How to Make a Ripple Afghan

Knitting an afghan of many colors is a great way to use up leftover balls of yarn.

Ripple afghans not only have a charming nostalgia, but they are also warm and cozy to curl up in on a cold day. While knitting an afghan requires no small investment of time, if you can knit, purl, increase and decrease, you have all the knitting skills necessary to make this ripple afghan. Afghans are especially nice to work on during the winter months as the growing fabric keeps you warm while you knit. Instructions are for an adult-sized 60-by-60-inch blanket.

Things You'll Need

• 2660 yards of worsted-weight yarn
• US size 7 (4.5 mm) circular needle at least 26 inches in length
• Darning needle

Instructions

Swatch

1. Cast on 36 stitches.

2. Begin working the ripple pattern by working the first row as follows: *(Knit two together) three times, (knit one, work one yarn-over) six times, (knit two together) three times*; repeat from * to *. In the swatch, you will work the instructions from * to * two times.

3. Work the second row -- a wrong-side row -- by knitting all stitches. Work the third row -- a right-side row -- by knitting all stitches. Work the fourth row -- a wrong-side row -- by purling all stitches.

4. Repeat Steps 2 and 3 until your swatch measures approximately 5 inches in length.

5. Measure the width of your swatch. The swatch should measure 7.5 inches in order for the finished afghan to measure 60 inches in width. If your swatch is wider than 7.5 inches, you can go down a needle size to reduce the width of the afghan or accept a generously sized finished product. If your swatch is narrower than 7.5 inches, you can go up a needle size to increase the width of the afghan or accept a smaller finished afghan.

Make the Afghan

1. Cast on 288 stitches.

2. Work the four rows of the ripple pattern used in your swatch. You will work 16 repeats of the pattern across each row.

3. Continue working your afghan until it measures 60 inches or your desired length. Cast off all stitches loosely.

Finishing

1. Weave in all the yarn ends with your darning needle.

2. Wash the afghan according to the washing instructions on the yarn label.

3. Dry the afghan in the dryer, if permitted by the yarn label, or by air-drying in a position that will not stretch out the afghan, such as laying flat or hung over two or more clotheslines.

Tips & Warnings

• Work alternate repeats of the ripple pattern in alternate colors to create stripes.

• Purchase all the yarn needed for the afghan at once in order to ensure that your yarn is all of the same dye lot and is without subtle variations in color. Purchase one extra ball in case you require extra yarn and cannot find more of the same dye lot later.

• A washable yarn is a good choice if the afghan is likely to see heavy use.

References

• Lion Brand Yarn: How Much Yarn Do I Need To Make A ?
• Lion Brand Yarn: Ripple Stitch