If you love scrolling through Pinterest, you’ve probably stumbled on a chunky knit blanket. Usually, the links on those Pinterest posts or pins tend to lead to Etsy shops where you can purchase a handmade chunky blanket.
But what if you could make a chunky blanket in the comfort of your home?
Chunky blankets make great accessories in homes as they usually act as throw blankets on couches and beds. This is most likely the picturesque post you saw as you scrolled through your Pinterest feed. Not only do they make great home décor they are also incredible gifts to give to your family and friends.
This article aims at helping you get the fundamental skills on how you can make your chunky blanket at a huge fraction of the costs offered by Etsy sellers. It will also help you understand how you can care for your chunky blanket while ensuring that it lasts for as long as possible.
How To Make A Hand Knit Chunky Blanket
This is the part where you are instilled with the step-by-step process of making these incredible warm, fuzzy, and comfortable blankets. The great part about it is that it is a needleless knitting project. This means that it does not require needles.
You may wonder, what exactly do I need to make these huge blankets?
Well, this knitting process is known as Arm Knitting. You simply require your hands to do all the work. For those of you concerned about the lack of needles and how exactly you can manage to make clean work, do not fret. You can use needles for this process. It is entirely optional.
How To Make A Hand Knit Chunky Blanket
- Get all the necessary materials
- Create a knot
- Create a slip knot
- 16 stitches of loops
- Turn it upside down
- Loop the working yarn through the chain
- Consistently make the loops and stitches as you go along
- The Finale
Let’s take a closer look at the process of how you can craft your own chunky knit blanket.
STEP 1: Get all the necessary tools
Like how a chef gathers all their ingredients in order to create a fantastic meal, it is important that you get all the necessary tools to start making the chunky knit blanket.
Since this is a needleless knitting process known as arm knitting, your only ingredient is yarn. You will need chunky yarn that can be found in supermarkets and knitting supply stores. You’ll buy them in balls known as skeins.
So, when you head on over to your yarn supply store, it’s always good to use knitting jargon. Not only will you get help quickly, it’s also good to look like you know what you’re doing.
STEP 2: Create a Knot
Now that you’re seated and with your sole tool, you want to start the knitting process. Tying a knot at the end of the yarn is the starting point.
It’s just a simple knot, nothing too fancy. Make sure the knot is maybe just an inch or two away from the ending point of the yarn. You want a good knot that won’t easily come out undone and you always don’t want the starting knot to take up too much yarn.
Just a simple knot near the end of the yarn but not completely. Its needs some breathing space.
STEP 3: Create a Slip Knot
It would be best to Google up what a slip knot is at this point just to get familiar with how its supposed to look like. It’s always good practice to look at what the result is, just to help you get a better idea.
This will be your first slip knot in a series of slip knots, and it will help you create the foundation of your chunky blanket.
It is important to mention that chunky blankets are made of chains and knots for the blanket’s entire construction to hold. You don’t want your chunky blanket to keep falling apart just because you didn’t secure it properly.
STEP 4: 16 stitches of loops
Depending on the size of blanket you want, its recommended to beginners that they start with 16 stitches. This means that they should create 16 chains of loops to get stitches. You do this by taking your slip knot and through the circular part of it, you put your fingers in it. Take the working yarn and pass it through the original slip knot to create another extra knot.
Do this, 16 more times to create a chain with your yarn.
The most common mistake beginners do at this stage is that they make the stitches too tight. You don’t want to make it too tight, so be sure to keep a handle on the amount of force you will be using.
STEP 5: Turn it upside down
At this stage you want the back side of the chain to face upwards. It is also recommended that you angle the last loop upwards. Remember that you only need 16 stitches, the final loop is the one that will lead to the 17th stitch. That’s the loop you’re going to use.
The chain that is created by the stitches is going to be your next helper.
STEP 6: Loop the working yarn through the chain
At this stage, you pass the working yarn through the under eyes or the middle of the chain. Make a loop with the working yarn and continue doing this until you reach the end.
TIP 1: Always skip the first stitch or the first loop in each row
Seeing as you’ve gotten this far in the process, it is important to note that this will be the basis for the entire chunky blanket. Make sure that you always skip the first stitch and its loop in every row.
The direction of your work doesn’t matter if the stitch is skipped. This is to further pronounce the braiding effect common in chunky blankets.
STEP 7: Consistently make the loops and stitches as you go along
As you continue working, after you’ve skipped the first stitch, just simply take the working yarn and continue looping it through the loops from the previous stitches. You want to create more loops as you continue stitching.
TIP 2: Tightening the last stitch
As you continue moving back and forth, it is recommended that you tighten the end loop. This is all for the sake of maintaining the blanket’s overall structure. You don’t want it look sloppy along the edges.
TIP 3: Attaching the next yarn
When the time comes and your first ball of yarn has run out, just simply tie a knot between the new yarn and the working yarn. Make sure you cut off the excess and continue making stitches and loops.
STEP 8: The Finale
Now that you’re almost done, it’s time to close the curtains and start the sealing process. You take two loops, not one like previously done, and put the working yarn through those two loops. You will then have created one loop.
Then taking that loop and the next loop to have two loops, you do that again. Keep up the two loop stitches all the way till the end.
At the end, you will be faced with a loop and some working yarn. Put the yarn that’s left and pull it to create a small knot. You can tie the knot again for additional security and to make sure that the tail end of the blanket holds on its own.
It is recommended to sow in the tail end of the yarn to other stitches. This is way to merge the surplus yarn into the blanket without making it look like a clumpy mess on one side.
The Best Chunky Yarn For Knit Blankets
The best chunky yarn for a chunky blanket project is dependent on your budget size, color and material preference. Generally, this yarn is known in the market as chunky yarn. It is highly recommended that beginners start with this type of yarn when starting out.
It is also known as Non-Mulesed Chunky Wool Yarn. Mulesed means that any strips of wool that came from unclean parts of the sheep. So non-mulesed means that those strips of wool have been removed from the equation.
The Best Chunky Yarn For Chunky Knit Blankets
Merino wool chunky yarn is the best chunky yarn for knit blankets. Merino has smaller fibers than other types of wool yarn, which makes it softer, more bouncy, and more comfortable. While merino is the ideal yarn for a chunky blanket, other types of yarn such as acrylic yarn can sometimes be used.
As a beginner, you want something that is primarily used and can be easily found, should you want to make another blanket, or you ran out of wool.
There are other options in the market such as: Chunky Acrylic Yarn, LB collection Wool Yarn and Merino Wool Chunky Yarn. These are just a few options you may have seen being mentioned. Once you’re familiar with the process, you can invest into these different yarns and see which one fits you best.
How Much Yarn For A Hand Knit Chunky Blanket
How Much Yarn To Make A Chunky Blanket
It takes up to 6 skeins of chunky yarn to make a chunky knit blanket. In addition, the number of skeins used will depend on the number of colors you want to use to make the blanket and how large you want the blanket to be. The larger the blanket and the more colors you use, the more skeins you will need.
As shared earlier, chunky yarn is sold in skeins. These are the balls of yarn. It doesn’t hurt to know some knitting terminology or jargon. It is recommended that beginners can start with 3 or 4 skeins. This is also dependent on the size of blanket you want.
If you want a huge blanket, then 4 skeins should do the trick. 3 is the average number of skeins that can give you a good sized and proportional chunky yarn blanket.
A large chunky blanket can take up to 6 skeins, depending on the size you choose.
How Long Does It Take To Make A Chunky Knit Blanket
How Long Does It Take To Make A Chunky Knit Blanket
It takes 45 minutes to make a chunky knit blanket. Depending on the size of the blanket it the process could be faster or take longer. The amount of time it takes you to make a chunky blanket will improve as you practice and master your technique.
As a beginner it may take you a while to get familiar with the process. As you get used to the process, you can take up to an hour just to make a chunky knit blanket. This shouldn’t deter you from the process.
If you keep doing it over and over and creating more creative projects with the arm knitting process, you may get faster with the process. This is a skill and any skills require practice, effort, time and patience to master. Don’t worry about the time and do things at your own pace.
What Size Knitting Needle for Chunky Yarn?
Seeing as this process is needleless, you can integrate needles into your chunky blanket knitting process. As a beginner, you may find this helpful especially in terms of sizing and length. It also keeps everything together in a nice straight line for you to stitch.
The arm knitting process may be too much for beginners and they may need something that offers more structure and needles have always been a helpful tool.
What Size Knitting Needle For Chunky Yarn?
Chunky yarn requires a US size 60 or 30mm knitting needle. These large knitting needles are ideal for chunky yarn if you want a tight pattern for your blanket. You can find large knitting needles designed for chunky yarn on sites like Amazon, Etsy, and eBay.
The best needles for these huge chunky blankets are giant knitting needles. Usually, they are a US size 60 with a width of 30mm. Sometimes, the needles are wider than 30mm. You may find some of these giant needles at 35mm.
It is recommended to start with 30mm needles if you want a chunky blanket. They’re not called chunky for nothing. For those interested, you can find the needles on Etsy shops. They offer great varieties in terms of giant needles.
Cleaning A Chunky Knit Blanket
Are Chunky Knit Blankets Washing Machine Safe?
Chunky knit blankets are not washing machine safe. If your chunky blanket is made of wool, washing it will cause it to felt. Felting is when the wool becomes frayed and the wool begins to stick together. This gives the blanket the appearance that it is all one piece, rather than woven together.
Unfortunately, most of your options will cause felting of some type, however, you still have options. If you did not use wool then you may still be able to wash your chunky blanket in a washing machine.
You can easily get this information from the yarn’s tags and if this information isn’t clear enough, don’t be afraid to search them up online. They will have an FAQ section where you can check how to clean the yarn with a washing machine.
Usually, this information will come with the yarn or you can ask around knitting communities on Facebook. If not, you can join a knitting organization such as Raverly to help you connect with other people that enjoy knitting and can offer assistance on how you can clean your chunky blanket.
The good news is that you can still clean your chunky knit blanket without putting it in to a washing machine.
How To Clean A Chunky Knit Blanket
Soak your chunky blanket in cold water mixed with wool wash for 30 minutes. Drain the blanket, taking care not to squeeze or wring it, then soak it in clean water with no detergent for 10 minutes. Completely drain the water and place the damp blanket on towels, somewhere warm so it can dry.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is easy to make a chunky knit blanket. Chunky knit blankets are very beginner friendly and the technique can be learned rather quickly. Start by laying out your materials near a large flat work surface such as a table or on a bed. This will allow you to keep a better perspective as you work.
Chunky knit blankets can be affordable to make. It costs between $30 and $100 to make a chunky knit blanket depending on the size of the blanket and the type of material you are using. Start by using low-cost materials for your first blanket until you have mastered your technique.
Conclusion
In conclusion, chunky knit blankets are not that difficult or expensive to make. However, I would attempt to make a small blanket using less expensive materials before trying a larger more expensive one.
Once you’ve learned how to make a chunky knit blanket you will be able to have one for a throw on your beds, and couches and even give them away as gifts or sell them on sites like Etsy, eBay, and Facebook.
Don’t be afraid to try and don’t be afraid to print out the instructions or look up a video on YouTube to go along with as you work. Once you’ve finished your chunky blanket you will be glad you did it!
