Rippling in Brooklyn

Hi Ripplers,

Tonight I've been contemplating my Ripple ingredients--some stashed and some new Rowan Cotton Glace--and trying out different widths for my afghan. I think I'm now on the move! I love all of the colors and variations I'm seeing from everyone, and can't wait to see mine progress. It's really impossible to tell what it'll turn into, right? I guess the mystery is part of the appeal... my only disappointment so far is that I had to switch from a lovely vintage crochet hook of my grandma's (which was kind of uncomfortable to hold) to a plain old steel one...well, so be it!

Here's my gang of colors:

oh, it's just a wee bit more than i can bear!

Sat down with my ripple this afternoon and realized that when I last ripped the colors I wasn't happy with, well, somehow I ended up adding a stitch to one side. And you know how you don't necessarily notice a small flaw until it's get magnified by duplicating it over and over again? Well, about 15 rows later, one edge has a definite list.

Oh the agony! I'M GOING TO HAVE TO FROG IT BACK AGAIN!

I couldn't bear to take pictures. It's too painful.

Wanted you all to know I'll be a mite shy about here the next few days. Offspring #1 turns 6 tomorrow and the in-laws are coming in for the festivities. Will check in as I'm able. If there are newbies looking for help or to join, I'm confident you all will point them in the right direction.

BTW, anybody know French? I've gotten an email from someone that needs help figuring out the stitch and can't find online resources in French. If you think you can help her or know where she can get it, pop me an email and I'll get you connected.

...oh, and by the way, we're over 50 members strong now!!!

Comfortable

I was thinking about my ripple afghan and how nicely homey/homely it is. Each color seems to stand out, especially when there is only one row. Then with two rows it starts to blend. It is almost like magic. Maybe it is because I become accustomed to them after a bit, and then they aren't so jarring after all. Then the process starts all over again with the next new color. Life as afghan. *grin*

I love all the colors so much that I can't bring myself to just carry along the few I will be working with - they have to be all together in a big baglady bag, or like a traveling circus.



After I had a few stripes done I realized that I am recreating a yet-to-be-created-planned-but-not-even-started quilt done up in 30s/40s prints.



I am really loving it!

Peace,
Susan (aka ZenKnit)

I Needed To Use A Different Chair

My ripple's grown too big for the rocking chair I was using before. Here's my progress on Day 10. Still fun, still relaxing, still satisfying. And I love seeing everyone's photos!

Ripples Reach Seoul!

Hello, everyone! I'm another newbie--to crocheting, and to joining Internet communities. This whole ripple-along thing is so powerful, it has got me to pick up a crochet hook and learn for the first time, and it has also brought me out of my long-standing lurker status to actually pipe up and add my two cents' worth! Heady stuff, I tell ya!

Anyway, I am from Canada originally, but I now call Korea home. I have been teaching English here for 8 years, and am loving it. I've been knitting a blanket in fits and spurts for almost that whole time, and it's about 80% done, but once I saw this ripple-along blog, I knew I had to do something about it...I'll finish the knitting later!

So, last Friday, I was passing by a little yarn shop in the subway station near work, and I decided all of a sudden to just pick up some yarn and start. Not the most thought-out plan, because the yarn is actually kind of cheap, and sold in really small amounts, so it's not the most economical way--but I consider this my "practice" blanket. I plan on going to the yarn wholesale market here in Seoul and making a nicer one with softer, natural yarns later. So for now, I'm having tons of fun with this one, even though it's not nearly as nice as all the other fantastic, beautiful blankets on this blog. I'm in awe of you all!

So here are a couple of pictures to show you what I've done. I started this blanket on Monday, and have been working at it obsessively since then. This is what it looked like on Wednesday morning (I got my 11 am Reading/Writing class to model it with me):



and this is what it looks like now, (Friday am, Korean time):



There is more on my blog, and I will post here occasionally to let you all know how I'm doing. Keep the ripples coming, because I am enjoying everyone else's projects as much as my own!

Anyway, nice to meet you all!

Nikki

Back At It

I can't believe I forgot to blog here yesterday, even after I put my photos on Flickr. Der. So here, on Day 10, is my Day 9 progress. I did go a full day without rippling a couple of days ago, and I hated it. Mustn't do that again.

The yarn in the photo is Elsbeth Lavold Silky Wool. It's slightly lighter in weight than all the other yarns, but it worked out beautifully. That stretch of the blanket is becoming quite colourful. More updates soon!

Round ripple pattern

In case anyone was looking for a round ripple pattern, this one is just like the one I'm working on.

Happy rippling,
Michelle
www.mikknits.blogspot.com

Chunky Bobbly Happiness

Here's a more arteestic photo*, suggesting associations between the blue ripples and the blue sky, forming a backdrop for the creamy bobbles and the creamy-rich scent of grapefruit blossoms.

*original entry and closeup photo is below.

Every time I passed this tree I realized it reminded me of these bobbles and the towel is going to bring the same springtime spirit into my kitchen.

---------

Hi ripply folks, here's my thirsty cotton accessory for the espresso machine that my husband gave me for my birthday. Espresso making requires a lot of wiping and soaking up and buffing. This single crochet-based ripple towel is up for the job.

I shopped for ripple patterns in Jean Leinhauser's 101 Ripple Stitches to Knit and Crochet (1997). There are plenty more in that book that I want to try after I finish this one.

Today I put a Ripple-Along button on my blog and I managed to make it show up, but I don't know how to make it clickable. Can anyone help me with that part?

Just can't get enough-

Okay, so my real ripple blanket is getting to big for me to work on on-the-go, and too hot to work under during the day. I've added several rows but decided that I'm going to update that one weekly, so you will all just have to wait ;-)

I started a second blanket because I needed a travel project and because I've been itching to do something with this "Crazy daisy" yarn that I picked up on clearance and because I wanted to see how the ripple pattern turns out with a textured yarn. . . and yeah I have zero attention span.

I decided to make a doll blanket for my niece, but I'm really liking how this is turning out so I might just keep it.

I'm using 3 colors of crazy daisy and alternating them with two colors of cotton tots. I like the color combo and the cotton gives it stability and makes the fussy crazy daisy easier to work with. I'm only doing single rows of each and I think it has a nice chenille texture.

Another Free Pattern

Several people asked which pattern I was using. I found this one on the internet and liked the way it looked, plus it was very easy to learn!

Not much progress

Just as I started on my ripple throw my toddler started to cut her last two back teeth so I've not really done much in the last week or so. My lap and hands are taken up by cuddling and reading stories most of the time, not wielding wool and a hook, but I have managed to do a few rows:

I think it is going to be a very dark throw although I haven't started a cream stripe yet so a few more of those, plus the lemon, may lighten it up as I go along. I've also opted to weave in my ends as I go to save myself one less boring job at the end, as I know I won't want to be faced with all that when I finish the throw.

my ripples are limping along...

I'm happy with the way my ripples look but this is the largest crochet project I've ever attempted so my progress seems slow. I'm averaging 1-2 ripples per day so I think I'll be rippling for a month or two. But I am happy with the look of it so far and I love looking at everyone else's creations as well. I also like reading about what kind of yarn people chose for this. I'm using superwash dk wools - Debbie Bliss Merino dk, Rowan Pure Wool dk and Jaeger Matchmaker dk. I think my next ripple blanket is going to be in the much more value priced Caron Simply Soft Brites because I am in love with Oiyi's ripple blanket :-)
Take care,
~amanda

another newbie

Hi there - I just started mine yesterday, after ripping out only once, I settled on a bit of a chevron, although I like the soft wave style better.

My mum gave me a big bag of baby yarns which I didn't know what to do with, so I have started a baby blanket which I'll give the the charity gift shop at the Children's Hospital. Here's one day's progress:

I have no idea where my colours are going and what type of pattern will emerge.

I was hesitant to start because I had stashed so well, I wasn't sure where all my little bits were, but isn't it funny that when you start looking, they seem to pop up all over the place?

Chocolate & Turquoise

I've been coerced into making an afghan for my teenage niece. My mother told said niece after she commented on how she wanted a blanket at the end of her bed like Grammie has because her feet get cold too that Auntie Jill loves to knit and maybe she'll make you a blanket for your bed. The next time my niece saw my Mum she said to her "I can't wait to get my blanket from Auntie Jill, I'm so excited!" And the requested colors were chocolate brown and turquoise. So, here I am in the Ripple A Long. I moaned and b*tched about having to drop everything and make this blanket but was so inspired by all of the ripple afghans I have seen over the last couple of weeks, I couldn't help but crochet one as well. You are evil temptresses and are probably in collusion with my mother!

I have to admit that it's nice to crochet and I haven't done any serious crocheting in a few years. I'm using Encore yarn in the worsted weight mainly because it's machine wash and dry and it's what I use when making things for my nieces and little siblings.

Progress so far...


Keep the inspiration coming, I need the motivation to continue to work on this!

new girl in town

hey there!
thought i should introduce myself
I'm the new girl
Here are my ripples so far:



You can check my ripples here, and i'll post here as well from now on!

Bye now!!

Greetings from DC

My hands are claws. I'm running out of color options. And I just can't stop rippling.

Here we are after day 1:

And a day or two later:

And finally last night:

I've used a boatload of Red Heart, one stripe of worsted weight cotton, some Lamb's Pride wool, and that last purple stripe on the left is a big fluffy boucle that was a pain to ripple with but which I love the feel of.

It's 300 stitches across, and each stripe takes about an hour. But it's now big enough to fit over me! It's keeping me warm ... woo-hoo!

I've been trying to make sure that each stripe fits, colorwise, with the one before. I've found that trying to plan the colors is impossible. The color I think I'm going to use next inevitably gets put aside for some other inspiration that hits at the last minute.

I love the ripple. And I love seeing everyone else's ripples! I still think everybody else has better colors than me.

here's my wiggle.

I've only been working on it a bit at a time so i've only gotten this far (which is surprising because it goes so fast!)
at first, i was a little worried about using different textures of yarn but now i kinda like it. the thicker yarn is a bit more raised and adds a little bit of something to it. i'm choosing my colors as i go so it will be just a little bit random. i'm looking at ends to be woven in on mine and well, one big *sigh*.
i'm working over them but there are skipped stitches so i don't want the yarn to wind up hanging out after watching. every one else's looks so darn neat and perty!
care to share the secret?

wishing the blankie was bigger so it would keep me warm

Hey all. I'm in Maine at the moment, visiting my sister for a week. The blankie has grown but I haven't figured out how to get pictures up on here from a different computer so you'll have to imagine: lots of light yellow, bright yellow, and a creamsicle orange that looks almost like pink next to all of it. There's a bit of the lime green and a dark purple for some pop. I started over after doing a little bit in SC's and being dissatisfied. Now it's half-doubles, a bigger hook, and so much softer! yay! photos to come soon...

best thing about maine is the proliferation of local yarn emporiums. Praying for some hermit-time to fully immerse myself in fibers. They know how to do wool up here.

anyone having weird issues with your edges, like when you get to the end of a row? Like it started with the wave going down, and now somehow the wave is on the crest? just curious, 'cause I'm not ripping it this time.

A Can of Worms

Ok, kids. There's a reason I spent the last three years tinkering on the internet. It's, um, obsession.

I'm finally feeling a lot better, and am consequently catching up on nearly two weeks' worth of neglected work. Yesterday was the first day since I started that I didn't touch my ripple.

But what did I do today? I read Alicia's blog, of course. And what's she spent the last few days making? Breathtaking granny squares. And what have I wanted to do with the yarn leftover from my ripple? Make granny squares, of course.

Won't you join in for some more trad crochet fun?

UPDATE (11pm, March 6): I've changed the link to the granny-along.

A gentle word about patterns...

I was hoping to not have to do this, but here we go.

We've received several comments asking for patterns from the 200 stitch book to be emailed directly to people. The material in the book is covered under copyright laws, so I have been choosing to not post those comments. I'm hoping you're understanding and respect that.

(I'm currently moderating comments to hopefully keep us spam-free, so anything from a non-member gets sent to me before being posted, so to this point I've caught them. However, anything from a blog member is posted without my review.)

Trust me when I say I totally understand not being able to run out and buy a new book every time you want to, but I would still ask you all to please respect copyrighted materials and the designers that work hard to provide them. However, there are plenty of resources online that I can and will be happy to share. I've added a new post label called "ripple pattern links", and here are a few to get started with:

easy ripple afghan

gentle ripple pattern

If y'all know of others, please post them and label them so they're easy to find.

Also, anyone out there interested in reviewing the books you're rippling out of? I'd love to see some posts of that sort too.

Comments and thoughts on this? Comment away, we'll discuss and debate.

Wishing you loads of rippling pleasure, Dawn the HRM.