequent row) if you use 6 dc between peaks and valleys.
here's the pattern for such a swatch (from my head, no copyright infringement here!):
ROW 1: chain 30, plus 3
ROW 2: dc in fourth chain from hook
one dc in next 5 chains
*dctog over two chains* four times (eight chains)
one dc in next six chains
*two dc in one chain* four times
(four chains)
one dc in each of next six chains
ROW 3: chain two, dctog over next stitch
dctog over next two stitches
one dc in each of next four stitches
*two dc in one stitch* four times
one dc in each of next six stitches
*dctog over two stitches* four times (eight stitches)
one dc in each of next four stitches
two dc in 3rd chain from previous row
ROW 4: chain three
one dc in same first stitch
one dc in next two stitches
*dctog over two stitches* four times (eight stitches)
one dc in each of next six stitches
*two dc in one stitch* four times
one dc in each of next six stitches
*dctog over two stitches* two times
This pattern gives deep ripples, with soft, rounded "corners" - for shallow ripples, decrease the number of stitches between the peaks and valleys. The increases and decreases at the ends of the rows keep them parallel. I just made this, and here's a picture to show what it should look like:
swatch
The "pointiness" of chevron patterns comes from sharp increases and decreases (i.e. increasing over only one stitch and decreasing over only one stitch).
alternately, here are some online patterns:
ripple
ripple
ripple
ripple
ripple
ripple
ripple
ripple
ripple
ripple
ripple
ripple
all of the above were found through:
pattern collection
some of the sites require registration, but all of the patterns (and registrations) are free.
I have a small list of ripple links here:
http://www.zenknit.com/ripple.html
i use the same as riss, and it's great. it's simple, easy to do and remember, and you can do it any size you want. and it looks great.
Thanks Jess! I know that patterns are proprietary, but I like the idea of information about the Philosophy of Rippling. I need to order the 200 Ripple Patterns book, but that doesn't help me tonight, when I have a small project in mind.
I really like doing machine embroidery projects. I think that they are so much to do and I love making things for my kids. Its the greatest thing ever!
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