One of the most famous crochet stitch patterns, second only to (maybe) the granny square. You've probably seen a million of them, in living rooms everywhere. And they're so easy to make.

For this pattern, there is no right or wrong side, no up or down. The multiple is (get this) 13 + 12 + 2, but you're better off chaining wildly, making the first row, then cutting off any extra chains. For this pattern, we'll use a base of 40 to start.

Ch 40.

Row 1: Sc in 3rd ch from hk, sc in ea of next 4 chs. *Inc 3 sc in next ch, sc in ea of next 5 ch, sk 2 ch, sc in ea of next 5 chs. Rep from * across, ending with 3 sc in next ch, sc in ea of next 6 chs. Ch 1, turn.

Row 2: Sk next sc, *sc in ea of next 5 sc, work 3 sc in next sc (inc made), sc in ea of next 5 sc, sk 2 sc (dec made). rep from * across, ending with sc in ea of next 5 sc, 3 sc in next sc, sc in ea of next 6 sc. Ch 1, turn.

Repeat row 2.
Variations in this stitch are rampant. Most people choose to change color every row or every other row, which looks great. Instead of single crochets, you can use double crochets, or even triple crochets to make a looser, airier afghan. You can work through the back loops of stitches to create a ridged, insulated afghan. To make the ripples sharper or more subtle, you can increase or decrease the number of stitches between increases and decreases. Nearly anything can be done with this wonderful stitch.

This pattern node uses crochet abbreviations.

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