Ripple Stitch Tutorial

Hello! If you have happened across my ripple stitch tutorial, and I'm sure there are plenty to find in blogland, this is my version - a guide to the stitch I used to create Martha's ripple blanket. It really is a very good stitch for blankets. It grows quickly, is straightforward to work, looks great, and best of all there aren't a gazillion pieces to join together at the end!
 

 
For Martha's blanket I used Rowan Softknit Cotton and a 4.5mm hook, but any yarn and appropriately sized hook would work just as well.
 
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To start, crochet a foundation chain. This needs to be a multiple of 12 chains + 3. The sample I used for this tutorial has 27 chains to start (2 repeats of ripple + turning chain of 3). Martha's blanket (which fits the width of a single bed) started with a chain of 195 (16 repeats of ripple + 3). To get Martha's blanket the right width I estimated how long the foundation chain needed to be (to a multiple of 12), completed the first row of ripple stitch, then measured it against her bed. Maybe not the most technical way and I did have to rip it back a couple of times, but better to do that at this stage than half way through!
 
So, foundation chain of 27 (or your multiple of 12 + 3).
 
 
The ripple stitch is worked in UK trebles/tr (US double crochet/dc). The first treble is worked into the 4th chain from the hook, shown below.
 
 
 
Continue to work one treble into each of the next three chains - this will give you the turning chain plus four completed trebles.

 
Over the next three stitches you will create the dip of the ripple stitch by decreasing. To do this you need to treble three together (tr3tog), much simpler than it sounds, I promise.
 
 
Work a treble into chain 1., but do not bring the yarn through the last two loops on the hook - you should end up with a half completed treble stitch as below.
 
 
Now work another half completed treble into chain 2. - you should end up with 3 loops on the hook.
 
 
Work the third treble into chain number 3., but don't complete as before - you should have 4 loops left on the hook.
 
 
To complete the tr3tog stitch, bring your yarn round the hook and pull through all 4 loops on the hook. This completes all 3 treble stitches at the same time and joins them together, as below.
 
 
Continue with one treble in each of the next four chains.
 
You will then work the peak of the ripple into the chain after the fourth treble.
 
 
To form the peak of the ripple, work one treble into this chain, then chain one.
 
 
Work another treble into the same chain. This increase forms the peak of the ripple, and also creates a space between the two treble stitches at the peak.
 
You can now continue along the chain: one treble into each of the next four chains, decrease (tr3tog), one treble into each of the next four chains, increase (tr, ch1, tr), one treble into each of the next four chains, decrease, etc.
 
After the last decrease, you will find that you have five chains left, work one treble into each of these chains. At this point you can either join a new colour, or continue in the yarn you are using.
For Martha's blanket I worked double rows of each colour.
 
 
To continue in the same yarn, chain three and turn your crochet to work back along the row.
 
Work the first treble into the base of the ch3 and under both loops of the stitch.
 

Continue to work one treble into each of the next three stitches. You should end up with the turning chain and four completed trebles.

 
Next, tr3tog over the next three stitches, marked in the photo below.
 
 
Starting with the next stitch, work one treble into each of the next four stitches.
 
 
At the peak of the ripple work the increase into the gap created by the (tr, ch1, tr) of the previous row. Work one treble, chain one, one treble, into this gap.
 
 
Continue to work in pattern until you reach the end of the row.

After the final decrease, you will find you have three stitches left to work into along with the starting chain of three. Work one treble into each of the three stitches, and two trebles into the space in front of the ch3.
 
  
When working the second treble into the ch3, you can complete the stitch and continue in the same yarn as before (ch3, turn and continue... see above), or leave the last 2 loops on the hook and join a new colour.
 
 
To do this, work your final treble up to the point where you still have 2 loops on the hook, drop your existing colour and loop the new colour over the hook, leaving a tail for weaving in.
 
 
Pull the new colour through the two loops on the hook to complete the stitch.
 
 
You can now cut the first yarn, leaving a tail for weaving in, and continue in the new colour in the ripple pattern... chain 3, turn and continue in pattern...
 
 
...and keep going...
 
 
Once you have as much blanket as you need, fasten off. If, like me, you  have opted for double rows of ripple, there will be a lovely colourful fringe of ends down one side. So lovely in fact that it is quite tempting to leave them where they are. If, also like me, you haven't been organised enough to weave in the ends as you go along, I'd recommend popping on a film and getting stuck in.
 
To weave in the ends, I simply thread one through a darning needle.
 
 
Then begin to thread the needle and yarn through the base of the treble stitches close to where the yarn joins your crochet.
 
 
Carry on threading through...
 


 
Once you've gone far enough (not too far, you'll need to go back again!), bring the yarn right through but don't pull it to tight as this could distort your stitches. Start to thread back through the same stitches...
 
 
...right through to the edge where you started.
 
 
Snip off close to the edge.
Any untidy bits will be easily covered by crocheting an edge around your blanket.
 
 
A simple edge of double crochet finishes it off nicely and provides a good base to crochet a more decorative edging into if you choose. I found that five double crochet stitches into the edge of each stripe worked well for Martha's blanket, but this may differ depending on the yarn you are using.
 
 
 
So there it is, not much to it really and a very satisfying stitch once you get going.
 
 
 So as not to be too long-winded and to provide a natural break for a cup of tea, or similar (and maybe a biscuit too), I'm writing a separate tutorial for the lovely bobble edging ...it will be here soon.
 
xx

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