Double Crochet Blanket Patterns – Ripple Waves Throw

If you’re new to crochet and want to create something with beautiful movement and texture, this double crochet pattern for beginners is a great place to start. The Ripple Waves Throw is a simple one row repeat that gives you these gorgeous flowy waves using only basic stitches: double crochet, increases, and decreases. Whether you’re making a baby blanket, a scarf, or a full sized throw, this relaxing stitch is easy to master and totally beginner friendly. Finished blanket size 41.5″ x 52.5″.

Double Crochet Increase

Double crochet increase (dc inc): Involves placing two or more double crochet stitches into a single stitch space, thereby increasing the total stitch count and expanding the fabric.

Just place 2-dc stitches into the same stitch. The shell stitch, popcorn stitch and puff stitch are the most common patterns that use double crochet increases to form the stitch. The number of double crochets placed into the same stitch does vary among all of these stitch patterns.

Crochet Guru has a video tutorial that shows you how to do this if you need a visual for this.

Double Crochet Two Together Decrease

The double crochet two together (dc2tog), this stitch is a decrease, meaning it reduces the stitch count by combining two stitches into one either in a row or round. This technique effectively makes a project narrower or shapes a curve. 

Here’s how to execute the double crochet two together (dc2tog):

1. Yarn over and insert your hook into the next stitch space.

2. Yarn over and pull up a loop, resulting in three loops on your hook.

3. Yarn over and pull through two loops, leaving two loops on the hook. This creates the first half of the double crochet.

4. Yarn over and insert your hook into the next stitch.

5. Yarn over and pull up a loop, leaving four loops on your hook.

6. Yarn over and pull through two loops, leaving three loops on the hook. Now you have two unfinished double crochet stitches on your hook.

7. Yarn over and pull through the remaining three loops on your hook. You’ve successfully completed a dc2tog decrease. 

This method effectively decreases one stitch from your work. Jayda InStitches has s great video that shows you how to do this stitch if you want to see how it’s done. The dc2tog is a fundamental decrease, and understanding it unlocks various shaping and design possibilities in crochet. 

Why You Will Like This Double Crochet Pattern

This blanket has so much personality with the ridges in the waves, made by crocheting in the back loop of the chain only. Using one yarn color for 3 rows and then changing to a new color came out nicely. It also means you only need to change your yarn every 3 rows instead of every row to get a colorful crochet blanket.

It’s also a great project to use up your yarn stash. I recently cleaned out my closet and pulled out 6 large Joann craft store bags (which are huge bags) and they all had yarn from other projects. Taking up room and they need to go. Most of the yarn are in colors that are not my favorite. I will make another blanket pattern and use them up but for this one I picked 5 colors and I like the way it turned out. Three light colors, white yarn and one dark yarn. Again, all leftover but I thought they looked pretty good together and don’t use this color combination very much.

Make sure you check this out!

After you read this post, make sure you also check out Learn To Crochet for Absolute Beginner’s. It’s jam packed with even more information, links and resources that are so helpful when you’re first learning. It also has a section with free patterns that are great for beginners. So make sure you check this out, seriously don’t forget!

Grab the Shell Stitch Afghan crochet pattern, my free gift to you when you subscribe to my newsletter. Click the link below for your copy.

Double Crochet Pattern – Ripple Waves Throw

Here’s the step-by-step instructions for this fun double crochet pattern for beginners called the Ripple Waves Blanket (but throw size). This stitch pattern is a variation of the ripple crochet stitch and I absolutely love it! You repeat row for the entire pattern, and it’s really important that your first few rows are spot on with no mistakes.

Stitch Pattern Overview

• Skill Level: Beginner
• Stitch Used: Double Crochet (dc)
• Stitch Multiple: 12 + 3 (for the turning chain)
• Wave Size: Each ripple spans 12 stitches

Stitch Abbreviations

• sc: single crochet stitch
• ch: chain
• dc: double crochet stitch
• dc inc: double crochet increase
• dc2tog: double crochet two together (decrease)

Finished blanket size 41.5″ x 52.5″

This pattern is done in multiples of 12 plus 3. It’s important to note that this wave stitch will shrink your foundation row row.

I never use stitch markers but if you do use them, you will mark off each wave or ever 12th chain. I’m using multiple colors and doing three rows before changing.

Foundation Chain

Chain 168. Ch 3 and turn.

Row 1: Setup Row

1. Dc in the 4th ch from the hook (counts as first dc)
2. Dc in next 3 chs.
3. Work 2 dc2tog over the next 4 chs (decrease).
4. Dc in next 3 chs.
5. Work 2 dc in the next 2 chs (dc inc).
6. Dc in next 3 chs.
7. Work 2 dc2tog over the next 4 chs (decrease).
8. Repeat steps 4–7 across the row, ending with dc in each of the last 3 chs and 2 dc in the very last ch.
9. Turn work.

Row 2 and Beyond: Repeat the Ripple

1. Ch 2 (counts as first dc), dc in first ch from hook (starting ch). Now work in the back loop only of each ch.
2. Dc in next 3 chs.
3. Work 2 dc2tog over the next 4 chs (decrease).
4. Dc in next 3 chs.
5. Work 2 dc in the next 2 chs (dc inc).
6. Dc in next 3 chs.
7. Work 2 dc2tog over the next 4 chs (decrease).
8. Repeat steps 4–7 across the row, ending with dc in each of the last 3 chs and 2 dc in the very last ch.
9. Turn work.

Tips for Ripple Wave Stitch

• Make sure your 2 dc increase always goes into the center stitch of the previous row’s 2-dc group.
• Your dc2tog decrease should center over the previous row’s decrease.
• To avoid curling edges, don’t skip those first and last 2 dcs because they keep the sides straight.
• The most important tip, if you count is off, frog your work back to the mistake. (see tips and tricks below)

Double Crochet Blanket Pattern

Row and color chart for my sample double crochet pattern. Here is the list of colors and yarn brands used by row. Change your yarn on the last stitch at the end of the row (every third row). I just picked that number out of thin air and love the way it turned out but you could also change yarn colors every two to four rows. I think there were about 50 yarn tails that had to be weaved in.

Start with white, pink, yellow, light blue and royal blue. Do each color for 3 rows. The foundation row does not count as a row. Crochet 6 sets of this color and row combination for the full blanket. This is the perfect size throw, big enough without being too big.

First Color: Pound of Love (White) 1 skein

Second Color: Caron One Pound (Soft Pink) 1 skein

Third Color: Lion Brand Basic Stitch (Lemonade) 2 skeins

Fourth Color: Big Twist (Sky Blue) 1 skein

Fifth Color: Lion Brand Basic Stitch (Royal Blue) 2 skeins

Pattern by Row and Yarn Color

Listed below are the total rows and yarn color for each.

Border (Optional)

This is the first blanket that doesn’t have a crochet border on it. It doesn’t need one, but feel free to add one of these free and easy border patterns.

Want the full pattern? Click the button below for the digital pattern.

Border

I started to add a simple double crochet border in royal blue all the way around and ended up ripping it out. This blanket looks beautiful with no border, just like the Dixie Granny Ripple blanket.

If you want to add a border, you can pick one of these easy crochet border patterns. Grab the digital patterns here.

Pattern Tips and Tricks

The double crochet increases (top of wave) and double crochet decreases (bottom of wave) should line up from row to row. You will always start with two double crochet stitches in the first chain, 3 single double crochets, increase or decrease combo, 3 single double crochets and end with 2 double crochets in the last chain. This last chain is in the turning chain and sometimes it’s hard to find.

You want 4 stitches at the end of the row. So if your stitch count is off at the end of the row and you cannot find your mistake, here are tricks to get you back on track. These are my cheater tricks but try not to use them if you don’t have to.

Cheater tips

You can add stitches or decrease stitches but do this on the 3 single double crochet stitches. You want your increase and decrease combinations to always line up but more importantly, you need 3 stitches at the end of the row to finish off the row. If you only have 2 stitches left, just place 2 double crochets in one stitch. If you have too many stitches left, you can join two double crochets for a decrease to eliminate the extra stitches. Hope that makes sense.

I try to fix stitch count errors in the middle of my blanket and will frog my work back to the middle if I can’t find where I went wrong. This happened to me a couple times on this blanket. This is my preference but you can do the trick anywhere on the row. Remember, the 2 double crochets in the same stitch at the end of the row are done in the turning chain so you don’t really need a stitch to do that in.

Washing Instructions

Always wash your blanket according to the yarn manufacturers washing instructions. The yarns used in this blanket wash up fine in warm or cold water by themselves or thrown in the wash with your regular items. Tumble dry med with a few fabric softener sheet for maximum softness. If using yarn with bright color dye’s, consider washing with cold water on gentle cycle with those color catcher sheet from Shout. If any of the yarn colors bleed or run in the wash, the sheets will catch it and save your crochet or quilting project.

Fun Facts

Did you know that double crochet stitches are the most popular among crocheter’s? Even though it’s the most popular stitch, it can get really boring when you just do every row the same way but not this pattern. This pattern is fun because you mix things up when you increase at the top of the waves and decrease on the bottom of the waves. It also has a great secondary pattern with the nice edge from crocheting in the back loop only. 

It’s not the easiest double crochet pattern because you really need to make sure your rows match up. But once you get going, you will enjoy making this large blanket. This ripple wave is one of the most satisfying and rhythmic stitches you can learn. 

Do you need a video to help you with this? Play Hookie With Me has this tutorial even though her pattern is slightly different than mine. It shows you how to do the double crochet increase stitch and the decrease stitch also known as the dc2tog. 

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