New to crochet - but I've fallen in love with ripple blankets...

[blabalalalablabla]

and am considering just jumping in and trying to make one...

Is that crazy? Am I going to make a right mess of it and then never go back to it. I've spent the last 24 hours drooling at beautiful blankets and dreaming about making one and snuggling on the sofa in it.

So, reality check - how difficult is crocket - and can you give me some beginners tips?

And, in all honesty, how difficult are the ripple blankets?

I used to knit - haven't picked up a pair of needles for about 15 years - but can follow a pattern and I'm normally pretty quick to pick up new things so am quietly confident that once I've got the basics sorted I should be able to just get on with it [misguided emoticon] :o

Crochet unravelled is a good simple beginners book. this

This is a lovely book too cute and easy crochet

I haven't quite got the hang of it yet, my tension is all over the place and I have lots of knitting in progress. But I'm determined to master crochet soon.

Have a look here for inspiration and tutorials.

I taught myself to crochet last year by watching videos on you tube. There were loads of instructional videos showing all of the basic stitches, granny squares or anything else you want to know.

This site taught me how to do granny squares. Just click on granny squares 101. Great instructions!!

Happy hooking!!

Do lots of practise of the basic stitch (probably a treble) plus increase and decrease stitches and don't be afraid to rip it out and try again.

The hardest part of any crochet is starting, there's nothing to hold on to. So, if you're not confident, get someone (friend, ask someone at a wool shop) to help you start off - by the time the first row or two are done, there's plenty of fabric to hold on to and it's much much easier!

IIRC ripples are formed by working x stitches then and increase then x stitches then a decrease. If x=10, then a chain of 78 will give you around a 2' wide blanket (10 stitches plus one to work the increase/decrease in means that your pattern is 11 stitches long). Then you just have to keep track of where you've got to which is why i don't do stuff like this

ooh thank you everyone - will see if I can get that book from the library.

so many lovely designs everywhere - have registered on ravelry too - lots of inspiration there.

Nipple blankets? Are they the same as hooter hiders?
Oh, wait...
[hblush]

Attic24's blog has a lovely tutorial on how to do a ripple blanket. I made one following her instructions and I am very much a novice crocheter b

Attic24 Pattern

ooh - excellent - that's a good starting point before embarking on a full size blanket - I love her blog

It may be a good idea to start making your first blanket out of squares so you aren't trying to juggle a big amount of stuff all at once.

Once I got the hang of the basics, I've found it quite easy. I taught myself with Crochet Unravelled back in July and haven't looked back. I do still find the idea of a full sized blanket being done in one go rather daunting though!

I only just learnt to crochet and a ripple blanket was my first big project - here is more info + a link to the fab pattern www.redtedart.com/2011/02/18/how-to-teach-yourself-to-crochet/

Maggy

I am another Attic 24 fan. Lucy's ripple tutorial is top notch. I have about 12 rows left on my ripple and it is complete (bar weaving the ends in).

this is my ripple blanket using instructions from Attic 24.

www.ravelry.com/projects/claricestar/neat-ripple-pattern

it's a great pattern...I'm tempted to make another one!

That's lovely claricestar - being an impatient type I've just embarked on a knitted project - chunky woollen throw - but it should keep me busy until the books I've ordered arrive from the library.