Ripple-A-Long - another crochet project.

Glutton for punishment, no just sticking to my doing more varied crafts that I love and joining more blog challenges that I promised myself I would do this year.

So when Mel Goodsell/one crafty mumma on Blog/Instagram mentioned that she was thinking of hosting a Ripple-A-Long, I just had to join.

I've been drooling over ripple blankets on Instagram ever since I started on my african flower rug.

Which is My coming together nicely but another ball of each was needed so, another trip to the Granny Square in Newtown, was on the cards, and with a new project on the cards of course more crocheting wool/cotton was needed and with much playing and looking at colours....

I came home with 5 balls of Morris PADDINGTON which is a 6ply Bamboo 80% Merino 20% blend. A little more expensive but I had hubby with me on this trip and with his approval "that it's a blanket for us" it was Ok.

We chose Newspaper (grey), Chalk (cream), Lipstick (red), Dutch Teal (blue) & Cornichon (green). I fell in love with some images on Pinterest that were paler versions of the colours I chose and I wanted this for upstairs where I have a green wall, with some red pieces of furniture, I think it will work.

I couldn't wait to have a play and after reading Mel's 1st Homework post Here
http://melissagoodsell.typepad.com/day_to_day/2013/02/welcome-to-the-ripple-along-first-homework.html

I decided that I was going to use her suggestion of Attic24's Neat Ripple Pattern from this link
http://attic24.typepad.com/weblog/neat-ripple-pattern.html

I was then quick off the mark to start working out if the 6ply would work with my 4mm clover needle tension wise, so using the mini sample from Attic24, I gave it a go. WOW so easy, only one pull undone, (that counting of the chain is crucial). I love the softness of this yarn, it's just beautiful.

With my sample complete I've sat with tape measure and calculator working out a plan. Only to discover that Mel's calculations from her post of her blanket work out much the same. (Thanks Mel.)
So this weeks homework is almost complete
-Decide which ripple pattern you're going to use & have a mini run through of the pattern.
CHECK (thanks Attic24)
-Think about yarn for the blanket and once you've settled on a colourway, pop out and grab some yarn ready to start!
CHECK (as above sample then reversed)
-Work out what size you're going to do the blanket & perhaps draw yourself up a guide for the colour scheme you have in mind.
CHECK (see below)

I'm going to work with the Morris PADDINGTON which is a 6ply Bamboo 80% Merino 20% blend. I'm going to try and cast on 199 chain and do 55 bands of colour. (Approx 112x110cm perfect snuggle rug size).
Working in this colour pattern
Newspaper (grey), Chalk (cream), Lipstick (red), Dutch Teal (blue) & Cornichon (green), blue, red, cream, repeat 6 times, and then a final grey row.

And Mel's action plan for the blanket seems easy enough, but with a few more bands I've modified it.....
Pre homework week - too excited needed to cast on and start 5/10 bands of colour to see my pattern in real life ( yes this is tonight's job)
1st week - 10 bands of colour .... because it's always exciting to start a new blanket!
2nd week - 10 bands of colour
3rd week - 10 bands of colour
4th week - 10 bands of colour
5th week - last 5 bands and reality of the mad catch up plus a ruffle border, just a frilly edge I think.

So excited, at the moment, even miss B is keen for a ripple in her room so the list is already growing and all I've done is a sample.

So I'm off to check out the others ripple-a-long linked up blogs before I get casting on.

If your keen to join us, start day is this coming Monday the 25th February. This is Mel's blog link

http://melissagoodsell.typepad.com/day_to_day