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This hand knit blanket for beginners is such an enjoyable project! All you need is some chunky yarn, this chunky hand knit blanket tutorial, and some free time. Choose any color of yarn you want and set aside an afternoon to work on this lovely cozy blanket. Once you know how to make a chunky knit blanket like a pro, you might want to create some more, as these gorgeous blankets make wonderful gifts! They’re also a budget-friendly alternative to buying a readymade chunky blanket.
Why You’ll Love This
Easy: This chunky knit blanket tutorial is so simple you can make chunky knit blankets even if you have no experience of knitting at all! Just get some yarn and follow the instructions to make your chunky hand-knit blanket.
Giftable: You’re going to want to make more chunky blankets once you see how fun and easy it is, which means you can give some as gifts, and everyone loves snuggling under a cozy blanket.
Customizable: You will find that yarn comes in lots of different colors so you can pick your favorite color or even combine more than one in your blanket. You can also choose different kinds of yarn such as a merino wool blend or chenille yarn, for example.
Easy Chunky Hand-Knitted Blanket Supplies
A complete list of supplies and amounts can be found in the recipe card below
Yarn: You’re going to need super-bulky weight yarn for the blanket. If you’re wondering how much yarn a project like this needs, the answer is 8 skeins, but you can use less or more depending on the desired length of the blanket.
How to Make a Chunky Blanket
For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable tutorial card.
Start it off: Tie a slip knot in the yarn, leaving a tail which you will weave in later, then pull a loop of yarn through the slip knot, then repeat 24 times, using the new loop as a new slip knot.
The next stage: Make another loop which will be the start of the next row. Lay a length of yarn down and pull it through the loop and repeat until you finish row 2.
Repeat: Keep making new rows like this until you’ve used almost all the yarn.
Make the last row: Starting at the opposite side of the blanket to where your yarn is, loop it all the way down the side and then pull it tight.
The finishing touches: Weave in any loose yarn tails and then snuggle up in your new cozy blanket!
Variations
Types of yarn: My favorite kind of yarn for making a chunky knit blanket is merino wool yarn. It’s a soft, smooth, warm, and bouncy option. Another option is chenille yarn (this is vegan-friendly too). If you’re on a budget, acrylic yarn will work.
How to Use Your Chunky Knit Blanket
You are going to want to use your hand knit chunky blanket a lot because it’s so warm and cozy! Snuggle under it with a book or magazine if you want some me-time.
Throw it over the bed on an extra chilly night. Wrap it up and gift it to someone you love. Or use it as a decorative (but useful!) throw on the couch or your favorite armchair.
Top Tips
Choosing your yarn: Bear in mind merino wool is a heavy choice and well suited to cool climates while chenille yarn is lighter. Acrylic wool is light too and also cheaper than the others, and a good choice for those allergic to wool.
Tie up loose ends: When tying a new yarn to the end of the old one, you can either snip off the excess or leave it and then tuck it into the finished blanket afterward.
Chunky Blanket DIY Tutorial FAQs
Keep an eye on the loops as you’re working to make sure they’re visually more or less even. You can also use three fingers to ensure the loop is big enough and, if it’s too small, pull it out a little more and check again.
Yes you can and that’s part of the fun of arm knitting! You will need to use multiple skeins of yarn anyway, so if you want to use different colors in the same chunky knit blanket, you can! Get creative and have fun with it!
It depends which yarn you’re using. If you use merino yarn, wash it cold and air dry, as hot temperatures will make it shrink! Acrylic is far more forgiving and can be machine washed and tumble dried too.
Chunky Knit Blanket DIY
Prevent your screen from going dark
Tie a slip knot in your yarn. Leave about three inches of a tail so you have enough to weave in later (image 1-4)
Grab your working yarn (the yarn attached to the ball) with your right index finger and thumb, and pull a loop through your slip knot. The loop will look the same as the slip knot (image 5–6)
Continue this process until you have 24 loops in your chain.
Measure to make sure your loops are even. The easiest way is to use three fingers to make sure your loop fits comfortably around without excess. If the loop is too small to fit over three fingers, pull it out slightly more to loosen it (image 7)
Once you have completed the 24 loops, pull one more loop through (25 total). With this loop, position it so that it is facing upwards and perpendicular to the rest of your chain. This will begin your second row of loops (image 8)
Make sure the ball of yarn you are using is on the opposite side of the blanket from where you are working. Pull out a few feet of yarn at a time and lay it down along the top of the blanket to make sure you have enough yarn to work with.
Find the stitch next to your loop that is facing up. (It will be the hole next to the first loop, but not the hole that contains the first loop. Put two fingers in this hole and grab the working yarn. Pull the yarn through the hole. Make sure three fingers will fit in your loop so it is the right size. Lay the loop flat so that it is in the same position as the first loop (image 9–12)
Continue this process for the length of the blanket to complete your row (image 13)
When you get to the last loop in the row, pull up a loop the same way as the others. Move your working yarn across the top of the blanket so that it is going in the direction you are working. Pull up another loop and begin going back across the row to the other side (image 14–17)
You will continue this process until you have used all eight skeins of yarn.
To attach a new ball of yarn, tie a tight knot with your working yarn and the new ball of yarn. Once the knot is tight, you can cut off the excess, or weave it into the blanket once complete (image 18–20)
When you have used all of your yarn and are happy with the length of the blanket, you will begin the final row. To complete the blanket you will start with the side opposite your working yarn (you need the tail to tie off). If your working yarn is on the right side of the blanket, grab the loop furthest on the left hand side of the blanket in your left hand, and the loop next to it in your right hand. Pull the loop in your right hand through the one in your left hand.
You will now have one loop. Place this loop in your left hand, and continue down the blanket until the final loop. Once you have pulled the final loop through, you will pull the tail of your yarn through that final loop and pull it tight. If your tail is on the left side of the blanket you will do the opposite.
Grab the furthest loop on the right hand side in your right hand, and the loop next to it with your left hand. You will pull each left loop through each right loop across the whole blanket until you reach the end. Pull the yarn tail through the final loop, and weave the end of your yarn into the blanket (image 21–25)
Weave in any yarn tails that are leftover, and enjoy your cozy blanket!
This easy chunky hand-knitted blanket is such a great project if you want to make your own blanket or a hand knitted chunky blanket to give as a gift. Have fun choosing different colors and different types of yarn to personalize your chunky blankets. All you need is this tutorial, a flat surface and some yarn and you’re good to go!
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Bella Bucchiotti
Bella Bucchiotti is a Canadian-based syndicated food, travel, and lifestyle writer, photographer, and creator at xoxoBella. She founded xoxoBella in 2015, where she shares her love for food, dogs, sustainability, fitness, crafts, outdoor adventures, travel, and philanthropy to encourage others to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places, and stand for a cause. Bella creates stress-free and family-friendly recipes for weeknight dinners and festive feasts.
