Sentimental Crochet Hooks

I began my ripple with my special crochet hook from my Grandma Eva, found it felt weird to hold, switched to a steel size E, but have tonight returned to the old hook. I just love it so much, and am going to try to get used to the feel. I posted pictures of these hooks on my blog. Does anyone else have a special hook they're working with? I know someone did mention also using one from their grandma. Anyway, it's nice to think that my Bubbe is rippling along with me. I'm sure she would have enjoyed this!

Hey y'all, from Down Under

I'm a South Carolinian (a Charleston girl) living in Sydney, Australia, so it's great to see how many people from all over are a part of this thang.

I got to start my ripple blanket on Friday night and so as of day 4 I've got this far:(Sorry about the pic, it was dark when I took the pic and I was wanting to get this put up here! I'll take more pics in daylight.)

I'm working with Filatura di Crosa Zara, and it's absolutely delicious. It so rocks to work at a yarn store! The colours are just singing "tiptoe through the tulips"! I'm using a 5.00mm, size H. I haven't even got to the spring green and cream, and I'm just so excited about it. If it wasn't so darn relaxing to do, I'd be dancing around the house with it. I'm also going to be trying to post about it on my blog, but I'm a bit lazy about it.

I was going to post about how this little boy of mine spilt cranberry juice all over my rippler on Saturday night and I missed a whole day and a half of rippling while waiting for it to dry after rinsing it. But then he broke his arm yesterday and has spent the whole day cosied under it watching cartoons. No, it's not finished yet and there is a live loop in there somewhere which is probably unravelling, but I can't say no to him, poor little love.

back from maine, warm again

no end in sight...

pikachu and the gang approve!

Hello! I have missed posting pictures, but have worked pretty steadily on the blankie. I fixed some abnormalities with the ending edge, and am thinking about doing some sort of edging around the whole thing after it's done, just to pull everything together. what are you all doing about the edges?
Enjoy the photos!

So far

So far I have 20 stripes done on my ripple afghan. Here it is:



What do you think?

I only have a few new colors to introduce, then you and I will see more of the same. Already there are doubles of some colors - those balls of yarn that I had purchased 2 balls instead of 1 (1 ball = 3 stripes, 2 balls = 6 stripes). I think it will give the eye something to rest on. Most of the doubled colors are the palest of each group of colors pink through red, blues, greens, yellows, but I have 4 colors of orange into brown and white into tan, so I didn’t double up there. I chose the red to double instead of the pink, because I like red.

I went up to a bigger crochet hook (5/F) and it is working much better as the hook on the 4/E was too small with the yarn being so splity. I am still getting the same gauge so that is really good too.

Peace!
Susan / ZenKnit

Kati likes it...

Kati is visiting right now and has declared her blanket to be "pretty". Whew. Makes a gran's heart glad. I measured last night and have completed 33½" of roughly 80". I keep thinking of Easter baskets and bunnies as I crochet with these colors. The lavender should be perfect in her little girl bedroom.

New to the ripple obsession

There it is... my very first successful ripple. And I'm actually quite happy with how it turned how considering I made it late at night after a long LONG day.

urgh!

So, my laptop was in the shop for a week, so I haven't been able to update. Got a few more stripes done, then I ran out of yarn.... the gods are conspiring this week. Anyway, I will post an updated pic soon. Just didn't want anyone to think I had disappeared....

Colors...

I loved my heap of colors, but each new ripple brings a bit of aesthetic confusion...

My first ripple stitch blancket

I like, as certainly everyone does, Posie gets cosy's blanket. Its colors. And I would know how she could do it because I really don't know how it could be possible to make a wave with a crochet. I didn't see that here in France. So, I tried again and again and since last wednesday I made this :

the beginning of a grey and soft yellow baby blanket :)
I started with 152 stitches and I think I've only made the third party.

Finally updated...inching along

Although I have doubled my rows from last time I still feel like I'm just creeping along very slowly. I'm also running out of color options so i'm hoping to go yarn-shoping tom. (yay!) Here it is in all its glorious 14 rows(which comes out to be 3109 dc stiches lol)

my weekly update-

I'm pretty pleased with my progress because I managed to get several rows done despite being really busy. Here it is!

I'm preeety pod'd

The ripple blanket is stalled, simply because I’m pod with it. I made so many mistakes due to trying to balance the weights of different clashing colours, it messed everything up. I found a simple way to solve these problems, which didn’t result in ripping. So, all is well, but I’m giving our relationship some breathing room, or I might be sorely tempted to dispose of it in the most shredding way possible.
Btw, how can I join the flickr group? I couldn't find the join thingy in the discussion page...
And I know squat about french. I'm good for portuguese, spanish, some italian and some catalan, and english of course, but that's it...

swatching

Thanks for letting me play. I love the looks of ripples and I am definitely inspired by what I see here.

Yesterday, I messed around with the ripple patterns I have on hand. This one is the classic ripple pattern from Diana Kooler's Encyclopedia of Crochet. This is the pattern I'm leaning toward. I'm waiting on a new pattern book before I commit to it though. My plan is to use up stash and be a bit reckless color wise to challenge myself. I made the swatch in my favorite colors.



I hope to keep updates on my blog as well. I have been a bad blogger lately.

Update

since my last update, i've added a few more stripes. unfortunately for every 2 rows i get done, i end up frogging one because i've been making mistakes in the pattern. it's not a difficult pattern and yet my hands have been betraying me. bad hands!

Just moseying along...

I finally received my book from Amazon yesterday, and I was so excited to get started! I'm using worsted weight acrylic and a size J crochet hook for the "Soft Waves" pattern. I'm not sure if I like it, but I figure I'll ripple along awhile and see if I get used to it. Here is my start:



What size yarn/hook is everyone else using?

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!