Ripple Fan Crochet Blanket

Ripple Fan Crochet Blanket by Joanne Johncey

Project Overview

The Ripple Fan Crochet Blanket is an intermediate-level crochet project designed to create a beautiful textured throw or baby blanket. This pattern combines ripple and fan stitch techniques to produce a dynamic, undulating fabric with visual movement and depth. The design is versatile and can be made in a coordinated color scheme or using yarn oddments from your stash, making it an excellent project for stash busting.

What Is Being Made

This pattern creates a finished blanket measuring approximately 80cm x 80cm, suitable as a baby blanket or decorative throw. The blanket features a ripple fan construction that produces a wavy, scalloped appearance with fan-shaped motifs integrated throughout the design. The pattern is similar in construction to traditional chevron and ripple blankets but incorporates fan stitches for added texture and visual interest.

Yarn and Materials

The Ripple Fan Crochet Blanket requires 400g of DK weight yarn for the standard baby blanket size. The designer used Stylecraft Special DK in four coordinating colors: 100g Graphite 1063, 100g White 1001, 100g Turquoise 1068, and 100g Apple 1852. However, the pattern is flexible and allows crafters to use yarn oddments in any color combination without affecting the final result, making it adaptable to personal preference and available materials. A 5mm crochet hook is required for this project.

Crochet Techniques and Stitches

This intermediate pattern employs several fundamental and intermediate crochet stitches to create its distinctive ripple fan texture. The stitch work combines both basic and more complex stitches to achieve the undulating wave pattern characteristic of ripple designs.

• Chain (CH): The foundation stitch used to create the base of the blanket and transition between rows.
• Double Crochet (DC): A basic stitch used throughout the pattern for structure and density.
• Half Treble (HTR): A medium-height stitch that provides intermediate height between double crochet and treble stitches.
• Double Treble (DTR): A taller stitch used to create the fan elements and add height variation within the ripple pattern.
• Triple Treble (TRTR): An advanced tall stitch created by yarning over the hook three times, inserting through a stitch, and pulling yarn through while working off stitches in pairs until completion. This stitch creates the tallest points in the fan motifs.

The combination of these stitches at varying heights creates the characteristic ripple effect, with the fan stitches (progressing from shorter to taller stitches) forming the peaks of the wave pattern. The stitch abbreviations follow UK crochet terminology.

Gauge and Sizing

The pattern specifies a gauge of 16 stitches by 5 rows equals 6cm. However, the designer notes that gauge is not critical for this blanket project, allowing for flexibility in tension and hook size without significantly affecting the final result. This makes the pattern forgiving for crocheters of varying experience levels within the intermediate skill range.

Difficulty Level

Rated as intermediate, this pattern is suitable for crocheters with foundational skills who are ready to work with multiple stitch heights and understand how to manage yarn overs and stitch sequences. The ripple fan technique requires understanding how to increase and decrease stitches to create the wave formation, making it more challenging than basic blanket patterns but accessible to those with some crochet experience.