Thursday, August 30, 2007




My summer project. I have posted that she was done, but now that I have taken the pictures and posted them, I can really say done. It was a fun project but I really hate weaving in the ends. I still have a lot of yarn left so I am making a giant granny in the same colors. More ends to weave in! My gr d thinks it is her blanket but I want to keep this one for myself.

Monday, August 27, 2007

Hello everyone. I just joined the Ripple-along, but I've been reading the posts for quite a while. I just love seeing the pics of everyone's work progressing and then the finished pieces!

I started doing a soft waves ripple for my brother and sister in law for Christmas. It's supposed to match their living room, which is dark green and tan. They have two little boys, ages almost 4 and 1, so I'm using acrylic so they can wash and dry it easily. I'm using Red Heart "Linen" and Mainstay "Fall Splendor" which is a variegated of a color that looks just like the linen, burgundy and green.

I took this before I left for vacation...I have some more done now that I'm back, so I'll have to post an update later!

Saturday, August 25, 2007

My First Ever Ripple Is Finished!

I finished it just in time to welcome our new little "grand-niece" into our world. Now I'm ready to start another one, with more color to it. I have so much admired all the beautiful work all of you have done. This is the first time I have ever done any kind of whatever-a-long. It is so much fun to see what everyone else is making.

crochetjo
Yarn Haven

Friday, August 24, 2007

Correction in Vannaghan Instructions

I have finished the Vannaghan and will post a pic after I've blocked it. I just wanted to let anyone who's planning to make this to know that there's a problem with the instructions, specifically in the number of skeins of yarn to buy. I bought 8 whole skeins more than I needed (about $25 worth). Hancock's would likely take it back, but I've decided to keep it to stitch something else. With it, and what's left on the skeins that I did use from, I think I have enough to make one of the other ripples in the book.

Here's the corrected amounts of yarns for the Kilim Throw on page 26 of Vanna's Choice: Color It Beautiful.

2 balls (not 3) #123 beige
2 balls (not 3) #130 honey
2 balls (not 3) #140 dusty rose
1 ball (not 2) #108 dusty blue
1 ball (not 2) #158 mustard
1 ball (not 2) #170 pea green
1 ball (not 2) #143 antique rose
1 ball (not 2) #173 dusty green

The other amounts are correct. There is also, however, a problem in the instructions.The footnote in the color sequence chart on page 26 indicates that you work only the rows between the asterisks twice. But at the bottom of column 1 on page 27, you're instructed to "complete entire color sequence twice." I believe the page 27 instructions are the correct ones; those are the ones I used.

I hope this helps anyone who is planning to make this afghan, now or in the future.
--Susan

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

MY FIRST RIPPLE











Here is another pic of my ripple in progress. It keeps on growing.
As I've said before it's pretty wild but I think I like it for a first try. The next one I want to be softer colors and I've got plenty of yarn to choose from.

I know this is a ripple along, but I hope you will forgive the other two pics. I promise to never post any thing but ripples in the future. I just had to tell you how happy I am and how much I'm loving crochet thanks to this site. Till now all I could do was Granny squares(picture above). Any of the few other items I've crocheted were done in classes with lots of instruction and I still didn't get it. When I found the Ripple -Along I was so impressed by every ones beautiful work. I was bound and determined that I would learn once and for all. I have wanted to be a crocheter for years and years. When I started my ripple I didn't quite get it but now I understand the patterning and have got the rhythm of the increasing and decreasing and the counting stitches between . At first I was just blank but now as I crochet on it I see those incs and decs and regular stiches and know what to do without looking at the pattern. I can't wait to start another ripple using a new pattern from the 200 Ripple Patterns book. So many to choose from.
My confidence has grown so when I saw the pretty daisy square(piture above) at KrystalKrochet, I really wanted to try it for myself and then make some for charity. Her instructions were great and so detailed. But I did struggle and did have to frog(That's the word for ripping out , right?) a number of times.Finally, again, the light bulb in my brain came on and I got it! I am really so happy. Now the last thing to overcome is those fine doilies made with cotton thread. Then I think I can crochet just about anything. But the ripples and granny squares will always be my favorites. And to think all of this happened because I happened upon the ripple along one day a few months ago.

If you're interested in Krystal's square, contact her at
She'll get a pattern to you.

Saturday, August 18, 2007

More Vanna-ghan Rows Done


My husband thinks it's odd that I'm working with "30 pounds of yarn" in my lap during the hottest days we've had since 1885, or some such. It does get a little warm under there. The crocheting is fun, but I do dread the end, when I have to weave all those loose ends in. --Susan

Friday, August 17, 2007

I'm on vacation!

OK ripplers, I'm going on vacation and will be out of ripple-blog-checking range all next week.

Below is a shot of my ripple sock-in-progrsss (yep, in crochet)...far right. Not a very good shot as the camera is waging a zooming and focusing strike, but hopefully it's enough for you to get the idea. I've frogged it a couple of times now, but I think I have the proportions and decreases right this time, so hopefully will have something finished to show you upon my return.


Megan's in charge, so play nice, hear?

Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

Progress on the Vanna-ghan


Even though I spent the past weekend at a quilting retreat and didn't do any crocheting there, you can see that I've made good progress on the afghan from Vanna's book. It works up fast due to the large hook (P) and using two strands of yarn.

Sunday, August 12, 2007

First Timer







I have been bitten by the ripple bug. I have been an avid reader of the Blog, for about a month and finally picked up my crochet hook after many years hiatus and started crocheting. The first picture of the plain variegated, is my first attempt. The second picture is a close up to show the colour better. The third is just the beginning few rows of my next effort. Thanks to all of you for getting hooked again on Crochet.






Debra from Innisfil, Ontario






Onward!

I started up an afghan for my Dad for his Christmas gift. I decided that although a washable item would be really, really, nice, I wanted to do something that was warm and light and just hang the washing factor. So I went with KnitPicks fingering weight 100% wool yarn. The yarn is called Palette and what I used for my Peggle afghan.

I decided to do blues, with navy being the dominant color. Here it is:

ripple afghan for dad in a pattern called Waterfall

This is another pattern from the 200 Ripple Stitch Patterns book, number 148 called Waterfall. Nice pattern with no errors. Unfortunately, I did a gauge swatch using one of the blues, instead of the navy. The navy is thinner, and I am finding whatever yarn you use to start really sets the size tone for the whole project. I was trying for 45 inches wide, and it is 51. Ooooooooops. That means I should order another ball of the navy. That might be tricky, because I purchased it back in July. I have an email into KnitPicks to see if they still have that lot number. I may need to call tomorrow. Fingers crossed.

Peace,
Susan (aka ZenKnit)

Saturday, August 11, 2007

Oops, I started again!

Gosh, everyone sure is doing amazing work!!! I've been catching up on the rippling tonight, as well as my own blog.

I have been bitten by the ripple bug again. My next one is going to be a ripple scarf/shawl thing out of Patons Katrina. It is kind of a bouncy yarn but very pretty! The color of this is NOT true, actually it is a light lilac and not brilliant periwinkle. I didn't feel like fooling with editing it though. I plan to use satin ribbons or something different for the side fringes. Oh yeah, the other colors are light pink, peach, and two shades of pale seafoam green. It will be a light, springy thing. And, I modified the Susan's Easy Ripple pattern to be done with treble stitches instead of doubles. I just chained my multiples of 16, and started as usual for that pattern, then did one row in the regular stitch. When I got to the end, I chained 3 and did the treble from there, even with the "drawing up" stitch. Just yo twice, insert as normal and pull through two each time, you will have 7 loops on the hook for the last one. Ask and maybe I can 'splain it better in the morning....Here are the first few rows.

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And an update on my first ripple. I work on it almost every night and sometimes by the pool, though mostly I'm swimming instead of watching due to the heat. It is about 55 inches long and will probably go another foot before I'm done.

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Baby ripple finished.











The bright ripple is for charity. The lighter baby afghan is for my daughters friend who is due in October. I just loved working with the caron ss yarn. It is very easy to crochet with and I love the colors. My dog Buzz always wants to be part of whatever is going on and hopped up on the chair when I was taking pictures. The squares are 15 inch grannys that I made for preemie blankets. Since I crochet so many blankets I have decided to keep pictures so I can remember what I have done.

something interesting

This is something I just found on this site :

Isnt' that just the most beautiful Christmas afghan, with fun rippled panels!!! Thought you'd all be interested....

And a patriotic version, of a ripple--like a ripple/granny hybrid!!!


My bag is assembled !!! I'll try bocking it before lining. And I'm crochetting a handle, and will add a button to close the bag. I'm quite pleased with how it looks.



photo

Friday, August 10, 2007

I think I'm done

This ripple is the only crafty thing I have done all summer. I have been so busy hanging out with my grand daughter that at night, when I usually crochet while watching tv, I fall asleep before I can even think of anything else. But I have been rippling along! My ripple is about 59 x 72. I am thinking I should stop because it will be too long and not wide enough. So I thing I am going to put some kind of border on it and call it done. I wish I would have made it wider because I don't feel ready to let it go. I do have enough yarn and scraps to finish my big granny, so that's not so bad.

Pics will follow soon.

Thursday, August 9, 2007

Finally Finished!


Here is my father-in-law's mohair blanket. I wanted to have a background of mixed navy blues with bright colours zooming in from each side, but never going all the way across. I've used many different mohair yarns, (anything I could scrounge up cheap), and a 7mm hook. The pattern is a multiple of 13 plus 2 for the foundation row, then two ch for the 1st dc, miss 1 ch, 1 dc in each of the next 5 ch, 3 dc in the next ch, 5 dc, miss 2 ch and repeat to end, miss 1 ch, 1dc in last ch, and turn.

Forced myself to improvise

My super secret ripple afghan for my brother was near to being finished. I held off because the yarn was so darn hot to work with, being worsted weight Woolease. Add to that that the white yarn was extra fluffy with what appears to be a fine strand of angelina in it to give it a sparkly look.

Here is the finished afghan:



But since I was already finished with the August afghan, I decided that I needed to suck it up and really finish this time - the crocheting at least. On all the afghans but mom's I still have to weave in ends. Anyway.... I did what I thought was enough but once I tested the afghan using my husband's legs I realized that there was no way around the fact that the afghan was just too short. I had plenty of the gold and the black yarn, but not any white and I really didn't want to buy more just for 2 single row stripes (what I would need to make it long enough, using the repeat pattern). So I decided to just continue on and use the gold and black on one side, and then add on to the beginning. I don't think anybody but another picky crocheter like me would be able to tell.

And here is a detail of the added on gold and black:



The white is the beginning chain upside down, the 1 row gold stripe on top of the white is the beginning of the addition, continuing on to the 3 black rows.

Have any of you done something similar?

Peace,

Susan (aka ZenKnit)

Wednesday, August 8, 2007

My first big blanket done

I finally got my daughter's blanket done, and I made her a matching pillow. The blanket was done in single crochet and the pillow was done in both single and double crochet.





~Missy
Missy’s Knitting/Crafting Mess

Tuesday, August 7, 2007

My First Post Here


I got hooked (ha ha! get it? hooked?) into buying 33 balls of the new Vanna's Choice yarn from Lion Brand yesterday. I'm making the ripple afghan on the front of her new book. Read all about it on my blog.
I'm new as a member of this group, but have been visiting and enjoying all the beautiful ripples for a while.

Monday, August 6, 2007

Seriously overdue update

You all are cruising at breakneck speeds, it's amazing. I'm totally in love with the ripples, ripple socks and scarves you're so creative in making. I'm ashamed to admit my ripple sat for several months from all of my increased summer activity. But I've picked it back up again and I'm getting back ito the grove.

Hopefully one of these days I'll catch up to you and make something as amazing. Happy ripplin' everyone!
Trish {quadshotyarn}

The Rippler Blog is now up and running

The Ripplers blog is starting to come together. For those of you who have sent me information - Thank you. I just copied and pasted, so if you would ever like anything changed just let me know. All ripplers will have their own label on that blog for means of searching. The label system is first name then the name of the blog/website I was given. For example mine would be: Megan - Laugh.Love.Hook.

Hopefully tomorrow I will add a link to the new blog on the side bar. The No End in Sight Ripplers Blog

To those who would still like to be included, please email me your information to cheersmurf AT gmail DOT com.

Name:
Blog address: *either here on blogger or elsewhere*
A little blurb about you:
Favorite ripple pattern: *just the name... no actual patterns*
Ripple count: *how many ripples have you done?*
Picture link: *if you would like your picture next to your info, provide me with a link*

I'm finished with August

I'm finished with August. The afghan for August that is. And it is only the 6th! Whoo!

Here is Storm Clouds:

afghan for my brother - Storm Clouds pattern

The pattern is Storm Clouds (#63) from 200 Ripple Stitch Patterns, by Jan Eaton. I used 3 colors of Red Heart Super Saver. Black, Grey Heather and a beige with brown, grey and black flecks called Aran Fleck. The black came in 7 oz skeins, the grey and fleck in 5 oz skeins. I used a full 2 skeins and about half of a 3rd skein for the grey and aran fleck, and only a bit of the 3rd skein of black. I think I might have been able to get by with only 2 skeins of the black had I not started over and then needed longer tails for connecting. Here is a better shot of the colors:

close up of the Red Heart yarn I used for this afghan

I did 12 repeats of the 3 colors, plus an extra 2 rows of black to kind of balance it out (it started with black). Used a size J hook and it worked out to be about 46 x 68.5 inches. I thought it would be about 51, but I guess it sucked up a bit. If I were to do this pattern again, I would have the ends have 2 bunches before the turn chain instead of the 3 as it directs in the instructions. Here is a detail shot of the edge and where I went wrong (in my mind).

detail of the edge

But it is just one of those preference things, although it would have meant not having to buy 3 more skeins = cheaper, it would have been a bit more narrow. It is meant to be a one person afghan, so it works very well. Guinevere has already give it her 4 paw approval.

Onward to the next afghan. I will share the plans as soon as they are ready.

Peace!
Susan (aka ZenKnit)

What Would You Do?

Hi everybody! I haven't posted in a very long time, but I"m facing a rippling dilemma, and I'm hoping you can help.

I started a Soft Waves ripple in Knitpicks Shine Sport (which works up beautifully, by the way; I highly recommend it), with the goal of making it big enough to cover a double bed. But at nearly 300 stitches, the going is soooooooo slow. In the course of the entire summer I have done maybe ten stripes, which is like an eighth of the blanket. My question is: faced with this kind of snail-pacery, would you frog back and make a smaller blanket, or would you soldier on, even knowing that the balnket will probably not be done for another year or so? I'm undecided, but sorely tempted...

Sunday, August 5, 2007

Hey bloggers

I'm getting ready to start on the Ripple List and would like everyone who wants to be included to either email or comment with the following. Email me at cheersmurf AT gmail DOT com. Please put "Ripple Info" in your subject so that I can make sure it doesn't go to spam.

Edit: Ok I should explain this a bit more. Dawn started another blog that we will link on here once we get a bit more on it. It is just for info about us... the ripplers. It's HERE ... So the info you provide me will go on there.

Name:
Blog address: *either here on blogger or elsewhere*
A little blurb about you:
Favorite ripple pattern: *just the name... no actual patterns*
Ripple count: *how many ripples have you done?*
Picture link: *if you would like your picture next to your info, provide me with a link*

Ripple Toes

It has been a while since I knit anything. I have been concentrating more on crochet but needed to start another pair of socks. These are for my daughter, Shiloh (the original), in Seattle. I call these the Fruit Stripe socks because they remind me of the gum we used to buy when I was a kid. It is a simple feather and fan pattern with 2 repeats over 32 instep stitches. After I turn the heels, it will be all pattern all the way around 64 stitches.

I think she will like them.

Come visit me at my blog!

Saturday, August 4, 2007

Newbie saying hello

Well, I'm not a newbie crocheter anymore. Or ... well, maybe I still am, I've only been doing this for about three months, so I guess that's still newbie-status, but I've been around the granny-along for a while.

This is my first time posting here, though and this is my very first, own, ripple along. It's about 45 inches wide, and 12 long so far. I'm using acrylics of all kinds, trying to do a solid, then a variegated, a solid and then a variegated etc, etc.

It's not beautiful, but it's kinda FUN, and the colors are summer-y, don't you agree :)


Anyway, hello! Glad to be here.

Cotton Ripple Progress

My Mission Falls cotton ripple is coming along little by little. I introduced the light yellow to it the other night because I'm quickly running out of my other colors and I have 2 skeins of the light yellow......do you like it or doesn't it go? I will be putting in more of it as I go so right now all you see is 2 rows of it, but what do you think talented ripplers?

I'm amazed how much I like the way this feels as I go along because initially I thought it might be too heavy for an afghan, but not so with this 1894 Mission Falls cotton. It's light and airy, perfect for a cozy 'ghan without being too warm. Something like this would be just the right thing for those of you in warmer climates who still need something to snuggle up under in the AC.