Stripes Only A Creator Could Love

I can't say I'm loving the colours at this point. That said, I totally love the blanket. If it ends up a soft, cozy pile of fug, so be it. I scrounged around and added a few more colours to my bag-o-yarn; these will either increase the fug or make the fug go away. I can't tell, and frankly I don't have the energy to scrutinize. I'm just going with it. It's the going with it that makes me most happy. Also, I really dig crocheting along with all you ripplers. Such fun!

ripple hints

Ok, so I am finally on the right track with my ripple blanket. I had to start over twice due to problems at the edges of my blanket. I didn't end my rows at the correct place in the ripple so I was ending up with too many stitches on one side and not enough on the other side. In case anyone else is having the same problems starting out, I wanted to refer you to some great advice I got on the Livejournal CrochetCrochet community. The not-so-mathematical chain stitch start (chain more than you need and then just rip some of the chains out when you get to the point where you want to end your first row) worked so much better for me than trying to count out 200-something chain stitches. Maybe I'm just not good at counting, but I thought the advice might be helpful in case anyone else is experiencing the same thing. Also, drawing a diagram of the last ripple helped me see where I would increase and decrease to keep the number of stitches the same.
http://community.livejournal.com/crochetcrochet/237901.html

~amanda

I'd show you a picture, but...

It seems that crocheting anything while in the midst of moving is a super silly idea. However, with four projects going, why not add one more with ripples? It's a strange world when you've crocheted for 64% of your life and have never tried ripples or chevrons. Perhaps it's worse that my grandmother never showed me how to do a granny square, and so I am granny-square-less.

Anyway, I blame the lack of pictures on the move, and the lack of more than one row on this earthquake. (Because let me tell you, there's nothing quite like an earthquake about two miles from your home to disrupt your ability to stay calm. You start wondering if it's big enough for you to run to a doorway. Then, you try to keep track of what is falling from the bookshelf and wonder when it will end, if you should try to pick things up, and if you should dare eat your dinner. And then, you freak out with the question of whether or not it is beneath you or across the bay. Once it stops, you get headaches from the aftershocks.) Although, when you are a geologist, you actually get excited and wish you were outside to feel the ground shake, because we lose all sense when something like that happens.

However, I can tell you that my super soft yarn in red, oranges, and yellow are going to make a super cool afghan, until my sister finds the yarn and packs it away. There are no random colors to choose from since the far-too-large stash now lives in the new home.

And hi, by the way.

ooh! me too!

I'd been working on my own (gigantic) ripple blanket and was getting bored, then I found you guys through crochet me, now I'm reinspired. I started it as a gift for the boyfriend, but I didn't even come close to making it in time for his bday, so I might keep it for my own bed.... anyways, here it is:

If you want to join...

...please send me a note with your email address. blogger has to send you an invite for you to join.

it's in one of the first posts, but here you go again:

kyogadawn (AT) visi (DOT) com.

more later, we're absolutely awash in snow!

It all began with a swatch

here's my first little swatch.

you know, to help with the math and all. the pattern is soft waves from jan eaton's "200 ripple stitch patterns."

Okay, I'm on the band wagon now!

I just so happened upon this group of rippling crocheters and thought, "that's a good idea!"
I've only done one ripple afghan in all my crocheting years and it was a basic one. I think they all are, so I'll give myself a little more credit there ;-) It was my very first afghan, as a matter of fact, and it was from the good ole "I taught myself to crochet" book kit.
With news going around of another expecting cousin, i just have to get started on an afghan for this baby! It's going to be a boy, i hear so stash diving i went!
To my disappointment, i don't have very many boyish colors - i could use this as a reason to go to the LYS and go buck wild crazy, but i won't. I'll be happy with what i have this time and get a move on with this ripple!
I've chosen Bev's baby ripple afghan pattern. i found enough yarn to pull this one off.
And here are my colors...
They're all worsted weight but i think a few of them are red heart and (what's the one walmart used to carry?), a couple of them are caron. so, there's gray, yellow, green, sage, bone and, hunter. I'm not used to working with so much green, i'm excited to see how it'll turn out. with all of the support, encouragement, and eventual bragging rights, i'm sure to finish. Can't wait to say, "ah, it's just a little something i whipped up while participating in a ripple-along."

Day 3

I'm still a-baby-steppin'. The second green (a different yarn than the first; I think it's Filatura Di Crosa Zara) and the brown (leftover Cascade 220) really change the look of the whole piece. I'm not sure I love it at the moment, but I'm very confident the next few colours will change things up again. I can't wait!

I started a Ripple-Along group on Flickr to be a companion to this blog (I hope you don't mind, Dawn!) -- if you like cruising lots of ripply photos, please join in!

Newbie...

Hello everyone,

My name is Dawn and I am new to the group. I joined for the love of crocheting and the opportunity to share that with others. I really like ripple patterns but haven't done very many. I've used a basic one in the past that I actually used more for scarves than making afghans. Now that I have joined, I went through my stash to see what was available to get started when I found this:

This is a baby blanket I started over 2yrs ago. Hmm, not really interesting and lacks color. :D I am hoping to get some advice from you ladies on how to get this going again. It currently has 30 completed rows but I got bored and never finished. I'd like to add more color but don't know where to begin. You see, I was originally planning to take it apart and use the yarn for something else but now I think I'd like to finish it but need some help. You can take a look at the stash pile I have put together for options but I need to know if I should continue where I am, adding in new color or should I remove some rows to add balance then the new color? Your help would be greatly appreciated. You can read the rest of my post and look at the yarn chosen here.

Thanks for a fun place to share and learn ripple patterns. I look forward to seeing everyone's progress. ;D

Waiting on the Sidelines

I have been almost obsessively checking Alicia and Jane's blogs to see their progress on their ripple blankets. After reading Alicia's blog today that mentioned this Ripple-Along, I knew I had to join. I ordered the book today (I have my heart set on the "soft waves"!) and will be joining all of you as soon as I can. Until then I will be admiring ALL of your work! Thanks for letting me join and ripple-on!

Hi! - Greetings from London

Have been thinking about a Big Blanket Project for a while now on my blog. This is my first KAL and I'm chuffed to bits that I've found some ripple mates. All that remains is for me to learn how to crotchet! Will keep you all posted with my progress.

me, me, me! I want to join!

Since seeing all the pretty blankets out there, I decided to go for it and start one of my own. I've known how to crochet since I was about 8 or 9, but never made a blanket. This one will be for my 19-year-old daughter who is away at college. Her bedroom is done in bright, bright colors including the hot pink and bright orange used here. I am just using caron simply soft brites in watermelon and mango. This yarn is so soft and not too bad for acrylic. Plus, I'm not too sure a college student would take the best care of a wool blanket. I, too, used the random stripe generator for my stripe sequence. It's pretty cool! Looking forward to seeing what everyone else comes up with!

Thanks for letting me join and for starting the ripple-along!

Slow & Steady

Here's my progress as of last night. I've since added the next colour (what is it? Stay tuned!). We're spending a few days with family due to some bizarrely timed medical emergencies (everyone's okay, thank goodness) - my bag of ripples was the first thing I grabbed in the middle of the night yesterday when it was time to leave the house. Man, am I happy I have it with me. More tomorrow!

Unconvinced About My Colors

Hello, All! Thanks, Dawn, for putting this together.

Like just about everyone else, I was inspired by Alicia's throw, based on Jane's. I'm glad to see others have been bitten by the bug as well. I hadn't crocheted in quite some time, but I'm loving the soothing rhythm of this work (especially since I'm using one of Bill's hooks.)

I expect that I'll end up mumbling double-crochet nonsense by the time I finish this, as Alicia described here... but for now, it's wonderful.

I'd read - I think it was in the Mason-Dixon Knitting book - that one could combine any warm and cool colors as long as they weren't black, white, primary, or pastel, so I attempted to do a sort of "Mission Falls" palette using Blue Sky Alpacas cotton. It's lovely to work with, fantastically soft... but I'm not so sure of my color combo. I'll keep plugging along and see how it goes. I do have some Mission Falls cottons in the stash so perhaps they'll be my next effort - I'm thinking these things are addictive.

Without further ado, here's my throw so far, next to the magazine featuring Alicia's lovely home:



I also used the random stripes generator tool, and it's so fun! I'd encourage anyone interested to take a peek. What wonderful things there are on the 'Net!

Loving everyone's photos - thanks for sharing.

Stasia At Yarn And A Barn

Long live the ripple blanket!!

I found Alicia's blog following a search for a ripple crochet pattern. I have since visited every day to check the progress of her beautiful blanket (as well as her life in general). Everything she touches is beautiful!! Her blanket inspired me to create one which will go to a co-workers daughters. I can't wait to see how they like it because I LOVE it. I ended up using a mix of leftover pastels from the slew of baby blankets I have been working on as of lately. :)

yaaaaay!

Thanks for the invite, y'all. I am stoked. I'm making a baby afghan for a friend, just a great excuse to do this. Here's the stash I'm using:Citrus, white, and grape for a little kick. I don't want it to get too light. The pattern I adapted from the crochet stitch bible, wavy ripples. They use DC, but I want thinner stripes so I am using SC's. Here's the wiggle worm beginning...I put all the colors in a baggie and I think I'll just draw them out randomly to choose what color goes next. We'll see! I'm headed to maine this sunday for a week of family time so hopefully I can keep up!

Attempt a Pic

Ah, ha! Sorry for the nearly double post, but I was determined to figure this picture thing out. Thankfully, I noticed the correct buttons. This is the ripple baby afghan I am nearly finished with. I would prefer a brighter colors, but these are available locally (a euphemism for Wal-Mart) in baby sport yarn. When I get yarn for my granddaughter's blanket, it will be worsted and hopefully, brighter pastels.

Ah, I made it!

Well, I finally got in. Just a small snafu with setting up a Google account, but all is well now!

I'm excited to be here. I'll be purchasing yarn for a new ripple this weekend, probably. One of our little granddaughters will be 6 this summer and I'm thinking she would love a colorful "blanket" for her bed. Pastels, centering around lavender to match her bedroom, hmmmm? In the meantime, I'm nearly done with this ripple, a baby blanket for another grand, scheduled to arrive this summer.

ETA: OK, how does one post a picture on this thang? Lemme see... http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v389/homekeepinggran/Crochet/BabyRandomRipple.jpg Well, perhaps someone can give me a tutorial on posting pics. I've uploaded the same pic twice, but it's not showing up. Help for an aging brain?

Button, button, who's got the button?

We do, we do! Not only do we have one button, we have 2!

Thanks to Kim:

...and Kara:


My eternal thanks for accomplishing feats of rippledom beyond my meager,photoshop deprived technical skills. Now go snag 'em baby!

I'm in trouble too

I've never actually done a ripple before now, so I had no idea just how damn addictive it can be. Last night the very first thing I did after I came home was paw through the stash. I think everyone else's colors are WAY better than mine -- see below for 21 flavors of fug. I'm hoping I can pull it off though. I do have a whole other stash that I will be looking at this weekend. I chained 303 and did three rows in three colors last night. And then I dreamed in ripples. This is bad.