When you create a chunky blanket, you must determine the amount of yarns that you will need to purchase. If you purchase to little yarn, your project will not be complete. You may have to buy more yarn to complete your project, which would cost you even more money.
On the other hand, if you purchase too much yarn, you will have leftover yarn once you have completed your project. This is also money that you will have to relinquish to purchase the yarn. Therefore, you should consider the size of the blanket that you would like to create.
How to Make and Care for an Arm Knit Blanket
If you would like to create a blanket for your lap, it should be small enough to cover your legs when you are on the couch. If you would like to create a blanket for the sofa, it should be medium in size. If you would like to create a blanket for your bed, it should be queen sized to cover the entire bed.
You cannot make a blanket that is the wrong size to cover your bed or furniture; you will lose the utility of that blanket. The type of yarn that you use are important because it will determine the type of knitting methods that you use to create your blanket. Merino roving yarn is thick and is ideal for arm knitting projects because it is easy to manipulate with your arms.
However, merino roving is delicate, so you must hand-wash it to prevent it from felting. Chenille yarn is soft and ideal for blankets that will be around children or pets because it is easy to wash in a washing machine. Finally, polyester yarns are durable and ideal for those who would like to place their blanket in the laundry machine and dryer.
However, polyester yarns are more affordable than merino roving yarn. The type of yarn you use should match the knitting methods that you use; otherwise, it will be dificult to knit with the yarn you have chosen. The gauge of your blanket is the size of the stitches that you create when you are knitting.
The gauge will ultimately determine the final width of your blanket. For arm knitting projects, each stitch is approximately three and a half inches in size when relaxed. The gauge will ultimately determine your width; the tighter your knit when creating a swatch, the narrower the width of your blanket will be.
To find the gauge of your stitches, create a swatch. Then, measure your stitches to find the gauge of your blanket. Knowing the gauge of your blanket will allow you to calculate how many loops of yarn you will need to create your desired size for the blanket.
For example, if you want to create a wide throw blanket, you will need eleven loops of yarn. However, before you begin to create your blanket, you must test the loops to ensure that you dont run out of yarn. Arm knitting is the art of using your arms instead of knitting needles to create the loops for your knit blanket.
To arm knit, you first have to create a slip knot on your wrist. Then, you will cast on your knit stitches using the long tail method. You will have to loop the yarn through each of the stitches that you created row by row.
You will also have to switch arms to avoid becoming arm fatigue. You must maintain even tension throughout the blanket knit so that it will have an even texture throughout its entirety. When you are finished creating the blanket with your arms, you will have to bind off the stitches.
You must perform a gentle bind off to avoid pucturing the edges of your blanket. After you have knit your blanket with your arms, you will have to weave the ends of the yarn into the blanket with a large knit needle to hide the ends of the yarn. To determine the amount of yarn that you will need to create your knit blanket with your arms, you must determine the size of the blanket that you would like to create.
If you would like to create a small blanket, you will need approximately one and a half pounds of yarn. However, if you would like to create a large king sized blanket, you will need to purchase approximately eleven pounds of yarn. You should always purchase at least ten percent more yarn than the blanket that you would like to knit because you may experience yarn tension issues.
Additionally, if you purchase multiple dye lots of yarn, the colors may not match the colors of the yarn that you buy. If you purchase extra yarn, you can ensure that you are able to successfully knit your blanket. In order to properly care for the blanket that you have knit with your arms, you must wash the wool yarn blankets by hand with cool water.
You must also dry the wool yarn blankets on a flat surface. However, if your yarn blanket contains synthetic yarns, you can place the blanket into the washing machine. However, you should place the blanket into a mesh bag to protect the yarn from being damaged during the spin cycle of the wash machine.
You should store your blankets in breathable areas of your home. Do not store your blankets in vacuum sealed bags because these bags will flatten the texture of your blanket when storing it. If you follow the instructions regarding the type of yarn that should be used, the gauge of your yarn, the technique for knitting your blanket with your arms, and the care of your blanket, you will be able to create a successful knit blanket for yourself or as a gift for someone else.
