How to Calculate Chevron Patterns (and Ripples!): A Step-by-Step Guide to Start Your Project

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Ever wondered how to calculate chevron patterns, and ripple patterns too? Have you noticed that the foundation chain length ‘shrinks’ after working the first row of a chevron or ripple stitch pattern? Those beautiful waves add height and, in the process, reduce the overall length.

This means that free-handing a project with a specific width can be tough if you rely on trial and error. But the good news is, you don’t have to keep trying over and over. With a few simple steps, I’ll show you how to calculate chevron patterns and know exactly how many chains you’ll need.

UPDATED: OCTOBER 6, 2023 BY BRITTANY
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Classic Ripple Stitch Cowl (Free Pattern & Tutorial Here)

While figuring out how many chains you need is pretty easy, the answer is never exactly the same for everyone or every project. The hook, yarn, and stitch must all be factored in, but it’ll be easier than you think!

A quick note before we get started: Throughout this post, I’ll often talk about chevron stitches. But here’s the thing – when I mention chevron, I’m talking about all those wonderful wave stitch patterns, like ripples and more.

Here is a quick overview of the topics we will cover in this article:


Here’s what you need to know First.

Figuring out how many foundation chains to make when improvising a ripple, chevron, or any other wavy stitch pattern requires you to know a couple of things:

  1. The stitch multiple
  2. The width of the thing you want to make

The stitch multiple is easy enough. You can always find this information in the pattern notes of the stitch book or online tutorial you’re using. Jot that number down.

We’ll use this classic ripple stitch as an example. You can find the written instructions and tutorial for it here. It has a multiple of 14 + 3. In other words, you’d chain in groups of 14 and add 3 to the end.

A swatch you can make if you learn how to calculate chevron patterns foundation chain
Classic Ripple Stitch Pattern (Written Instructions + Tutorial Here)

Step 1: How Wide is One Repeat? (aka one “multiple”)

Once you know how many chains are in one repeat, you’ll need to find out how wide one repeat measures using the hook and yarn you plan to use for the project. So start by chaining the multiple, and add any chains it tells you at the end.

Make 14 chains + 3 = 17 total chains

Follow the first row instructions for the pattern, and being as exact as possible, measure the width of that single repeat.

Step 2: How Wide Do You Want Your Project to Be?

Now that you know how wide a single repeat is with your yarn and hook of choice, you can divide the measurement into it to determine how many repeats you need for the width you want.

Let’s say I want to make a scarf that’s 9″ wide. Since 9 divided by 3 equals 3, I need to multiply 14 (my multiple) by 3. This gives me 42, and to that, I need to add the 3 chains (from “14 + 3″) for a grand total of 45 chains to crochet a scarf with this stitch pattern that will measure 9” wide.

Step 3: How to Calculate Chevron Patterns Starting Chain

When you know how wide a single repeat (or “multiple” in other words) is with your yarn, stitch, and hook of choice, you can use it to figure out how many multiples you need for the width you want.

Here’s an example…

Desired Project Width
50″

Multiple
17 + 2

Step 1: One repeat measures 3.5″

Step 2: 50 / 3.5 = 14.29 (repeats)

Step 3: Round 14.29 down to 14

Step 4: 17 x 14 = 238 (chains)

Step 5: 238 + 2 = 240 (chains)

So in this example, I would start with 240 chains for a project width of this desired length. One thing you may have noticed in this example that you didn’t see in the scarf example is that the math didn’t work out perfectly. The step 2 calculation wasn’t a whole number, and since we can’t make 14.29 repeats we have to round down.

The math won’t always work out perfectly and in many cases, that’s okay. For projects where sizing isn’t critically important like blankets or scarves, being close to your target width is good enough.

For clothing though, you need it to be more exact. The step 2 equation needs to be a whole number, so 14…not 14.29. In these instances, it’s best to adjust the hook size to get a single repeat measurement that divides evenly into your desired width.

How Many Chains Do You Need for More Basic Stitches?

The up-and-down nature of a ripple or chevron stitch makes figuring out the foundation chain a little more complicated. If you’re working with a more simple stitch like the shell stitch or the feather stitch, use this article to help you figure out how many chains you will need to start your project.

How to Calculate Chevron Patterns Step-by-Step Video Tutorial?

More of a visual person? I get it! Watch this video for an even deeper explanation of what you just read.

Video not displaying? Watch this tutorial on YouTube instead.

Right-Handed Tutorial on YouTube

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