Ripple afghan question

[Tippy]

Hi, I'm new to Crochetville and was so happy to find it....

 

My question is about the basic ripple afghan.

 

I can make the simplest one.

 

In the chain, I dc in 7 stitches

In the 8th stitch, I dc 3 times

Then dc for the next 7

Then skip 2 stitches

And dc for the next 7...etc

 

Its okay, but I'd really like to learn to make the ripple afghan WITHOUT the holes. I know it can be done. My Mom used to do it and if she were still with us, I'd be at her knee learning it. I have a baby afghan she made for my son and I've studied it at length. While I can see a tiny hole where she increased x3 at the peak, I can find NO holes in the valleys. The overall look is so much nicer.

 

Any help would be appreciated....

[Chain3turn]

Try using a smaller hook or thicker yarn. Some of the lacyness will disappear after it's washed and the yarn blooms some, too.

[shelain22]

http://www.crochetville.org/forum/showthread.php?t=17132&highlight=ripple

 

This onw is by a member here and has gotten rave reviews, go to the home page here, the first one where it is divided into sections, find "origional patterns" and do a search for ripple, there are several. You can also click on the search button, at the bottom of the drop down is asvanced search, you have to option to search for key words just in the topis and not the entire thread, and youcan search in specific areas, so if you search for ripple, in titles only, in the section "seeking patterns" I bet you will find what you want. there is also crochetpatterncentral.com , have you seen that one yet? thousands of patterns neatly organized by categorie, and youcan search for ripple there to, think that the search is on the left hand side there. if you have any trouble just PM me, you right click on a mambers name, choose the private message option and away you go:hook Thats the end of how to navigate c-ville 101, boys and girls, lol

[crochet smartcat]

The way to do the valleys without a hole, is to do a decrease stitch rather than skipping a stitch. You do an increase on the hill and a decrease in the valley. You can choose the amount of stitches you increase and decrease and that will change the look of the ripple. To do it this way also makes the ripple less pointed and more wavy.

[Dejhia]

While it will take a lot longer to do the project, I have made items with smaller holes by using single crochetes instead of double crochets... And, teh item is warmer. But, it's also heaver.....

[Chrome Kitty]

The way to do the valleys without a hole, is to do a decrease stitch rather than skipping a stitch. You do an increase on the hill and a decrease in the valley. You can choose the amount of stitches you increase and decrease and that will change the look of the ripple. To do it this way also makes the ripple less pointed and more wavy.

 

That's right. Here's a pattern if it'll help. http://www.geocities.com/issacstjohn/softridgedripple.html

[Scorpio59]

I'm not a big fan of the holes either. Been thinking about started a ripple for my 22 year old nephew. Waiting for the perfect pattern and yarn to fall into my hands.

 

I don't see any holes here:

http://home.att.net/~susanBinkC/patterns/ripple.html

 

I also don't like the way the last stitch in the row usually looks.

I'm trying to figure that one out myself.

[teapot]

Tippy:

 

A lady once taught ,me to do this.

Do so many sc then in the hill do three sc then go down with sc to the valley part and insert hook in one stitch yo skip the next and yo in next one yo and go through the two stitches.

I hope this makes sense. teapot

[Tippy]

I am beginning to see a glimmer of hope, lol

 

Yes, I believe it is the "decrease" stitching that will give me the

effect I want. I noticed that my Mom's afghan, down in the valleys,

has this kind of stitching that looks like an upside down increase.

I Googled decrease and one of the sites said:

 

"do two or more stitches within one step of completion then draw through

all loops on hook"

 

I will practice this until I get it right.

 

Now, if I could just get my hands to stop swelling when I overdo, LOL

 

Many thanks, Tip

[lizc]

hi tip! i think once you start practicing (sp) you'll be abel to do the decrease - i usually need to have my crochet bible right there opened to the page!

[Tippy]

Hi guys, its me again...sigh

 

I did master the decrease stitches and was proud as punch for awhile but...

my new difficulty is the "end of row" problem.

 

I decided to choose a specific pattern and follow it to the letter.

I chose the one here:

 

http://home.att.net/~susanBinkC/patterns/ripple.html

 

 

For a 55 inch wide afghan, chain 178

 

 

 

3 st dec: *yo, insert hook through next stitch, yo and pull loop through stitch, yo and pull through first 2 loops on hook; Repeat from * twice. Yo and pull through remaining 4 loops on hook.

 

2 st dec: *yo, insert hook through next stitch, yo and pull loop through stitch, yo and pull through first 2 loops on hook; Repeat from * once. Yo and pull through remaining 3 loops on hook.

 

Row 1: Dc in 3rd ch from hook; dc in next 6 ch, 3 dc in next ch, dc in next 6 ch; *work 3 st dec in next 3 ch, dc in next 6 ch, 3 dc in next ch, dc in next 6 ch; Repeat from * across. End by working 2 st dec in last 2 ch. Ch 2 and turn.

 

Row 2: Skip first dc; dc in next 7 dc, 3 dc in next dc, dc in next 6 dc; *work 3 st dec in next 3 dc, dc in next 6 dc, 3 dc in next dc, dc in next 6 dc; Repeat from * across. End by working 2 st dec in last dc and top of turning chain. Ch 2 and turn.

 

 

Now, the line in BOLD (from row 1), is what I am having a problem with. When I do this just as it says, I end up 2 stitches PAST the hole that would line up with Row 1 and the edge is terribly stunted.

 

Can I have your thoughts on this?

 

As always, I adore you for helping...

[Chatty]

I'm not sure about you problem with the end of row unless I work it myself but I have too much to do to do that.

 

I might can help you out with the hand problem though, when my hands get sore and achey I wear a pair of fingerless gloves/wristwarmers, they warm up my hands and the soreness goes away.

 

Here's an easy pattern:

 

http://www.hipvintagecrochet.com/WRISTWARMERS1.pdf

 

If you have trouble with pdf files pm me and we'll work something out. These work up quick and are really warm

[Chrome Kitty]

Well this is weird . . . I counted row 1 out on paper and came up with the same thing you did. I was writing to tell you I got the same result, but then I counted again and it came out correctly. Very strange. Anyway, starting from the beginning of the row you have 2 unworked chains, then one dc that went in the 3rd chain, then 6 dcs (7dcs and 2 chs so far to equal 9 chains used from the 178 starting chain), then an increase of 3dcs in one chain, then 6dcs over the next 6 chs, then a decrease which uses 3 chains, then 6 more dcs over the next 6 chs (the part in blue used 1 chain + 6 chains + 3 chains + 6 chains to equal 16 chains used from the 178 starting chain). The part in blue repeats 9 times more so 16 chains x 9 equals 144 chains used. Then there is one more increase of 3dcs in one chain, then 6 dcs over the next 6 chs, then a 2dc decrease in the last 2 chains (this purple part uses 1 + 6 + 2 chains to equal 9 chains used).

 

Now if you add up the chain totals in bold in each color, you get 9 + 16 + 144 + 9 = 178 chains total

 

Did that help at all?

[Tippy]

First, a thanks to Chatty...my right hand swells because I have rheumatoid arthritis. So very different from regular arthritis, it has plenty of heat already LOL. I discovered that I can get along better if I limit my crochet time, but I like it too much and always overdo. But I do thank you for your suggestion.

 

Kitty, I never counted, but I believe that the numbers came out right because when I got to the last "hill" I put 3 DC's in that stich and then there were six unused chain stitches left.

 

The website author wrote: End by working 2 st dec in last 2 ch. Ch 2 and turn.

 

So I put a DC into each of the next 4 stitches in the chain, and did what was printed for the last 2, the 2 st dec ....

 

I would have felt more confident if they'd actually printed-do 4 DC in the next 4 ch, then 2 st dec in last 2 ch. But since I only had 6 left, it seemed like common sense.

 

Thanks so much for your reply...