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...