THE Jumbo Knitting Blanket
That escalated... quickly. I recorded a really short video about how to knit a jumbo blanket. Welp... It went viral. It currently sits just under 6 millions views and 1 million likes. Guys.. It makes me soooooo happy that so many people might try knitting because they saw that video.. Here it is!
With that being said, there have also been some pretty un-fun comments. There's the occasional "this is crochet", but the ones that bum me out are the other makers who are trying to convince people not to make it. Their comments tend to describe the drawbacks to jumbo knitting (definitely real concerns) but not in a constructive way. It's a fair amount of "don't ever make these blankets". This easy blanket is like a gateway project! I want people to feel inspired by their success and end up hoarding yarn like the rest of us.
So, let's talk about it!
But first, please know the links below are affiliate links. If you click on any of the pictures or links, I would get a small payment from the store if you buy there. That doesn't impact the price you pay!
Roving Wool
Let's start with the yarn seen all over Pinterest: roving wool. This gorgeous fiber, in all its un-spun glory, will make the most luscious and incredible blanket. A blanket that will only last for about a week..
Roving wool is what the yarn looks like before it is spun into yarn. It is really fluffy and extra thick! Since it isn't spun, it doesn't last. Spinning is what makes the yarn more durable. Without being spun, it is far more likely to result in pilling, splitting, and looking fuzzy with limited use. For that reason, making this into a blanket that you want to wear around your house (am I the only one wearing blankets??) will mean you're disappointed in all that time and money invested in such a big project.
Roving wool also tends to be REALLY expensive. A blanket could cost hundreds of $$ in material. That's a tough pill to swallow if the blanket will fall apart quickly.
"Ok so what can I actually use?"
I'm not one to say no without giving an alternative so let's consider some options!
Chenille
Many yarn companies refer to it as blanket yarn so that makes it easy! This yarn is a really fluffy alternative to roving. It has a microfiber feel to it that is often used as baby yarn as well. Generally made of polyester or acrylic, it is not a natural fiber. Some don't like it much for that reason. I think it makes it really durable and easy to care for. Who doesn't love machine washable? This affordable alternative will not have the same stitch definition as roving or others, but you can wear it and use it as much as you'd like! The down side with some is they can have the dreaded "string" running through the middle. It makes it more durable so I'm ok with it!
Tube
Getting yarn to be that bulky has to be challenging. One solution is to make a "tube" of a durable material like cotton and stuff it. The options for size are really endless here. Making it yourself is a possibility if you've got the time to both make the yarn and then knit with it. That isn't my ideal scenario so I've done so looking around.
Chainette
Similar to tube yarn, chainette constructed yarn is when thin yarn is looped on itself many times in a "tube" shape. That is the type of yarn I used when making my full sized blanket. Because this is made with thinner yarn, it can be made out of different fibers. Cotton, wool, acrylic, etc. could all be made into chainette constructed yarn.
It's hard to tell with the velvet yarn linked below, but it is built out of a series of chains. It is a velvet thread and looks really soft and also machine washable AND dryable. Imaging pulling that out of your dryer all warm and cozy!
Big Twist Tape - This is the exact yarn I used for mine! I ordered 8 balls and made a large lap blanket. Less than $50!
Faux Fur
Ok so I haven't tried this yet and it is a HUGE miss on my part. I've made a Christmas Tree Skirt and Christmas Stocking with this yarn and it is unbelievably soft. I am not sure how easy it is to work with in terms of arm knitting. It should be thick enough, but I'll put my money where my mouth is and get some. I'll edit this post when I do!
There are lots of other options and I linked about 15 in my Amazon page. It might seem like I'm a bit of a Lion Brand fan-girl. I am, but it's also the yarn I know best and have used the most. It's also really accessible. Yarn doesn't have to cost a lot for it to make beautiful things. There are times I can be snobby with my yarn choices, but you don't have to be a "yarn snob" to get luxurious feeling out of the things you make!
If you follow me on TikTok and you see anyone asking questions, feel free to encourage them. I know what yarn has brought to my life and I hope we can work together to teach people how great this community of makers is. Every community has a few gatekeepers who say things like "real knitters know the difference". I'll keep deleting those!
Happy knitting my friends!