Intro

Hello everyone! I just found this CAL/KAL last weekend, and decided it was the perfect stash-busting activity. I taught myself how to crochet about 10 years ago, and have that many years of leftover/unused yarn in my ever growing stash. That was part of the reason I gave up craft-purchases for Lent (surprisingly difficult!). So, this project goes along with that just fine.

The other night I ransacked my apartment and amassed this giant pile of yarn (with which my cat was fascinated - I almost couldn't get a picture because she kept blocking my view!). Granted, this is the pile of similar weights. I could probably make another afghan out of the remaining bulky yarns I didn't pull out. But, first things first.

I started the no end in sight afghan on Tuesday night, and decided to go with the random striping method. Okay, not really a method, as I'm just closing my eyes, diving into the bag of yarn (no, I didn't leave it in a big pile on my floor, though it was tempting) and pulling out whatever my hand closes around. I decided I'll do repeats of 2 rows, if I happen to choose the same yarn 2x, but no more than that. Already, I'm dreading the weaving in of all those ends, but I think I'll stop every few rows and force myself to take care of them.

This will definitely be interesting...and hopefully the color scheme will not be hideous. There seem to be an awful lot of pink shades in my stash, which isn't what I would have expected. I look forward to sharing my progress with you guys, and checking out all the great finished projects!

Can I pick your brains again?

Ok, I've found my "magic pattern and color combo" and I'm rippling away. But silly me decided one row per color change...and by goshI've never had so many colors changes in one project in my life.

Normally I just knot my two colors and keep going but on this one the knots are obvious. I'm worried the whole thing is going to unravel after loving, little boy abuse. And I'm literally tripping over thread tails and getting tangled up like crazy.

What method are you all using to change your colors? And how the heck are you dealing with weaving in with those gazillion ends?

Andrea's ripple

Hello I am Andrea thanks for letting me join. Here is my ripple so far the first color is chocolate, then choco cherry, then winter white, as of now I am on the second set of white rows I havnt measured it so not sure how long it is but I know its the longest one I have done yet.

rippled *mat*

this thing is so dense! it will end up being about 30 x 40 with 10 balls of LB Watercolors. the yarn doesn't show the ripples very well, but is rather pretty . . .I'm going to chain about 300 and start my queen size wool blanket next!

Another Newbie

Hi, my name is Kimmie, SAHM to 3 one w/special needs. so i needed a hobby to keep me sane. lol I just learned to crochet about 2 months ago from my sister. only made 1 blanket so far. Then i was looking for new patterns to work on and came across this site and fell in LOVE!!! Everyones work has inspired me to try, and i must admit, i'm addicted. I've failed quite a few times already and started over many many times. here is what i have so far.

this is my current piece i'm working on. started this morning.we'll see how far i get before i mess this one up










this is my 3rd attempt. i have no idea what i was thinking, guess i stopped counting on one edge went flat. oops

Trishy's ripple

Hi all! I am Trish and I just joined up. I am a knitter but I saw this Ripple-Along through a friend's blog and was just obsessed. I knew a little about crocheting, enough to get by with some basic edging for my knits but I needed to learn a little more for this. I had someone come and teach me last Thursday and on Saturday I started my ripple. I am using the discontinuted Cotton Ease colors that I bought way to many skeins of a couple of summers ago. This will be for my 5 year old son who asks almost hourly if it is ready yet. I am doing a little knitting while I work on this. I'm not good enough at crochet that I can crochet while watching a television show or anything yet.



Thanks for letting me participate!

Riss' Ripple

Hi everyone, my name is Riss. I'm on day two of my ripple. I found this blog Tuesday evening, and got started around midnight. I got my chain done, but called it quits about the time my eyes got bleary. I've been going strong at every moment ever since. Boy is this addictive.

I'm about 4 stripes into it, with two rows per stripe. I'm using a size K hook and various worsted weight yarns. It's going to be able to fit my king size bed in the long run. It's going to take a while, and a lot of yarn, but it'll be worth it. AC Moore is having a big 20% off yarn sale starting Sunday. We all know where a chunk of my paycheck is going... *wink*

Anyway, here is the start of my ripple.

oooo, oooo, oooo, check out this blog!

OK, I can't possibly be the only one that thinks the photos posted by "maryse" are just too, too gorgeous.

Can I?

If you doubt, run now to check out her blog, bag 'n' trash--home of monster yarn, and you will most certainly doubt no longer. She is just plain good. Good photographer. Good yarn-aholic. Good overall person. Check it out.

(and WHOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! Somehow we broke the 100 member mark when I wasn't lookin'. We've got near 110 ripplers on board! And about 25 invites hanging open. How cool is that? We're our own ripple phenomenon!)

Intro

Hi y'all, I'm Mary. This is a photo of me taken in 1979. See what's on the back of my chair? My grandmother made that ripple afghan. She crocheted a lot, lace dresser scarves, ponchos, etc. (My mom made my Lanz-style Christmas nightie.)

I recently learned to crochet and joined the granny along (yes, that was me who also posted a photo of myself wearing a granny vest). You know how it is when you are learning something new and you get just a little obsessed. . .



I'm making a twin bed-sized ripple for my 6 yo ds. I'm using Caron Simply Soft and the pattern is from Jan Eaton's Encyclopedia of Crochet Techniques, called Double Crochet Chevrons. Ds' favorite color is green, which will make up most of it, along with some blue, red and tan.

I love seeing what everyone is working on, it's so inspiring.

A little progress

This afghan is really testing my color sensibilities. I don't know if I've ever worked on a project that used this many colors at once. My 7 y/o has claimed the afghan as his and the colors make him happy. He is even helping to make the decision as to which color to use next, and I'm thrilled to give up the job. I'm sure the next one I make will still be colorful but more muted shades. I want to feel relaxed when I look at it. That said, I'm still happy with the pattern and the process.
I just received Jan Eaton's book from Amazon yesterday and I'm already dreaming up future projects. My neighbor has asked for help to choose a pattern for an afghan for her grandbaby. There are so many great choices in this book that I'm sure we'll come up with something.
Keep up the great work everyone!
Michelle
www.mikknits.blogspot.com

day 28

it's been 10 days since i last showed you all any progress, and that progress has been minimal. i'm halfway through, having crocheted 1 band of 2 rows per color. i don't really feel any love for this blanket in person, but i really like it in pictures. go figure.

the blanket is 5 feet wide. based on my calculations i'd planned on being able to crochet 3 2-row bands per color, but i'm only going to be able to get 2. the yarn band lies.

Day 2 Update and needing some feedback

I worked on my ripple last night and had a idea. This is for a baby boy; originally I was going to just do white, light blue and darkblue, repeating that pattern. But after I finished the dark blue I suddenly wondered if that would look boring and thought one single bright color thrown in would live'n it up a bit. So I ran out at lunch a found this bright green and rippled a bit while I ate.


This is what I have so far. And this is the pattern I want to repeat; white, l.blue, d. blue, green, d. blue, l.blue and white again...

I bugged one of my co-workers for her opinion, she liked it. But I'd still like some more opinions. What do you think? Do you think it's working? Does the green "pop" in the middle of that dark blue?

Trish~ aquadshotyarn

"the single/double/triple thing"

We interrupt your rippling for a moment of International crochet clarification. (many comments on this lately...)

Crochet is one of those places where "American" and "British" get themselves in a bind.

It goes something like this:

US = UK
single crochet = double crochet

double crochet = treble crochet

treble crochet = double treble

Here's where I get confused. What is a US slip stitch in UK? I have no clue. I imagine it must be the same thing. Or half double crochet, is it called half treble? And what about chaining, is it still chaining? I think it is. And is there a British single crochet? What on earth is it? Ooo, maybe it's hdc! Chime in you over-the-ponders, inquiring minds want to know! (and if you're in New Zealand or Australia, which system is common to you?)

Anyway, that's why it's good to know where your pattern is coming from. It can all get very wonky if you don't.

All of the colors...

...are now a part of this thing. And again I've been having trouble with the internet, so once more I have pics that are a few days old. The beginning of day 18 (Monday)looked like this:

I finally got to add the first stripe of cream, the last of my nine colors. I swear that cream in Zara is the softest of its whole range. It's absolutely wonderful to work with. I've since added a couple more stripes, and I hope to be able to add a couple more today. A stomach bug has kept me from work for the better part of this week so far, so I've got the time, but I don't know if I have the energy.

On a side note, I'm wanting to finally get a stitch dictionary. Which is your favorite? Any suggestions?

Gooberheads: my blog

SIGH!

Oh lovies, I'm one sad, sorry Head Ripple Mistress.

I had FINALLY gotten back to my round ripple. Just cruising along. Loving the yarn. (Fantasy Naturale mercerized cotton.) Loving my hook. (Back to my cool Boye aluminum I after a winter of warm bamboo.) Loving the wavy ripple Michelle made for me. (Go see.)

Came to face the fact that I'll be needing another hank of each of the blues to do what I imagine. Not a big deal. It's like $5 a hank. Will have to wait until after vacation though. Before I zipped it back in to it's bag to wait it out, I spread it out to snap a few pics to share.

Or I tried to.

Can you believe it? My ripple rumpled. I haven't had this happen before, but I must not be increasing fast enough. I've been working increases every-other row because it seemed like it was increasing too fast, but now I seem to have the opposite problemo.

I don't believe I'm going to have to rip another ripple. I think I'm ripple-cursed. Some HRM I turned out to be!

Hi All,

I had written and then I think it got deleted, I'm new to this writing on the blog. Anyway, I'm so excited to be part of this. Ever since my Mom gave me this ripple afghan in October (she bought it at a fair), I've been wanting to do something like it. I have been admiring it for a long time, it's beautiful. It just as great as any piece of art in a museum. When I saw the Ripple-Along, I knew it was time to start on my own 'masterpiece'.

I love starting and finishing projects, but this one is more of something to work on when I have time; I have a 9 month old daughter who I like spending time with :) And I have plenty of clothing items I want to make for summer. So this afghan will be done it's own time and we'll see together what it will become.

I'm using pattern "strata" from '200 Ripple Stitches'. Everyone's ripples look great and inspire me. Thanks Dawn!

Happy Spring.

Melinda in St.Louis

New Ripple 4 me

Sharp Chevron from Donna Kooler's Encyclopedia of Crochet in LB Watercolors Bright Clouds. I have another batch of Woolspun also to be rippled, but then No More Looopy Yarn! But this is working well with a Boye N hook which is about the same gauge as a Crystallite L!? and the plastic was difficult with this yarn.

I currently have 3 batches of yarn to ripple. This project is so perfect. Like another recent poster I need the blankets and have this stash I haven't known what to do with. :-)

I can understand the keeping on topic argument, but it sure is fun to share some past pretty ripples. Here is one more from me, another feather-and-fan knit from chunky yarn. Too big and weird colors to really use, so I don't quite know what to do with it.! :-)

Oh, and this pattern is really easy for any new knitter (like me!!) just one pattern row and three regular rows (2 knit, one purl). Try it!

Just a Rippling Away

Hi Everyone,
My name is Necia and I'm ecstatic to be here. I was minding my own business last week, just a blog hopping as usual when I came across this beautiful ripple blanket. I was on Posies blog, and she had a link to this RAL.

Oh my I had no idea what would greet me after clicking that link. More ripples. Gorgeous, gorgeous ripples. I knew I wanted in! Bad! I sent the organizer a request, and went scrounging the net for a pattern. Crochet is my first love, but knitting is my true love. Yet, I knew I wanted to crochet this baby. I knew I wanted a huge ripple blanket. I wanted to stash bust, and I wanted to crochet it.

Well it didnt take long for me to find a pattern that was easy enough for me to adjust to my needs. I started that very night. Here's a pic after Session 1.

Size I hook
Various Worsted Weight stash yarns and my own homespun
258 Sts
80" wide



and here's a shot of Session III. Here it measures 10" .

This sure is addictive!

Thanks for having me. Everyone's ripples look awesome, and so unique in each individual way. I'll be back later to post up pics of Session III or you can always spy my blog Jane of All Trades
for updates.

Necia

afghanupdate

afghanupdate, originally uploaded by naughtydebbers.

Well, slowly but surely, my afghan is getting there. Where? Somewhere. :)

I have a confession to make. This afghan was SUPPOSED to be made using the soft waves pattern we all know and love. Only, well, it's my first crochet project and all...and I didn't know what double crochet was...and I looked it up in an outdated book...and was given a definition that does NOT match the popular definition for double crochet...and started merrily crocheting along in what I later found out is actually, no kidding, SINGLE crochet.

So for anyone who has ever wondered what the soft waves pattern would look like in single crochet (with just a couple of adjustments I made to make it work -- and here was I thinking the PATTERN was wrong!), well, wonder no more. Behold; Single Soft Waves.

Next on my agenda after finishing this (because yes, I am a stubborn kind of girl and yes, I will finish what I started, DANG IT) is another soft waves afghan -- this time, in colours more to my liking, and following the original pattern, and much, much bigger.

But, to add a little perspective to this whole afghan ordeal, I have included in this photo a reminder of one of the best things of which I have ever participated in the making, and in which there is no flaw -- my perfect firstborn son, Jonathan! This boy always appreciates mama's handiwork, too, be it perfect or no. :o)

God bless!

--Deb

I tried to resist

I didn't want to join in. Not because I don't like the idea or the ripples but just because I had other things to crochet and I don't like not finishing what I start. I should have realised that I wouldn't be able to resist.

First I realised that we needed more blankets for the children. Then I noticed that I had more yarn in my stash than I thought so that was my excuse gone. I may even end up making two - one in wool/acrylic mix and one in cotton.

I've started with the wool/acrylic mix ripple. I'm trying to stick to masculine colours for my son because the cotton one will have a lot of pink.

This is Day One


This is Day Two.

Well, I'm hooked!

Hi everyone! I also saw this on Posy's blog and since I LOVE ripples I had to join in. I started mine this past Saturday (the 24th). I am making mine 7'5" wide and then around 8 feet long too. I want it to fit on any bed in my house. Plus, I have tall children and dh so it has to fit their height as well. LOL

These are the colors I'm using. The 2 darker colors on the left bottom are brown and black.





This is how much I got done the first day:




This is where I stopped this morning:





I just LOVE working on this so much. I also like coming here and seeing everyone's different ghans whether crocheted or knitted. Ain't no big thing to me which one!
Oh yea...and I am doing this pattern for my afghan. I am also doing the off white every 2 rows of color.

Ripple and Wait

Hi! I'm on day 4 of my ripple. It was a bumpy start. I frogged it a few times before I got the pattern right. Still, I don't know what happend with the 1st two rows... they're not as ripple-y as they were before. Hmmm. I've got some other nice jewel-toned colors and some lighter ones for a mix. Thank goodness for the random stripe generator. I would go crazy picking and worrying about color choice. Maybe I won't do that now!

I'm excited to start a big crochet project and also to make a blanket. We may be trying to get pregnant in the next few months, and this will project will keep me company while I'm waiting. Pregnancy is a long time, too. I'll just be rippling away.

Stop by my blog sometime - Mary's Madness. I knit sometimes, I talk about my job as a middle school teacher, and all the other stuff that has been happening to me this past year. It's been a rough one.

I can't wait to see how everyone's ripple comes along!

a late bloomer joining in

Hi everybody, I'm a little late to introduce myself but I didn't want to until I had actually started my ripple. This is my very first ripple even though I've been crocheting over twenty years. I was having a terrible time trying to decide what pattern to use since I didn't have the 200 ripple pattern book yet.

I was reading the reviews for it on amazon.com and there were several compliants of errors in many patterns in the book. Have any of you experienced problems in the patterns in the book?

A couple of days ago I started with Bevs Baby Ripple Afghan thinking the pattern was straight forward enough for this newbie, but after two days of working with frustrating progress I confirmed I still don't like single crochet for big projects. So I switched to Candi Jensen's "RippleEffect" from her book "Candy Crochet" using halfdouble crochet and I immediatley loved it. There is more of a wave effect in it which I love.

You can see the difference between the ripple and wave in the two. This ripple afghan going to be a gift for one of my daughter's newest mommy girlfriends. I'm already thinking about other ripples I want to do, this is addictive! I'm excited to be part of this great group. Happy Rippling everyone!

cross posted on my blog

Nisa's Ripple Blanket, Day 2

Is it supposed to ripple/wrinkle like this? The beginning of all the other blankets I've seen look flat. I'm no knitter or crocheter - this is my first big project of either kind. I had to crochet in Grade 6 as part of Home Economics or Crafts or whatever the heck that class was in the all-girls parochial school I attended when I lived overseas for a year. We had toglue samples of various stitches into a book. Our big project was to crochet a doily! What fun! Not. And so began my lifelong disdain for crochet until recently after seeing the colourful explosion of ripple blankets and grannies pop up all over the web.

I'm now on Day 2 of my blanket. I added the orange stripe with a bit of trepidation - my oldest didn't really want the colour in her blanket, but I loved it and I somehow convinced her it needed to be included. Then when I finished the stripe, I didn't like it at all. I soldiered on and now that I've tempered the deep orange with a bit of the lighter pink, all is right in my world again. However, my next 4 colour choices are some variation of blue or green and so I'm a bit worried how those particular colours will work with the existing ones and in my girls' room.

While taking the progress shots of my blanket, I noticed that the colours I've used so far match the colours of my girls' laundry hanging on the rack in the background. Funny, that.

Oh, before I forget, each 2-row stripe uses up about 1/3 of a 100 g hank of wool. Ouch.

Week 3 Update

Hi Everyone...here's my week 3 progress pic. Progress on the ripple is getting there, it's just starting to get big enough that I'm having a hard time to fit it all in one frame for a photo. I've been debating about how long it should be...how long do you like your blankets? Long enough to cover your toes?

~Keri of Knitty Gritty Thoughts

Beautiful Ripples

This one was made as a wedding gift from LB Woolspun from a pattern in LA Vanna's Favorite Crochet











I knit this on my way back to the midwest to visit for Christmas for my Aunt who is one of my favorite people. It is (roughly) the Misty Garden pattern from Scarf Style. And I have started another ripple baby blanket from some LB Wataercolors 'Bright Clouds' that I found too loopy to knit, but is going to work up beautiful in a crochet ripple.

Ripple-ly Challenged

On Sunday, I spent almost 8 hours trying to get my ripple to ripple. I've had this problem before and was the original reason why I stopped trying to ripple the last time. But this time I think I have it!!!

I'm only using two colors to mimic the colors of the Navajo moccasin.

I will chronicle my crochet journey on my blog as well. I love all of your colors. Beautiful!!

Subdued Ripple

Hi! This is the first big crochet project I've ever undertaken... after a few hours my wrists started getting sore. I took out an old crochet book to see if there was a more efficient way to hold a hook, and gosh! yes, I've held the hook the wrong way for most of my life.

I've had to restrict myself to only working on this on weekends, as there are far too many projects hanging, so there won't be too many updates. It's very difficult to keep my hands off it, though!

Let's Play Nice People!

Oh please! I have enough third party mediation happening with my kids, I surely don't need it here too. This is where I play. This is where we all play. Let's play nice.

There's a bit o' controversy stirred up by some one that has opted to leave nasty "anonymous" comments to a recent post by teabird, a loverly gal from down under whom Maven chose to invite to our ripple-along. The problem seems to be that she's a KNITTER. Not a crochet hook in sight. *GASP*

Would you be surprised to know she came clean to me when she asked for an invitation? "The more the merrier" I replied and happily invited her to bring her knitting on board. Which she did in the form of her beautifious scarf.

And then "Anonymous" gets all territorial. And snippy.

Come now. IT'S THE SAME THING JUST IN DIFFERENT STITCHES! Increasing for peaks, decreasing for valleys. I for one welcome the chance to learn something new and perhaps be inspired by it. Let's face it, not everyone's project suits everyone else's own personal style or taste. Skip over it, be supportive, be happy that they're making something they love. But don't be nasty.

Enough. I don't want to have to convince you. I SHOULDN"T have to do that.

So, I have made the decision to restrict comments to registered users. That way, if you're going to be mean, you're going to have to be accountable for your words. No hiding behind "anonymous".

...and I've changed the blog description too.

Comments? Feel free to leave them here and we'll discuss. Or pop me an email and we can do so without the whole blog watching.

ripple-y

Hi everybody! I'm Ryan I, like so many others, saw the ripples on Posy Gets Cozy and just fell in love. I hadn't crocheted much more than granny squares so I was a bit intimidated at first. Now I'm loving it! Can't wait to see my finished product. I only wish I had chained more... :o(

Beautiful work everyone! You all come up with the coolest color combinations.