The Ripple Crochet Ruana is a free crochet ruana pattern in sizes XS/S to 4X/5X, with a Short or Long length. It’s worked in one piece with no shoulder seams, so the ripple runs unbroken up the back and right over your shoulders.
I loved Kirsten’s Ripple Blanket so much that I wanted a version I could wear. So I took that same textured ripple and turned it into a ruana that wraps right around your shoulders.
I used Katia Merino Aran in White, Medium green, Sand, and Camel, with the stripes shifting from green at the hem to camel at the shoulders. It uses the same Ripple Stitch as the Ripple Crochet Blanket, worked into the third loop for that raised, ridged texture.
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Before You Hook: Ripple Crochet Ruana Details
🧶 Yarn Used: Katia Merino Aran (52% Merino Superwash, 48% Acrylic, 169yds/100g)
⚖️ Yarn Weight: #4 Worsted/Aran Weight
🧵 Featured Stitch: Ripple Stitch, worked in the third loop
🪝 Hook Size: US I (5.5mm) Crochet Hook, or hook to obtain gauge
📏 Sizes: XS/S to 4X/5X in Short or Long. All sizes are free here on the blog, with the ad free PDF and app version available to buy.
🩷🩷🩷🤍 Difficulty level: Intermediate
🕐 Approx. Crochet Time: A few weekends, depending on your size and length
🏷️ Project Type: An intermediate crochet ruana pattern, worked in one piece as an open front wrap you can wear loose or seam for armholes.
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Why You’ll Love This Crochet Ruana Pattern
- No shoulder seams. You work up the back and down each front, so the ripple flows over your shoulders without a break.
- Two ways to wear it. Leave the sides open for a loose, flowy wrap, or seam them for armholes so it stays put.
- Sizes XS/S to 4X/5X. Every size is written out, and each comes in a Short or Long length.
- A ribbed band that joins as you go. The join tucks behind the band, so the front edge looks smooth and finished.
- Easy rhythm. Ripple Stitch is a two row repeat, so once it clicks, it’s relaxing to work.
Ripple Crochet Ruana Supplies
Yarn
I used Katia Merino Aran, a #4 Worsted/Aran Weight yarn in 52% Merino Superwash, 48% Acrylic, 169yds/100g. The merino makes it soft and warm, and the superwash blend means it can go in the machine on a gentle wool cycle.
Colors shown: 1 White, 35 Camel, 48 Medium green, and 106 Sand.
Yarn Quantities
- Total: 2,162 (2,456, 2,750, 3,045) yds for the Short length. For the Long length, plan on about 15% more.
- White: 7 (8, 9, 10) balls
- Camel, Medium green, and Sand: 3 (3, 3, 4) balls each
Yarn Substitutions
- Cascade Cantata: 70% Cotton, 30% Merino Wool, 219yds/100g
- Comfy Aran: 75% Pima Cotton, 25% Acrylic, 136yds/100g
- Lion Brand Heartland: 100% Acrylic, 251yds/142g
- Cascade 220 Superwash Aran: 100% Merino Wool, 150yds/100g
Hook and Notions
- I (5.5mm) Crochet Hook
- Scissors
- Yarn Needle
- Removable Stitch Marker
- Tape Measure
- Blocking Mats
- Blocking Pins
Skill Level
This is an Intermediate pattern. Nothing in it is hard on its own, but you’ll be working decreases and increases on every row to shape the ripple, splitting for the fronts, and joining ribbing as you go. If you’ve made a ripple or chevron project before, you’ll feel right at home.
Abbreviations
- blo: back loop only
- ch: chain
- hdc: half double crochet
- hdc3tog: half double crochet 3 together
- RS/WS: right side/wrong side
- sc: single crochet
- sc3tog: single crochet 3 together
- sl st: slip stitch
- st(s): stitch(es)
- Stsc: stacked single crochet
Special Stitches
Stacked Single Crochet (Stsc): Work a sc, then insert your hook into the left vertical bar of that sc, yarn over and pull up a loop, yarn over and pull through both loops. It replaces the turning chain and counts as the first hdc of the row. Learn it step by step in How To Create the Stacked Single Crochet Stitch (STSC).
Third Loop: The third loop sits behind the top two loops of an hdc. Tip the top of the row toward you, and you’ll see it as a horizontal bar. Every WS row in this pattern is worked into it, which gives the ripple its texture.
Clean Single Crochet: Insert your hook into the left bar of the sc, then into the next row edge space. Yarn over and pull up a loop, pull through the first loop on the hook, then yarn over and pull through the remaining two loops. It’s what keeps the front edge straight before the ribbing goes on. There’s a full walkthrough in How to Get a Clean, Straight Edge on Your Crochet Projects (With One Simple Stitch!).
Ripple Stitch: A two-row repeat of half double crochet on the right side and single crochet in the third loop on the wrong side, with increases and decreases that build the peaks and valleys. Learn it step by step in How to Crochet the Ripple Stitch (Easy Textured Ripple Tutorial).
Gauge
16 sts and 8 rows = 4″ x 4″ in Ripple Stitch, blocked (16 sts and 10 rows unblocked). This is a garment, so match the blocked gauge, since every measurement in the size chart is blocked. Your stitch count doesn’t change when you block, only your rows relax. New to gauge? Start with What Is Crochet Gauge and How To Fix It.
Ripple Crochet Ruana Sizing and Fit
Pick your size by bust measurement. A ruana is meant to be roomy, so the size ranges are wide, and they overlap a little.
- Sizes: XS/S (M/L/XL, 2X/3X, 4X/5X)
- Fits bust: 28 to 34 (36 to 46, 48 to 54, 56 to 62)”
- Finished flat width: 37.75 (42.75, 47.75, 52.75)”
- Each front panel: 17.75 (20.25, 22.75, 25.25)”
- Back neck: 2.25″
- Back hem to shoulder: 24″ Short, 28″ Long
- Shoulder to front hem: 28″ Short, 32″ Long
- Total length, hem to hem over the shoulder: 52″ Short, 60″ Long
Both lengths run through the whole pattern, so choose Short or Long before you start and stick with it on the back and both fronts. The fronts are 4″ longer than the back, so they hang a little lower in front.
What Is a Ruana, and How Is It Different From a Poncho or Shawl?
A ruana is a large rectangular wrap with an opening up the front. It comes from the Andes, especially Colombia, where it’s traditionally woven from wool and worn over the shoulders like a blanket you can move in.
A poncho closes all the way around, with just a hole or slit for your head, so you pull it over your head. A shawl is a single piece you drape and hold or pin in place. A ruana sits in between: it rests on your shoulders like a poncho, but it opens down the front like a cardigan, so you can wear it loose, overlap the fronts, or belt it.
How the Ripple Crochet Ruana Is Made
The whole ruana is worked flat in one piece. You start at the back hem and work up in Ripple Stitch to the shoulder line. Then you split and work the first front down to its own hem, skip a few stitches for the back neck, and work the second front the same way.
Because there are no shoulder seams, the ripple runs straight up your back and over your shoulders without a break. The stripes alternate two rows of White with two rows of a color, moving from Medium green at the back hem through Sand and Camel to the shoulder. The fronts are worked in reverse, so each front hem ends in Medium green too.
To finish, you work a row of clean single crochet up one front edge, across the back neck, and down the other front. Then you add a narrow ribbed band that joins to that edge as you go. The join sits on the wrong side, so the front face of the band stays smooth.
Open Wrap or Armholes?
One of my favorite things about this pattern is that you get to decide how it wears. Leave the sides open, and it hangs loose and flowy, which is lovely for layering over a long-sleeve tee or a dress.
If you want it to stay put on your shoulders, seam part of each side to make armholes. This turns the ruana into something closer to an open cardigan and stops the fronts from sliding when you reach for things. The video shows exactly where to place the armholes and how to seam them.
How to Block a Crochet Ruana
Blocking is where the ripple really comes together. Soak the ruana in cool water with a gentle wool wash, then squeeze the water out without wringing. Roll it in a towel and press to get the rest out.
Lay it flat on blocking mats and smooth it to the schematic measurements. Pin the points out along all three hems, the back hem and both front hems, so every peak sits at the same depth. Let it dry completely before unpinning.
If you’d like a deeper look at the methods, How to Block Crochet: Wet, Steam & Spray Methods for Any Yarn covers wet, steam, and spray blocking for different fibers.
Caring for Your Ruana
Always follow the care label on your yarn. A superwash blend like the one shown can go in the machine on cold, on a gentle or wool cycle, with a mild wool wash. Wash it alone or with soft items, since zippers and hooks will catch the fabric.
Skip the dryer unless your label says otherwise. Heat can ruin wool blends, and tumbling can permanently distort the ripple. While it’s damp, reshape it and pin the points along all three hems, just like you did when you first blocked it.
Store it folded or rolled, never on a hanger. A wrap this size is heavy and will stretch at the shoulders. Wool keeps best when it’s put away freshly washed, since moths go for worn wool, and cedar or lavender in the drawer helps. If it pills where your arms rub, a fabric shaver removes the pills.
Important Pattern Notes
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Ripple Crochet Ruana Pattern
Ripple Crochet Ruana FAQs
Is this crochet ruana pattern beginner-friendly?
It’s rated Intermediate. If you’re comfortable with half double crochet and single crochet, you can make it, but you’ll work increases and decreases on every row to shape the ripple, plus split for the fronts and join the ribbing as you go. A confident beginner who’s willing to follow the video closely can absolutely get there. If ripple is new to you, practice on a small swatch first, so the two-row repeat feels natural before you commit to the whole ruana.
How much yarn do I need for a crochet ruana?
In the Katia Merino Aran shown, you’ll need 2,162 (2,456, 2,750, 3,045) yards in total across four colors for the Short length, and about 15% more for the Long, with White being the biggest share at 7 (8, 9, 10) balls. If you’re substituting, use yardage, not ball count, since every yarn has a different amount per ball. Buy all of each color from the same dye lot so the stripes match.
Can I use cotton or acrylic instead of a merino blend?
Yes. Cascade Cantata and Comfy Aran are both cotton blends, and Lion Brand Heartland is 100% acrylic, so there’s an option for warmer weather and an easy-care option. Cotton is heavier and has less spring than wool, so a cotton ruana will drape more and may stretch longer over time. Whatever you choose, swatch and block it first and match the blocked gauge, since that’s what the size chart is based on.
How long does it take to crochet a ruana?
Plan on a few weekends, depending on the size and length you choose and how quickly you crochet. The Long length and larger sizes add a fair number of rows. For a number based on your own pace, try the Crochet Time Estimator.
Should I make the Short or Long length?
The Short measures 52″ hem to hem over the shoulder, and the Long measures 60″. Both lengths are written throughout the pattern, so decide before you start and use the same length on the back and both fronts. Measure from your shoulder down your back to see where 24″ (Short) or 28″ (Long) lands, since that’s where the back hem will sit.
Why do my ripple points look uneven?
That’s normal before blocking, and it’s why blocking matters so much on this pattern. Wet block the ruana, smooth it to the schematic measurements, and pin out every point along all three hems so the peaks sit at the same depth. Once it dries, the ripples settle into an even wave. If they still look off, double-check that every WS row went into the third loop, since mixing in a regular loop changes the texture.
Cheers, and happy crocheting!
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Get the Ripple Crochet Ruana Pattern
- Etsy: Ripple Crochet Ruana Pattern on Etsy
- Ravelry: Ripple Crochet Ruana Pattern on Ravelry
- Shop: Ripple Crochet Ruana Pattern in the Shop
- YouTube: Ripple Crochet Ruana video tutorial
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