Monday, June 18, 2007

Still on target

I am still (somewhat) on target for my one afghan a month plans. Even though I am working on 2 afghans this month, the super secret ripple (can't post it to my regular blog) is about half done:

another crocheted ripple

Ripple in our high school colors using Wool Ease. Very soft!

This other knitted feather and fan is about 1/6 done.

knitted afghan

100 Afghans to Knit and Crochet, by Jean Leinhauser and Rita Weiss. A very good book! This one is knit, so I thought I would start on it this month, even though it is really the one I planned to do in July. This one is done in Caron yarn; 4 huge skeins (2 of each color) and even though I am a good way into it, I still have this much yarn left:



My Wednesday buddies were giggling at how huge the skeins are. Kind of freakish huge like the monster zucchini on Aunt Purl’s Blog. But just mock away "guys" because you will not be laughing when you see how nice this baby turns out.

I am using a feather and fan pattern from the 100 Afghans book I previously mentioned. I started out using the size ? needles that were suggested, but I didn’t like the density of the resulting fabric so I upsized a lot and am doing it on US 10 1/2s instead. Better flow.

Nothing much more to share, except that we are into the sweaty head session here at my home. When I sweat, it is all in my lower back and my huge noggin. If I don’t dry my hair after washing it, it will never dry. If I dry it then there is at least some chance that I will have a few minutes of dry hair in the day. Sometimes I can actually squeegee (using my fingers, not an actual tool) water out of my hair. Gross, huh?

Peace!
Susan (aka ZenKnit)

Sunday, June 17, 2007

slow and steady wins the race



I put this aside for a bit but I picked it up again and i'm loving it :)
Looking at everyone's ripples has definitely helped me pick this up again. All the ripples are gorgeous!
I feel like the blanket is taking forever, though. I have maybe 2 feet out of about 7 :( But I'm going to keep at it because one day I want to have a ripple as beautiful as all the other ones that are posted here :)
Oh, and I just discovered the Flickr group for this. :P

Rippling through....



Yo. Here's my progress so far, this sits on my lap while I work on it, and it feels sooooooo wonderful! It's hard to believe I'm not yet half done!!! Guess I will need to buy more cotton yarn ;)

Saturday, June 16, 2007

Round Rainbow Ripple Finished


Finished size: 52.5". Two skeins each of Caron Simply Soft Brites 3 oz. in 6 rainbow colors, I needed 3 skeins of the purple (aka Grape). Total of 15 3 oz. skeins. H hook.

The pattern is Aztec Sun from the Leisure Arts booklet, 40 Favorite Ripple Afghans. I modified it a little bit to accommodate the stripe pattern I used. Basically, I followed the pattern as written, starting with 3 row of pink at the center, but changing colors every other row until I reached the second sequence of fill in points (yellow parts on my blanket). I wanted all of them to be yellow so I made the second set of fill in points 3 rows earlier than the pattern called for and fudged the rest.

It's a baby blanket for a family member. I really love how it looks, the colors were so fun and happy, and I know it will be super soft after it's washed. I'm spraying it with water and letting it air dry to block it.

Friday, June 15, 2007

IMG_0579.JPG
My latest ripple, using up homespun, pattern from web. I'm randomly working in the blues and reds, because I have alot more tan than I do any of those. So far, I think its pretty, and really soft!

Wednesday, June 13, 2007

Something Different and Useful



Since the ripple afghan re-do is going rather slowly for me, I put the ripply skills to good use and made this dishcloth last night.

These tickle my fancy for all the right reasons: they used up bits of thrift-store crocheting cotton that no-one wanted; they are quick; they are useful; they are environmentally friendly; they are pretty; they are cheap.

Four re-usable, washable, pretty dishcloths for 50 cents and a few hours work. What could be wrong with that?

(two strands of contrasting thread/4.25 mm hook/soft waves pattern/39 chain beginning /1 row in dc, 2 rows in sc rep until roughly square /sc edging)

Nearly there...


In an effort to spur myself on to more rippling action, and to finish this beast of a blanket, I am posting here today! I have been such a bad little rippler lately. I have about 20 color bands to work, and then I'll be done...so why can't I seem to get this thing finished? It's not the seemingly daunting task of tying ends in, because I actually enjoy that. It's not the fear of the anticlimax of completion. It's just plain and simple distraction, folks. That's it. I am one majorly sidetracked girl right now!

I'm really not sure about the whole, women-are-good-at-multitasking thing. I certainly don't seem to be able to pull it off. Maybe it's just too many tasks. I mean, everyone has limits, right? But hey, right here and now I'm going to recommit myself to finishing this blanket! I will finish this afghan, if it's the last thing I do!

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

#3

So here are a few pictures of #3. I'm not loving it yet(I think that is a common problems with the multi colored one). I'm hoping that when I get a bit more into it I'll like it more. I keep talking myself out of frogging it. I chained 219(plus a few extra for safety), size G hook, using lots of Caron SS. I've not measured it since it was two rows tall, but it does just slightly hang over my queen size bed. I'm going to just go until I run out of yarn ( if I don't have enough I'll just pick up a few balls at Wal-Mart...although I hope I don't have to)
Thanks for all the nice comments everyone:)


Black & Red Ripple is finished


I managed to finish this yesterday, never again will I crochet in acrylic yarn when it's hot.
It's about 95 x 90 cm, used up all of the yarn I had in these colours.
I have two more ripples planned, a blanket for me using cotton yarn & I have an idea for a pillow using up more of my stash, but the pillow yarn is wool, so I think I'll wait until autumn to start that one.

Monday, June 11, 2007

wear your ripple

My ripple in Manos Del Uraguay is comming along. I'm starting to run out of some of the colors so I think the end is near.


I had to share this. The new summer Knitty is up and they have a ripple skirt. It comes in adult sizes too, go check it out.

The end!

The ten pound ripple is complete! It actually weighs "only" 7lbs, but it's lap size, so that's a whole lot!


Fatcat was perplexed...

On to the next ripple adventure...

Hi Everyone!

I have my ripple afghan going strong. I'm using Susan B's pattern and am enjoying it very much. The yarn is RH Super Saver, many different colors. I'm just sort of throwing in colors as I go with no set pattern of stripes. It's so much fun to watch this unfold. Love seeing everyone else's ripples. There is more on the horizon, especially a round one. I just love the looks of a round ripple.

I also have Jan Eaton's 200 Ripple Stitch patterns book and am eager to do several in there, both knit and crochet. So many ripples, so little time.

Sunday, June 10, 2007

Ripple #3

So I started #2 and #3. I had to set aside #2(so no pictures yet) because 3 is a baby blanket for a friend that is due in October and I would love to give it to her early. I'm using the Soft Waves pattern, a size G hook and Caron SS. I'm using white and then the brites for the blue and the green. I'm thinking that I will need 12 repeats, so with 4 done I'm a third of the way done.



I'm hoping to be able to blog more often. You can read about why I have been busy at my blog:)

All the ripples on this blog are looking fabulous! I love seeing all the different combos everyone, so please keep them coming...

ok.. so lety's try this

Okay.. so this is the progress I've made I restarted my ripple.. what do we all think? am i changing colros where i should? do the edges look ok?

Yum Yum Yum

I am in love with my ripple. The colors are so warm and refreshing at the same time. It makes me happy to look at it, touch it. But I am hating those ends. I always try to avoid projects with a lot of color changes for that reason. This is one project that is worth it. It was supposed to be 10 colors and I left one out, the teal. Now I have to figure out if I should just skip it or work it in somewhere. The colors are named after food, grape, honey, chocolate, berry, bordeaux, so I get hungry every time I look at it... :D I am supposed to be doing laundry, so I have to go. Just could not wait to share!
hey ne one know where i can find red hear fiest light perriwinkle
okay.. so i have restarted my ripple but the color im using i cannot seem to locate ne one who has the fiesta collection light perriwinkle ne one know where i can find some?

Me ripple, aaaargh





Don't know why I'm talking like a Pirate today...maybe because I feel like I found a treasure yesterday. Was at Hobby Lobby for a refill on my Sugar & Cream yarns, and saw Leisure Arts books were 30% off.

Score!
Here's how far my cotton ripple has gotten:

It truly is no-end-in-sight looking now!
It's big enough to cover my legs, which was nice yesterday as it was a bit cool in the shade. I sat in my patio lounge chair and worked on a couple of rows. This is one cozy blanket for warm weather. Can't wait to continue.

Friday, June 8, 2007



Ok friends, I finished my first ever round ripple or really any ripple Ive ever done. It turned out great and was a lot of fun making it. Now Im going to make 5 more for my grandkids for christmas this year. So now you know what Ill be making:) heehee Crocheting away I gooooooo...