Ripple Afghan Pattern

Now that you know a few stitches, what can you do with them? Here's an idea.

 Baby blanket in baby sport weight yarn with size G hook. I work rounds until it measures 33 1/2 inches across. I have made several as gifts for nieces and nephews for first babies. I will need 10 more, so I'm still making these blankets.

Afghan using worsted weight yarn and size J hook. I used left over yarn from other projects until I thought it was big enough.
Patterns suggest yarn weight and hook size and often say to make a practice swatch of so many stitches and rows to check your gauge, and to change hook size until your practice swatch measures so many inches. This is important for clothes to get the right size, but not so important for blankets, afghans, or doilies.
Round 1: Chain 4, in 4th chain from hook, work 11 dc. Join with sl st. (12 dc)

Rnd 2: ch 3, work 1 dc in same st, 2 dc in each stitch around. (24 dc). Join.

Rnd 3: ch 3, *skip next st, 1 dc, ch 2, 1 dc in next stitch (V-st made). repeat from *, ending with 1 dc in same sp as ch 3, ch 2, join in top of first ch 3. (12 v-stitches)

Rnd 4: sl st into the ch 2 space, ch 3, 1 dc, ch 2, 2 dc in same space, *2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc in next ch 2 space, repeat from * around. Join. (12 large shells).

Rnd 5: sl st in the next stitch, ch 3, * in next ch 2 space, work 1 dc, 2 ch, 1 dc (small shell made). dc in next stitch, skip next 2 stitches, 1 dc in next stitch. Repeat from * around. Join.

Rnd 6: sl st in next stitch, ch 3, dc in next stitch, * in ch 2 space, work 2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc, dc in next stitch, skip next 2 stitches, dc in next stitch. Repeat from * around. Join.

Rnd 7: sl st in next stitch, ch 3, dc in next 2 stitches, * in ch 2 space, work 1 dc, ch 2, 1 dc, dc in next 2 stitches, skip next 2 stitches, dc in next 2 stitches. Repeat from * around. Join.

Work in rounds, alternating rounds of large shells and small shells. Increasing every other round (large shells) helps the afghan lay flat. Work as many rounds as needed for desired size.

Double crochet (dc)

 I'm working these double crochets over a row of single crochet. Once you've learned sc, everything else in crochet is very easy. To start a row of double crochet, chain 3, and wrap the yarn around the hook, before inserting hook into stitch of row below.

That chain 3 will count as a dc in most patterns, so unless you want to increase the number of stitches in the row, skip the first st and insert hook into next stitch.

 Wrap the hook around the hook (just like sc).

 Pull it through the stitch of row below. You have 3 loops on hook.

 Wrap yarn around hook (just like sc).

 Pull it through 2 of the 3 stitches on the hook. You have 2 loops on hook.

 Wrap yarn around hook.

 

 Pull it through both loops on hook. You have made a double crochet stitch.
                                     
 To make the next stitch, wrap yarn around hook and insert hook into the next stitch.

 Wrap yarn around hook.

 Pull a loop through the stitch. You have 3 loops on hook.

 Wrap yarn around hook.

 Pull loop through 2 of the 3 loops on the hook

 Wrap yarn around hook.

 Pull it through the 2 loops on the hook.

Continue across row, making last stitch in top chain of ch3 turning stitch. Chain 3, turn.

 Wrap yarn around hook and insert hook in second stitch of row below.

 Work across the row.

 Wrap yarn around hook and insert into top chain stitch of ch3 turning chain of row below.

By making a longer chain and several rows, you can make a dishcloth. You decide how big the cloth will be by how long your chain is and how many rows you make.

Plarn 2

 To make a reusable grocery bag instead of a shoulder bag, change the size of your bottom strip. I didn't count the chains, just made it almost 6 inches long for the width of the bottom. I think working that first row on the chain stitches is the hardest part of starting a new project, so I work across the shorter end.

 Then, work even sc across the rows until it's the desired length. The "nubs" are where the joining knots aren't quite as tight.

I like 12 inches deep for grocery bags. Many of the cloth reusable bags stores sell are 6 x 12 on the bottom and 12 to 14 inches deep.

 

 

Different measurements make different shaped bags. I'm still cutting strips for this bag, the stripes of different colors are slightly different colors of bags from the same store. 7 x 11, it will probably be 12 deep.

 I put 2 straps on my grocery bags. When it's the right depth, mark the 4 corners with safety pins. Instead of working across the short ends, I start a strap in a corner of a long side. I make them 15 sc wide to be a bit stronger than the handles of the shoulder bag.

23 inches long straps

 

 I join the strap so that the outside edge of it is even with a corner. Then work across the end to the next corner and make the second strap. Join and finish off.

 Different stores have different color bags. I'm waiting for more bags to finish this shoulder bag.

 The writing on the bags is in different colors, too. Eventually, I'll have shoulder bags in white with blue and red spots, or blue, or red, or multi colored spots.

I keep the bags from different stores separate, so that so far, my grocery and shoulder bags have been of simple color schemes. Stripes of different colors would be easy to do.

Plarn (PLastic yARN)

Here's a fun way to reuse all those plastic grocery bags that pile up so fast.

                                                                  Lay the bag out flat.

                                                 Fold it in fourths and cut off the handles.

 Cut across in 1 inch strips. You can't use the bottom strip of the bag, But all you have to recycle from this bag is the handles and that bottom strip, which greatly reduces trips to the recycling center.

                                                                   Open the strips.

                                           Put the end of one loop in the end of another loop.

                     Take the left end of the right loop and pull it through the right end of the right loop.

                                                                     Pull it tight.

                                                   Repeat until the loops are all joined.

                                                                   Roll it into a ball.

 Plarn is a bit easier to start than yarn, since you already have a loop. I like to use a size G aluminum hook.

                                             No short end of yarn, but just crochet as usual.

                                       I'm making a shoulder bag, so I need 11 chain stitches.

                                                                 10 Single crochet

 One bag makes a strip about 2 inches long of 10 sc. It takes about 70 bags to make this shoulder bag.

My mom cuts and "ties" bags as soon as she gets them. They take up less space in balls than they do in bags lying flat. I just want to crochet as fast as I can so I tie balls on as I go.

                                            End of the ball into the loop on crocheted piece.

                                                                Ball through loop.

                                                                         Pull it tight.

Continue tying on and crocheting the 10 sc rows until the piece is as long as you want. I made this just over 10 inches. This is the base (bottom) of the bag.

                          Working in the sides of the rows, work 1 sc in each row down one side.

                                                       Work across the end of the strip,

                                                              And down the other side.

                    For second and following rounds, work a sc in each stitch of previous round.

                          I like to see progress, so I measure often. 4 inches, not deep enough yet.

 10 inches! Time to start the handles. From the 4 corners of the base, fold the bag straight up. Mark with safety pins.

                                                             Work sc over 10 stitches.

You can make the handle whatever length you like. I want the strap to go diagonally across my body and the bag to hang near my waist. The strap needs to be about 38 inches long for me. It will stretch a bit over time, so a little shorter is better than a little longer.

                    Here are my safety pins marking where the strap needs to be joined to the bag.

 Make sure the strap isn't twisted. Right sides together. Working on the inside, join the strap to the stitches between the pins using slip stitches.

                                       If you want an open bag, you can finish off the bag here.

I like a flap over my bags, so working across the top of one side, work rows of sc until the flap is as long as you want.

I like a long flap, almost covering the front of the bag. This bag took 70 plastic grocery bags. If you make a shorter shoulder strap and/or a shorter (or no) flap, you would not need as many. This bag took 8 days of crocheting in all my spare time, about 25 hours.