Do you like to give (or get!) DIY Christmas gifts? I know I do, but I always wonder if my DIY gift is really going to be appreciated. One thing that I will always enjoy getting (and I know lots of people would agree) is a nice, soft, cozy blanket. Why don’t you give this chunky arm knitted blanket a try? It will be a beautiful gift that will be cherished for years to come, and shouldn’t take you much time. Read on for more info on this fabulous DIY Christmas gift idea.
This DIY Christmas gift idea may not be the most frugal (it does use quite a bit of high-quality wool), it will certainly please even the most discriminating taste. Be sure and check out this free course on arm knitting from Truly Majestic for in-depth training!
The Arm Knitting Trend
Arm knitting took off in 2013 and has been slowly but surely been gaining in recognition since then. Chunky knit blankets (which are created by arm knitting) have gained in considerable popularity since late 2016. About that time a company called OHHIO decided to create blankets from unspun merino wool roving.
Since then an array of arm knitted items have been created by men and woman across the globe. From blankets, pillow covers, and poufs, to accessories like scarves, hats, and slippers. Giant stuffed toys have also been part of some of the new arm knitted creations that have popped up around the internet.
Just search “chunky knits” on Etsy and you’ll see a vibrant choice of colors sizes and shapes that all these chunky knits are coming in.
For those who have money to spend on giant Merino wool knits it’s heaven to browse, but even those on a tighter budget can still enjoy these soft giants with some extra time set aside to DIY them. Why not try a DIY Christmas gift idea with them?
What yarn can you arm knit with?
The arm knitting yarn (which isn’t really yarn) that most of these chunky giants are created out of is called “Wool Roving.” Which is basically combed wool in a thick strand to make it easier for those that love to spin yarn. However using Merino wool roving can be a nightmare unless handled properly. If it’s not first lightly felted, your blankets will shed EVERYWHERE, and unspun roving is very very delicate. I’ve even heard horror stories of one ladies blanket tearing apart.
To avoid all of the nightmares you simply have to lightly felt it before you arm knit with it. There are many video’s on Youtube to help you do this if you search “How to lightly felt wool roving for arm knitting yarn.”
Felting is a drag and takes a lot of time but it’s well worth it. The shedding is significantly minimized, your wool gets a seriously fun bounce (which it didn’t have before) and becomes super strong so it will last for years to come.
There is even a short Arm Knitting Mini Course which includes how to felt up your wool in the washing machine or dryer (saving you a ton of time), how to make stitches perfectly even every time, how much yarn you’ll need for different sized blankets and a generous one time discount from World of Wool’s site, which is a huge woollen mill based in England.
One of the top questions for arm knitting are how much wool roving is required to knit a blanket. That certainly depends on the size, but this chart gives a general guideline so you can be on your way to knitting up your blanket in no time.
Here are 7 free arm knitting lessons in arm knitting all nicely tucked away on one page for you to always refer back to.
Arm Knitting Therapy
Arm knitting has said to be therapeutic by many and is being adopted by many carers that work with disabled children and adults. Pulling cloud soft wool over your arms and letting it run through your hands is definitely relaxing AND the best part is you can have a HUGE blanket knitted up in an hour depending on the size, which of course makes you feel very productive. At the end of all that knitting, you’ll have a lovely DIY Christmas gift idea.
Full Length Arm Knitting Tutorials On Youtube
I hope you enjoyed the tutorials and get to try the free course. Won’t you give this lovely blanket a try, for a beautiful DIY Christmas gift idea?
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