Everything You've Ever Wanted to Know About Arm Knitting
Oversized knit blankets crafted from chunky yarn and PVC-pipe needles have been floating around Pinterest for a few years now. And while the finished projects looked amazing, it is a bit cumbersome to store oversized PVC knitting needles or even try using them in a tight space. But now that needle-free arm knitting has hit the DIY scene, with a hoard of giant knit projects to work on. To help guide your way into needle-free knitting, we've rounded up answers to the most-asked questions and what materials to stock up on, then using, enormous yarn.
Arm Knitting 101:
If you already know how to knit using needles, then picking up the art of arm knitting will be a cinch. It's very nearly the same process, except that your arms stand in for the needles and every step is super-sized!
If you're brand new to knitting, a quick arm-knit project will help build your crafting confidence. For starters, watch the video below and follow along as Kaitlin Flannery, the Social Media Manager for Kitchn, shows how to cast on and arm knit a blanket. Then, continue reading for answers to those burning FAQs.
Arm Knitting FAQs:
1. Can I stop in the middle of an arm knitting project?
What do you do when you're elbow-deep in a merino wool scarf and your doorbell rings, or you suddenly feel the need to reclaim your arms as arms rather than giant knitting needles? Good news, arm knitters: stopping in the middle of a project is both possible and surprisingly easy. Simply move each stitch one-by-one onto a stitch holder. Anne Weil—the foremost expert on arm knitting and author of Knitting Without Needles (Potter Craft)—recommends sliding stitches onto a cardboard gift wrap roll. If you don't have one available, placing the stitches on a long scrap piece of yarn will also work. Try to remember which arm your last row of stitches was on, so that when you're ready to get back to work, you can quickly pick up where you left off.
2. How can I make tighter stitches?
By its nature, arm knitting is going to produce looser, chunkier stitches than traditional knitting, but to make more consistent stitches, try keeping your stitches as close to your hand as possible. Make sure each stitch is snug around your arm (but not so tight that it's uncomfortable!). As you knit, pull each stitch slightly to tighten it, and try keeping your hands closer together. Just like in old-school knitting, you'll start to build up muscle memory and will eventually make more uniform stitches without even trying.
3. How do you knit with multiple strands of yarn?
To make chunkier yarn, knitters will often double, triple, or even quadruple up on thinner yarn. Start with multiple balls of yarn and hold the ends of each strand together when you cast on. As you knit, continue to work from separate balls of yarn, because winding the strands together beforehand will likely result in a tangled mess.
Make an Arm Knit Blanket in Less Than an Hour
How to Arm Knit a Super Chunky Wool
Throw Blanket
This video will walk you step by step through the process to arm knit a ribbed blanket
with giant yarn! It's super fun, fast, and easy even if you're a complete beginner at knitting!
Supplies needed:
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3kg or 6lbs of Urban Sheep "Pure" yarn to make this couch-sized throw blanket
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No giant needles required! This is knit with your hands and arms only!
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