| Knitted Ripple Afghans |
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| Written by Barbara Rottman | |||
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Author: Melissa Leapman Date Published: 2010 Review Date: June 1, 2010
Who is this book for? Following the Oscar presentations, how many of you have staged your own film festivals renting and watching every movie made by, say Sandra Bullock? I’d mention Meryl Streep, but few of us can make that kind of time commitment. Or have you ever read every word written by your favorite author? Jane Austen comes to mind. When it comes to knitting, some knitters like to explore a stitch, technique or method to the fullest extent. Knitting designer Melissa Leapman takes you along on her exploration of the wave stitch in Knitted Ripple Afghans. This ever popular and versatile technique has been used by generations of knitters and crocheters to create warm homey afghans. Remember those gently waving stripes or chevrons, sometimes plain and sometimes striped that comforted you on a cold rainy day while you watched one of those films or read your favorite book? Now you can knit your own heirloom using one of the designs in Knitted Ripple Afghans.
What Yarns does it Feature? All the designs in this book are knit in medium, or worsted, weight yarn that’s readily available and easily substitutable. These cozy throws are knit at a gauge of 18 – 22 stitches over 4 inches on size 7 – 9 circular needles. Melissa recommends using use a circular needle to accommodate the large number of stitches and distribute the weight as you knit back and forth on the afghan. This gauge produces a pliant fabric that’s ideal for afghans. As demonstrated in the models, you can use 100% superwash wool, washable wool/acrylic blends, cotton blends, and acrylics in any of the designs.
What’s Inside? Five easy-to-knit afghans designed by Melissa Leapman are presented in this book. The ripple technique is surprising simple for the intricate results achieved. When rows of increases and decreases are stacked atop one another, the knitting forms waves, riding up at increases and pointing down at the decreases. Repetitive yarn-over increases create the lacy open-work effect. When these simple design choices are worked in a striped pattern, the wave pattern is accentuated. Using only a few simple motifs, the design possibilities are nearly endless. In Knitted Ripple Afghans, Melissa Leapman worked out 5 striking designs, some plain, and others striped. Each afghan uses a different pattern stitch and can be worked plain or striped. Look closely at the photo index and you’ll see that you have two stripe choices for chevrons, and two for ripples, but you could easily adapt the striping sequences to any of the afghans in the book.
Best Pattern (or Best Advice) If you can knit and purl and follow simple written instructions, you can make any one of these afghans. Four patterns are classified as “easy” and the fifth is only mildly challenging. It specifies a 6-stitch cable turned once every 4 rows. The patterns are easy to memorize, repeating either every 4 or every 8 rows and are over multiples of 10 – 26 stitches. Each pattern requires only a page of instructions, and there are lots of close-up color photos to help you visualize the project. If you do get confused, the glossary includes well illustrated instructions for every technique in the book.
Using It If you can knit and purl and follow simple written instructions, you can make any one of these afghans. Four patterns are classified as “easy” and the fifth is only mildly challenging. It specifies a 6-stitch cable turned once every 4 rows. The patterns are easy to memorize, repeating either every 4 or every 8 rows and are over multiples of 10 – 26 stitches. Each pattern requires only a page of instructions, and there are lots of close-up color photos to help you visualize the project. If you do get confused, the glossary includes well illustrated instructions for every technique in the book.
Recommendation Knitted Ripple Afghans is an excellent compilation of the ripple afghan. After you make one or more of the afghans, you’ll want to experiment with color and stripes. You’ll also know that you can make these cozy warmers in lap robe, baby or bed sizes by adding or subtracting a few pattern repeats and knitting to the desired length. Chances are you won’t stop with just one ripple afghan. Overall Recommendation If an afghan is in your knitting future, buy this book. I rate it #9. It’s comprehensive, easy to use and value priced.
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Title: Knitted Ripple Afghans
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