Why Round or Star?

[Ldyjarhead]

First off, let me say that I absolutely love the look of a round ripple or star-ghan. I've never done one myself but I may very soon since I've done a bit more work in the round lately (I'm usually a 'back and forth' kinda gal). The photos that you guys share here are stunning.

 

This one question has been niggling at me, though.

 

Functionally, is there any reason why a round ripple or star shape is better than square or rectangle, or is simply the look? I do love the way they look but when it comes down to it, is that shape really conducive to keeping all body parts warm?

 

So, tell me why you prefer the round ripple or star.

 

Enquiring minds wanna know ...

 

[JennyBunny]

I like to do star blankets for babies, making them bigger than a usual baby blanket - they are good for swaddling and easy diaper/nappie changes.

 

Round Ripples and Stars (at least for me) seem to work up faster for less yarn.

[Ldyjarhead]

I like to do star blankets for babies, making them bigger than a usual baby blanket - they are good for swaddling and easy diaper/nappie changes.

 

Round Ripples and Stars (at least for me) seem to work up faster for less yarn.

 

Yes, but if you're making them bigger to accommodate covering everything, aren't you wasting yarn there?

 

And just to emphasize, I'm not criticizing at all, I'm just trying to understand what the real 'draw' is before I do one of my own.

[yarnjeannie]

I find myself making round ripples because:

They can be worked without carrying a pattern around;

They are fun and unusual (even though you may see so many on Crochetville, most folks who have seen the ones I make comment on how different they are;

It's always interesting to see what kind of different color combinations you can come up with;

They can easily be adapted to baby-sized afghans or blankets large enough to cover a bed;

No sewing involved, like a granny square afghan;

Great for gifts for all occasions!

 

They are addictive!

[Ldyjarhead]

I find myself making round ripples because:

They can be worked without carrying a pattern around;

They are fun and unusual (even though you may see so many on Crochetville, most folks who have seen the ones I make comment on how different they are;

It's always interesting to see what kind of different color combinations you can come up with;

They can easily be adapted to baby-sized afghans or blankets large enough to cover a bed;

No sewing involved, like a granny square afghan;

Great for gifts for all occasions!

 

They are addictive!

 

But everything you said here can be applied to something that goes back and forth in a square or rectangle. I don't see anything that is specific the round ripple.

[yarnjeannie]

I guess it's personal taste then!

[Krakovianka]

Personally, I like working in the round, not back and forth. The unusual shape is very attractive, I think, draped over a couch, chair, or across a bed. I suspect that the shape IS less functional (except maybe the baby-sized ones), but form doesn't always follow function.

 

I've made exactly one round ripple, but as I said, my preference for working in the round made it much more enjoyable than a pattern with long rows.

[Ldyjarhead]

I guess it's personal taste then!

 

See, that's what I mean. I really do like the way they look and want to do one, but I am trying to justify why that shape might be better, and I can't.

[Ldyjarhead]

Personally, I like working in the round, not back and forth. The unusual shape is very attractive, I think, draped over a couch, chair, or across a bed. I suspect that the shape IS less functional (except maybe the baby-sized ones), but form doesn't always follow function.

 

I've made exactly one round ripple, but as I said, my preference for working in the round made it much more enjoyable than a pattern with long rows.

 

I can see where it would be more attractive to you to work on if you prefer working in the round, but as far as functionality, do you see any reason it is better?

 

Again, I want to do one, and I'm trying to justify why it might be better than what I normally do.

[boksie]

Good questions. For me, I find that If I make a rr that measures up to my chin it is large enough for me or my dh to use. I tend to roll up into the fetal position when I snooze on the couch and the roundness covers my "roundness" too. The body is shaped with curves and the rr accommodates. For babies, I try to make one large enough so that a toddler could use it too--just my idea to extend the use of it because babies grow out of everything FAST! I think your questions are very appropriate and right on target.

[HomekeepingGran]

I've never made a round or star ripple afghan and I admit I have had the same questions about its function as you do, Ldyjarhead. However, this is one of those times where if I really wanted to make one, I would put practicality aside and make it strictly for the enjoyment of how it looks. You don't have to justify all your projects, I hope.

[Crocus58]

but as far as functionality, do you see any reason it is better?

 

Again, I want to do one, and I'm trying to justify why it might be better than what I normally do.

 

This type of reasoning could also be applied to color. Let's say I always make my afghans in muted/neutral colors, I think that is "better" because it will blend into more surroundings. Why would someone make a bold colored afghan?

 

Or I always make granny square afghans, that is "better" because I can take my project anywhere, it's very easily transported. Why would someone want to make a one piece afghan? It gets very bulky and hot to work on.

 

It's not that a round afghan is "better" - it's different.

 

I'm reminded of a Willy Nelson song "He's not wrong, he's just different but his pride won't let him do things to make you think he's right."

 

If you need to justify making one - (though why anyone would need to justify crocheting anything is beyond me:lol) say that it's better because you've never made one and it's better to broaden your crochet horizons!

[Miss Crochet]

I understand the OP's point! I kind of feel the same way!

 

I've made them as babyghans, simply to try the pattern out and also figuring that it might be easy to wrap a baby in them - you could fold in the points for swaddling. In fact, my DH calls the baby starghans 'Maggie Simpson Blankets', because they're in the shape of the Simpsons' baby

 

I don't think I'd make a big one for anything other than decoration. I am really sensitive to cold and chills, so if I make an afghan for our double bed, then I want one that covers absolutely all of it. I don't want to have an uncovered foot or elbow, which is what I imagine would happen if you made a ripple (unless of course it was so big that it completely covered the surface of the bed and the points were almost touching the floor...)

[SlowCrocheter]

I make them cause I like them. Got one I hope to make after I finish the rose cathedral using some of my yarn up.

[thepunkrockinchick]

I think for a baby it wouldn't be quite as functional.. unless you want to fold down edges, etc.. which defeats the purpose. An afghan that were actually round with smooth edges would be very functional, because you could cover the baby without anything flapping in their face. I think starghans have pretty much no function other than to look pretty. RR's are I think more for snuggling up on the couch, etc.. or just looking pretty.

[Darsa]

Personally if I like the way something looks, I'm not going to try to justify why I should do it... I'll just DO it! I happen to love the look of the round ripple; I'm currently on my next to last row of a tree-skirt that's coming out really pretty!

[Selune]

There is no advantage, functionally, to a round or star blanket. You make it because you like it.

 

I like to make bunches of smaller star ones and layer them on my bed in different color combinations. When I want to wrap up in something warm, I take a star off and wrap it like a shawl, pinning it closed. Naturally, you could do this with a regular afghan, but the star pattern removes a lot of that bulk that would sit on the sides and middle. This just covers the back and tops of the shoulders, leaving excess material nonexistant. I like the look of having a solid colored afghan covering the bed, then putting the different colored stars on top, having the background peek through.

 

Another reason I like the star or round is that it makes a radiant pattern, especially when you use colors or a self-striping yarn. You get something that moves from the center outwards, which helps it look more open and makes color combinations burst forth. For instance, it opens up the look of my living room when it's laying over the back of the couch. The radiant look just appeals to me, kinda like looking at one of those spiraling pictures.

 

Is it practical. Nope. But it's much more fun to look at then another rectangle.

[Ldyjarhead]

There is no advantage, functionally, to a round or star blanket. You make it because you like it.

Another reason I like the star or round is that it makes a radiant pattern, especially when you use colors or a self-striping yarn. You get something that moves from the center outwards, which helps it look more open and makes color combinations burst forth. For instance, it opens up the look of my living room when it's laying over the back of the couch. The radiant look just appeals to me, kinda like looking at one of those spiraling pictures.

 

Is it practical. Nope. But it's much more fun to look at then another rectangle.

 

You've described it perfectly. I do love the look, and the radiant pattern going outwards is the draw. I know I'm going to do one soon.

[celiawinters]

It keeps your attention and to me they are faster to work not only that they are unique.

[kittyloverdeb]

I make them because they are "different" than the normal afghan shape and because I love the way they look! I always seem to get more compliments and Oohh's and Aahh's over the round ripples.

[CLLinda]

I personally like the rr's because they work up so fast and really look exceptional as gifts. I can get one done in a week or so, and it doesn't seem to get boring at all.

 

Sometimes going back and forth doing the same pattern gets boring to me and then I don't want to finish it.

 

I just love the rr's. I have made about 8 so far and have no plans on stopping any time soon.

 

[Sylviaf]

For some reason, I love the look of the round ripple on the back of one of my couches. It is just a little different.

[tahlara]

Once I make a (4 - stranded) RR rug to cover a lot of space in my living room. I also do few RR placemats (in thread) for outside patio table that is round. It's pretty underneath the plates and bowls. It's hard to place the rectangular placemats on a small round table. Guess it's functional and praticial in these cases.

[ScoobyDoo0811]

Good questions. For me, I find that If I make a rr that measures up to my chin it is large enough for me or my dh to use. I tend to roll up into the fetal position when I snooze on the couch and the roundness covers my "roundness" too. The body is shaped with curves and the rr accommodates. For babies, I try to make one large enough so that a toddler could use it too--just my idea to extend the use of it because babies grow out of everything FAST! I think your questions are very appropriate and right on target.

I have to agree with you here. I don't know about ya'll but my body is not square but round :lol and I feel like the rr covers more of my roundness than a square.

 

Yes, but if you're making them bigger to accommodate covering everything, aren't you wasting yarn there?

 

And just to emphasize, I'm not criticizing at all, I'm just trying to understand what the real 'draw' is before I do one of my own.

 

The same could be said when making a square or rectangle, aren't you wasting yarn when you are trying to make it wider or longer/bigger to make sure it covers everything? With the squares and rectangles I always find myself making it wider and longer than needed because it never appears to be wide or long enough. I like to roll up in blankets, tuck them in at the sides, tuck them under my chin:lol:lol:lol so a square or rectangle always has to be bigger for me.

I have found that I use less yarn when making the rr or star. My first rr I made with scraps in hopes of using it all up but still ended up with tons of scraps left. When I made my hexagon ghan I first thought I wasn't going to have enough, but to my surprise I have lots of scraps left from it too. I used RHSS and bought 2 skeins of blue, 2 skeins of green and 2 skeins of bananaberry and still have approx. 1/2 skein of each color left and the ghan measures about 65" X 65".

I too like many of you have stated, like the unique way the rrs and other shaped ghans look. I like to work in the round much better than just straight back and forth. It isn't as boring.

[RusticOkie]

For me I don't see any functionality in a starghan for sure. But they are adorable. I am going to make one for my sister in punk rock colors because she likes that style. Its really more of a style thing if you ask me. Just the 'wow' factor.