For the second year in a row, chunky knitted blankets are filling the country’s Instagrams, and the trend for knitting in the interior has haunted me this fall.
I remember when I was studying at the Academy of Design and doing my homework about knitting as one of the trends, I was scrolling through pictures on Pintrest with blankets made from large yarn, but it didn’t even occur to me that you could knit these yourself. It seemed like these were some cool, inaccessible designer pieces.
But soon I began to come across posts on foreign blogs about hand knitting. Shtoa?! With your hands? So it is possible?
It turns out that yes. Very thick yarn is taken and hands are used instead of knitting needles.
Where to buy giant yarn
When I finished last year's fall reading nook project, I set about finding yarn. I searched on the Internet for “thick wool”, “giant plaid” and found strange groups that were engaged in joint purchases in Chinese stores. This didn't inspire confidence in me.
I wanted to trust the photographs, that in the end I would receive what is in the photo in my order, and I would order exactly the amount of yarn that is enough for a blanket of the right size. I reviewed so many sites that spring had already arrived and the project was postponed until autumn.
At the beginning of September, I found the Cozy Store website, which sells knitting yarn. This was what we needed! The store is in Moscow, but the parcel arrived in St. Petersburg in 3 days.
What are these blankets made of?
Large knitted blankets are very cozy; they instantly create a homely atmosphere in the room. Merino wool blankets are considered canonical; they are very warm and as soft as possible for products made from natural wool. The only disadvantage of such products is their high cost.
How much yarn do you need for a blanket?
Ooooh, that was the hardest question. I tormented the search engine with this question and for a long time could not find a normal answer. Everything was terribly confusing. Somewhere yarn was measured by weight, somewhere in meters, somewhere in balls. Mom dear!
I didn’t understand anything, I was terribly afraid that I would buy only enough yarn for a blanket for photo shoots - it turns out that on beautiful layouts on Instagram they often use not a full-fledged blanket, but a fake piece of a small blanket, especially for photo shoots - or I would buy so much of it that instead there will be a rug and a carpet.
As a result, I finally figured it out with the “Cozy Store”.
Here are the sizes and required amount of yarn:
- Blanket 80x120 cm – 2 kg
- Blanket 100x150 cm – 3 kg
- Blanket 130x170 cm – 4.5 kg
- Blanket 150x200 cm – 6 kg
For a medium-sized blanket, 3 kilograms of yarn were needed.
All the yarn was in one ball, so I didn't have to tie it and hide the knots while knitting. This volume of yarn produced a blanket measuring 100 by 135 cm (I measured it with a ruler!).
This is exactly what was needed. It's decorative, so I place it at the foot of the bed.
The use of large knitted blankets in a modern interior
A soft and cozy blanket will look great in the bedroom. Such a blanket can be placed at the foot of the bed and the room will be filled with warmth and comfort.
You can use a blanket with a relief or smooth pattern in a children's room. Such a blanket can serve as both a bedspread and a soft carpet so that the child can play or exercise on the floor.
In the living room, such blankets can be thrown over the chairs, and they will add good emotions and warm you up on cold winter evenings.
Note! Warm blankets with large knitting will also be indispensable on the balcony, in the country house, on the terrace. They will come in handy on benches or chairs and will keep you warm during cooler times of the day.
Large, brightly colored blankets are perfect for an interior that is designed in one color; they will go well with simple furniture, or in rooms where there is little furniture and decorated items.
In conclusion, I would like to say that no matter how you use a large knitted blanket, it will bring you a feeling of warmth, comfort and tranquility, and will fill your home atmosphere with peace of mind.
How to knit a blanket
I tried to remember the last time I knitted. The mind wandered and got lost in the memories of high school.
I figured that knitting was a skill like riding a bike—you’ll remember it when you need it—and I started looking for instructions on hand knitting. Of what I watched, I liked the Apartment Therapy video the most. No giant knitting needles made of plastic pipes (yes, yes, there is such a thing), no jewelry knitting patterns with your fingers and, most importantly, no instructions for an hour in a boring voice.
It took me watching the video more than once, with pauses and sometimes at slow speed, but these instructions worked.
Initially, I cast on 16 loops on my hand and, yes, my hand was enough. As a result, 16 loops gave the blanket a width of about a meter.
Chunky knit blankets - fashion trend 2021
Which blanket to choose
Definitely not checkered, this is completely beyond good and evil, and at the same time good taste. At the beginning of this year, a new trend appeared in interior decoration - large knitted blankets made from 100% merino wool. Fashionable and very beautiful, these blankets do not leave the pages of magazines. Although it seems that it is quite difficult to purchase them, in reality everything is not so, fortunately these beauties are already produced in Russia. Our review will help you figure out what's what and find a decent copy to decorate your home.
Modern Wool, USA
Modern Wool
An American blanket with such a large knit, it appeared on the market back in 2013. In addition to blankets, Modern Wool makes scarves, snoods, hats, sweaters, pillows, and also sells the woolen threads themselves.
The unique feature of all products is a slight fraying of the threads, which can be achieved through special processing of raw materials, 100% wool from merino sheep of the French Ramboulier breed. Modern Wool stores are located in America and Norway; you can also order a blanket online. Prices start at 13,000 rubles at the current rate, but there is no delivery to Russia and is not yet expected.
Woolie, Russia
Woolie
A young Russian brand whose specialization is blankets, blankets and only blankets. Woolie appeared on the market at the beginning of 2021 and has already managed to make a pretty loud statement about itself. The assortment includes more than 10 colors and four sizes; it is also possible to order a blanket of the required size.
Woolie
Woolie blankets can be easily purchased with delivery on the website and in several offline locations, and, to everyone’s delight, at very reasonable prices: from 4,900 rubles. Woolie focuses on quality and democracy, because the creators of the brand believe that a good blanket should be available to everyone. Let's lift the veil of secrecy: the charming model in the photo is the founder of Woolie, Anna Avdeeva.
Ohhio, Ukraine
Ohhio
Ukrainian startup that managed to appear on the crowdfunding platform Kickstarter. Ohhio planned to raise $20,000, but received 10 times more - 207,000. By the way, an interesting statistic: only 5% of campaigns on crowdfunding platforms raise twice the amount required. So Ohhio showed a stunning result.
Thanks to such strong financial support, the brand launched production in February of this year. The assortment includes wicker blankets, scarves and snoods. Ohhio focuses its sales on Western audiences, hence the high cost of its products: from 19,000 rubles. There is no delivery to Russia.
DIY blanket
If ready-made handmade is not your option, you can knit such a blanket yourself. Ingredients for success: good yarn and basic knitting skills. If everything is clear with the second one, then with yarn the question is much more interesting.
Merino wool is an extremely expensive material, unique in its consumer characteristics: quality, wear resistance, softness and hypoallergenicity. To make the blanket beautifully knitted, you need to use very thick threads. It’s not easy to find these on sale, and the cost of a one-time purchase will be quite high. Look for a suitable option here: yarn for a small blanket will cost about 15,000 rubles, and for a king size it will cost about 30,000 rubles.
How long to knit by time
I knitted the blanket in two batches and spent 1.5 hours on the whole project. This also takes into account the fact that I had to photograph the process. If I didn’t want to share this story on the blog, then I would climb onto the sofa in the evening with a ball of yarn, light candles and knit a blanket in one movie and one evening. Here I am a little jealous of those who don’t have a blog and don’t have to take photos in the process.
Watch the video of how I knitted a blanket.
The finished blanket turned out very beautiful. And this despite the fact that I managed to mess up the knitting a little, forgot to slip off the first loop and, as a result, I couldn’t make a beautiful braid along the edge. If you are not so good at knitting, then you definitely won’t make such an annoying mistake. Well, I’ve warned you now, just in case!
Plus, it's super warm. While I was knitting, the blanket became longer and longer and began to cover my legs. So, I was hot while I was knitting.
Some designs are beautiful, but not very functional. I just knitted the blanket, but I’ve already spent several wonderful evenings under it. There is a risk that I will stop getting out from under the blanket and out of the house, how cozy, warm and pleasant it is.
Another unexpected bonus: when you finally get out from under the blanket, the folded corner looks mega-photogenic. No special fancy layouts are needed. The blanket is voluminous, so it looks very solid. Beautiful photos on Instagram are guaranteed.
We knit a baby blanket
Every young mother faces the question of how to knit a baby blanket? This issue should be approached with full responsibility. To do this, you need to choose high-quality soft yarn that does not prick and does not cause allergic reactions.
Read here - Decorative jewelry - the best ideas and a master class for making beautiful jewelry (100 photos)
It is recommended to carry out the work directly using knitting needles, then the product will turn out soft and airy.
The Internet provides a huge number of photos of knitted blankets for children, after studying which you will choose a beautiful and exclusive option for yourself. This blanket will keep your baby warm in cold weather.
