Ripple Afghan with Matching Pillow (No. 4612): vintage crochet pattern

Materials

• Worsted (#4) yarn. Bear Brand DeLuxe Knitting Worsted and Fleisher’s Superior Knitting Worsted were worsted-weight knitting yarns; substitute any worsted yarn that matches the gauge.
• Afghan: 2 oz each of A, B, C, D; 5 oz E; 9 oz each of F, G, H, I, J, K; 4 oz Black.
• Pillow: 2 oz each of A, B, C, D, E, F; 4 oz each of G, H, I, J, K; 4 oz Black.
• A pillow form (size not printed).
• Original hook: “Boye” crochet hook Size 3 (F).
• Tapestry needle for sewing and weaving in ends.
• Hook: Start with 3.75 mm (US F-5) and change size to match the gauge.

Abbreviations (US terms)

ch

chain

sc

single crochet

sl st

slip stitch

st

stitch

sts

stitches

sk

skip

rep

repeat

rnd

round

row

row

yo

yarn over

BLO

back loop only

Notes before you start

• Source: "Ripple Afghan with Matching Pillow" (No. 4612), Your All-time Favorite Afghans to Knit or Crochet in Bear Brand and Fleisher Yarns (Vol. 44, Revised Edition), Bear Brand and Fleisher Yarns (the yarn brands named on the cover; no separate publisher is printed). Public domain in the USA.
• As printed — materials: Color Key | Ounces Needed For Afghan | Ounces Needed For Pillow | Bear Brand DeLuxe Knitting Worsted | Fleisher’s Superior Knitting Worsted; A | 2 | 2 | Yellow 53 | Yellow 153; B | 2 | 2 | Yellow 54 | Yellow 154; C | 2 | 2 | Yellow 55 | Yellow 155; D | 2 | 2 | Orange 56 | Orange 156; E | 5 | 2 | Russet Brown 380 | Russet Brown 480; F | 9 | 2 | Russet Brown 381 | Russet Brown 481; G | 9 | 4 | Russet Brown 382 | Russet Brown 482; H | 9 | 4 | Russet Brown 383 | Russet Brown 483; I | 9 | 4 | Russet Brown 384 | Russet Brown 484; J | 9 | 4 | Russet Brown 385 | Russet Brown 485; K | 9 | 4 | Russet Brown 43 | Russet Brown 143; | 4 | 4 | Black | Black; “Boye” Crochet Hook, Size 3 (F).. Gauge: 9 sts = 2 inches.
• Modernisation note: Abbreviations updated to modern US style: "rpt" → rep, "skip" → sk, "thru" → through, "chs" → ch, "d c" → dc, "back loop of sts" → back loop only (blo). Row labels such as "Row 2—" are written as "Row 2:".
• Modernisation note: The book's rule is that "rpt from * (†) 3 times" means the pattern is made 4 times in all; such repeats are written as "rep from * 3 more times" ("once" → "once more", "twice" → "twice more") so the stitch count is unchanged. Repeats "across", "around" or "to next corner" are unchanged.
• Modernisation note: The printed colour and materials tables are given one table row per line, with | between columns.
• Modernisation note: The pillow's first round is not labelled in the original; it is written as "Rnd 1". "Join (with sl st)" is written as "join with sl st".
• Modernisation note: "Rpt from † 7 times" in the center is written as "rep from † 7 more times", which gives the printed 48 sts; "Work another Center only use colors B, C, D" is kept as printed.
• Modernisation note: The pillow center is given the heading "make 2" because the original says "Work another Center" and there is one opening at each end.
• Modernisation note: Check: the pillow form size is not printed; choose a round form that the 26-point cover will fit when drawn up.
• Modernisation note: The blank colour-key cell for Black is shown as an empty column in the materials table.
• Modernisation note: The blocking step is the book's general "To Block Crocheted or Knitted Afghans" directions. Modern advice (ours, not in the original): hot steam can permanently flatten acrylic yarn, so if you substitute acrylic, steam very lightly or wet-block instead.
• Modernisation note: Long printed paragraphs were split into one step per row, round or sentence; no stitches were added, removed or reordered.
• Modernisation note: Metric conversions, the CYC yarn weight, the modern hook suggestion and the yardage estimate were added; they are not in the original.
• Modernisation note: “Boye” hook sizes from this period (e.g. Size 3 (F), Size 5 (G)) were not tied to millimetres; the starting size given is a modern equivalent, and the gauge is what matters.