Giganto-blanket – finished!

Buy the tutorial and pattern on Ravelry

Buy tutorial and pattern on Etsy

Want me to make you one? Click here for more info.

Have questions about the giganto-blanket? Check out the FAQ!

Giganto-blanket is finished!

Giganto-blanket

It’s squishy and huge and pretty amazing, if I do say so myself. It’s so big you can hide under it:

Giganto-blanket

If you read my previous post about giganto-blanket, you may notice that the gauge is much different from how it started. That’s because I started knitting on broomsticks:

Giganto-blanket

But the broomsticks proved to be just too small for this project. I know, right? So I went back to the hardware store and bought a 10-foot length of 1 1/2 inch PVC pipe. I had them cut it in half, and then I added some duct-tape “tips” to the “needles” and started knitting. This time, the gauge was just right:

Giganto-blanket

The cats really love it.

Giganto-blanket

A friend of mine asked for a video of the knitting process, so I recorded a (low-quality) video of this madness. Check it out below. And if you’re interested in recreating this blanket and need a bit more instruction, stay tuned for a full tutorial and pattern!

Tags:

Categorized in:

173 Comments

  • Christopher says:

    This is wonderful! I have the blanket from Anthropologie that I believe was the inspiration. Might you be able to detail your ‘light felting’ process for turning the roving into that continuous beautifulness? I’ve been looking for a product like it, and have only recently resolved to create it myself. Thanks for posting!

    • M510 says:

      How much did the blanket cost from Anthropologie? I am making this blanket to auction off for charity and was wondering how much the retail value is.

      • Laura Birek says:

        I’m not sure how much the blanket was as I never saw the original item. I do sell these blankets for $549 on Etsy, so you can put that as a “retail value” if you’d like. Good luck with the auction!

  • Carol Lee says:

    This is wonderful………what a snuggle wrap, but think in my house with 5 big cats, it would not last in such beautiful condition. Thanks for posting this, I loved getting to see it.

  • andi gustafson says:

    you just rock!! i LOVE it!!

  • Heather says:

    This is totally fantastic! I must get more roving, yay!

  • Elena says:

    Fantastic! It’s wonderful, Giganto Blanket for ever!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • stoneybrooke says:

    This is an amazing knit! I think you need to make a set of HUGE CIRCULARS for the next project! lol

    How much roving did you buy to make this?

  • Sandra says:

    I LOVE THIS! I might have to be a total copycat. One question, tho. How much roving did you end up using for this blanket? Thanks in advance, ๐Ÿ™‚

  • drenka says:

    Hi!I love this blanket and just hat to blog about you and your blanket!!

  • THIS IS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!! THANKS A LOT FOR SHARING!

  • Frances says:

    Hi Laura – fantastic, whimsical and so Delight-Full!

    …thanks for sharing all the photos and the video. I linked your blog to my FB fan page –
    Happy Friday to you!

    Frances Clements Fawcett/Artist and Delight Detective

  • DebbieQ says:

    That is just fabulous.

  • JJ says:

    That’s amazing! You look like a mouse knitting with normal-sized needles and yarn. I feel like the video should end with you using a thimble for a hat and going to sleep in a matchbox!

  • Megan says:

    I would LOVE to make one of these!! I have NO idea about that wool though–I’ve only ever knit with yarn. Off to research roving wool. ๐Ÿ™‚

  • mindy says:

    this is totally cool–you are very creative as well as energetic–keep up the good work–

  • Aimee says:

    Wow! I’ve seen knitters using pencil roving, but a whole roving?!? This is a terrific idea. What fiber did you use, and how long did this project take you? Wow…

    • Laura says:

      Hi Aimee — the actual knitting only took about 2 hours, but prepping the wool and all that took about a day and a half (including drying time). I used superwash wool roving.

  • Aimee says:

    Oh, right: this is especially impressive as I am finishing a lace piece knitted on 00’s. We extremists are — well — extreme.

  • tikkicakes says:

    Awesome! I have a wool shop nearby, hmmm….. I may need to stop in for some wool roving. Its sold by weight though, about how much did you need? It really looks lush by the way.

  • karen says:

    And I thought I had to do some serious elbowing with the regular “fat” needles! I want this blankie!!!

  • Lakaya says:

    Nice! I count 24 sts….so I think it’s doable cuz by the time it would drive you bats…done. But as for me….there’s simply no place to work a project like that…so I’ll just be over here in my little corner working on my envy-issues. Haha excellent work.

    • Laura says:

      Interesting — I should go home and re-count my stitches and make sure it’s correct on my pattern!

      And as for space: I live in a one-bedroom apartment with two cats, so I think it can be done almost anywhere! You don’t actually need all that much space — I just sat on my couch and worked on it and was able to get it done.

  • Marny says:

    You have most definitely brought a huge smile to my face!!!

    Thank you … and enjoy the labors of your creativity!!

  • Pat Johnson says:

    Wow! That is really neat!

  • Line Rondeau says:

    You are funny!
    In Montreal this winter, they had an add campain where they put large knitted tuques on all the bus shelters and I couldn’t figure out how they could have knitted them. Thanks. Just like the caramel in the Caramilk, you have solved the mystery!

  • Barbara says:

    That was fun to watch…Loved the music to work by. I’m eyeing the PVC we bought for the yard with new eyes.

  • Virginia in TX says:

    Love the blanket, you are so clever.

  • susan swack says:

    simply fabulous!!! i loved your vid and i love the blanket. wow. you are amazing. thank you. -suz

  • Betty Mell says:

    VERY COOL warm blanket. Loved the video. How do you splice the wool roving?

  • Sue Walker says:

    That is mind boggling. Wow!

  • Patricia says:

    Hey there, This brought a smile to me. What a feat.

  • Fran says:

    My comment to my daughter who doesn’t knit was “Americans have too much time on their hands!!!!” We are so blessed, I wouldn’t have it any other way. Thank God for this wonderful country that allows so many different talents. Fascinating!

    • Laura says:

      Thanks, Fran! Though you can tell your daughter that I work full time AND do freelance writing and web development on top of all my knitting adventures, so my free time is actually pretty limited! This blanket was knit in the middle of the night because I had no other time to do it! ๐Ÿ™‚

  • Kathleen says:

    Hi,
    I just purchased your pattern for this blanket. I have one question. Can I felt this roving in my washing machine instead of in the bathtub? It will fit because it has to go in there for spinning out the water so could the whole process be done in one shot in the machine? Please let me know. Thank you ๐Ÿ™‚

    • Laura says:

      Hi Kathleen — I think you could certainly try to felt this in the washing machine, but you’d have to stop the load VERY often and check to make sure it’s not overly felting. Also, I’d be worried about the agitation being too violent and pulling the roving apart, which is why I felted in the bathtub. I think you can give it a try, but check it really often and maybe do it on a gentle cycle? You can always felt more, but you can never felt less, and this is a kinda delicate/unusual process so it’s best to tread carefully!

  • Kathleen says:

    Thanks Laura,
    Sorry I have one more question. I’m on the Sheep Shed Studio website and I just want to make sure I’ve got the correct yarn here. I’m choosing the Brown Sheep Superwash. But it seems to come in many different colours. Is it okay for the felting if I used one of the dyed yarns?

    • Laura says:

      I purchased the undyed wool, but I’ve wondered the same thing myself. I think there’s nothing INHERENTLY wrong with using a dyed wool, but you’re likely to subject your bathtub or washer to a LOT of bleeding. So, whatever sheet you wrap the wool in (during the “sausage-making” phase) you’ll have to just sacrifice to the project as it’ll probably become stained with whatever color you choose. If you don’t care about the bleeding of color, I think it’d be fun to try a dyed wool with this project! In fact, I’m thinking about doing the same thing myself sometime soon.

  • Kathleen says:

    Thank you so much! I’m so inspired. I can’t wait to try this.

  • Chrystal says:

    Ah, a girl after my own heart! I recently attempted a five-strand blanket and got too frustrated with the multiple skeins and such. I live using pencil roving and big thick yarns, I think you’ve hit the nail on the head with your beautiful plush blankie. I want to snuggle it!

  • raquel says:

    GORGEOUS! Does it itch like spun wool does, though? I’m wondering if my sensitive skin could handle being wrapped up in it. Because I would definitely want to cuddle with it.

  • not an idiot says:

    What a waste of good roving!

  • I agree so totally not a waste!!! Did you put the roving into a bag in the machine or just take it out before you got to the stuck together stage??? I have been doing a similar project of a floor mat for an exhibition idea I have going but I am starting with the raw fleece ( some yummy chocolate brown!) and drum carding that and then lightly felting it by hand…..the machine and roving sounds much easier ๐Ÿ™‚ I don’t think mine will be soft enough for personal use?? I would love to make one out of coloured roving YaY, thanks for sharing and I love your video. Do you mind if I do a post about it on my blog?? I quite often show my readers extreme knitting or crochet ๐Ÿ™‚ Jen

    • Laura says:

      Hi Jen! So glad you like the project! I actually went through a whole process wrapping up the roving in cotton and rolling them into “sausages” before felting to keep them from felting together. The pattern has the whole process written out in detail with pictures ๐Ÿ™‚ Hope that helps! And of course I’d love if you post about it on your blog – the more the merrier!

  • Kathleen says:

    Hi Laura! So I followed your pattern to a tee (still not sure if I did the felting correctly though) and I love the blanket! I made it in the grape purple and it didn’t bleed as much as I thought – it didn’t ruin my sheets. It’s so cuddly and everyone who comes over loves it! They all kind of want one … haha. Anyway, I do have one question: how would I wash this blanket now? If I put it in the washer I’d be worried it would come apart and if I put it in the tub again it would be too heavy to pull out and dry. Do you have any suggestions or what you do to keep it clean? Thank you ๐Ÿ™‚

    • Laura says:

      I’m so glad your blanket turned out well! I’d love to see pictures if you have any. And as far as keeping it clean, I think you could be vigilant about spot-cleaning it with a damp cloth and make that go a long way. If you think you need to do a full wash, my best guess would be to put it in your washing machine JUST TO SOAK with a no-rinse wool wash like Eucalan. Let it soak for 15-20 min and then spin out the water and dry on a rack… that said, I think it’s best to avoid doing a full wash if possible!

  • camie says:

    are you willing to make one to sell? LOVE IT!

    • Laura says:

      Hi Camie — I’m glad you like the blanket! Sadly, with the cost of materials and time involved (not to mention shipping), making on to sell would probably be too pricey!

  • Mickey says:

    Awweeesooommmmmeee! What a truly wonderful project!

  • Judit says:

    This is one of the coolest thing I’ve ever seen.
    For some weeks I experimenting with giant crocheting, but this is awesome!
    I deffinetly buy the tutorial.

  • Amanda says:

    I want to know how much it weighed when you were finished!!

    • Laura says:

      Amanda — I used about 5 pounds of wool roving, so I’m guessing that’s how much it weighed in the end! Don’t think it picked up enough dirt to gain weight in the process ๐Ÿ˜‰

  • camie says:

    it’s me again – the untalented one that doesn’t crochet, knit or otherwise. I’m willing to try to buy one from you. I know you said, time, materials and weight – then shipping, but I LOVE LOVE LOVE It!

    thanks,
    Camie

  • Melpomene says:

    Love what you do! ^^ You should get Flattr so we can support you!

  • Sarah says:

    So I love this and would love to try it! Where would one get the “yarn” for this.

  • Barbara says:

    This was one of the most delightful things I have seen all day. I’m reminded of how as a dollmaker I have often seen advice to make sure doll accessories, notions such as buttons and trims, and “props” used in posed photographs, are to be made to the correct scale. This is what dolls look like when people pose them them with out-of-scale gadgets…

  • geraldine says:

    where can i buy this whool ?

    • Laura says:

      It’s unspun wool roving — I got mine from Sheep Shed Studios. All the detailed information is in my tutorial and pattern, as well.

  • LOVE this! Want to definitely make one!

  • Lori W. says:

    This is so cool!! You’re awesome! Thanks for sharing!!

  • Barbarita says:

    that’s so great, thanks for sharing! makes me wanna try a carpet.

  • Janet says:

    What are the finished dimensions!

    • Laura says:

      Hi Janet — the finished dimensions are approx. 50″ by 84″. Because each blanket is unique, sizes will vary slightly

  • Alexandra says:

    I am interested in buying your pattern and making one of these amazing blankets, for sure! Unfortunately, I am a college student, and my crafting fund is quite limited… You said it takes five pounds of the brown sheep superwash fiber in white? I just wanted to make sure.

  • admirer says:

    Wow. This is amazing. I may have to buy this pattern just for incentive to make time to do it.
    I must ask, though, do you actually use the blanket? or do you find it is too heavy/fuzzy/warm?
    Thanks!

    • Laura says:

      I actually do use the blanket all the time! It’s warm and heavy, sure, but it does have some breathability because of the large gauge, so it’s not overwhelming. I live in Southern California, too, so it’s not like I NEED big heavy blankets most of the time. I bet it would be even more useful somewhere snowy!

  • Tera says:

    I seen this and bought the download right then! So excited to get started, since water and soap is used to felt the yarn. I’m guessing that this has to be dry cleaned. Have you had to have yours cleaned yet & was that expensive? Thank you so much for sharing and will let you know how mine turns out. I’m planning on making 5 for christmas gifts so i better get started felting my yarn. Thanks again!

  • Ally says:

    Does it pill badly? Also does it get dirty easily? I would hate to have to wash it. But my dog sheds a lot

    • admin says:

      Hi Ally,

      Unfortunately, the blanket does shed and pill quite a bit. There’s just no way around that when using unspun wool roving. I find it’s not a dealbreaker — you can just kinda “groom” the blanket with your fingers every once in a while, and use a lint roller on your clothes after cuddling up under it. It doesn’t seem to get too dirty, though — I haven’t had to wash mine yet.

  • Tera says:

    Hello, I didn’t see any cleaning instructions. I gather you have to dry clean it so it doesn’t felt! Is this correct? If you can wash it would you please post instructions. Thanks again

    • admin says:

      Hi – thanks for noticing that! I’ll be adding this info to the FAQ page. I’m not sure about dry-cleaning, I’m sure it’s fine, but you can also soak in water then drain. The wool is superwash, so if you don’t agitate too much and just do it in cold water you should be okay.

      CARE INSTRUCTIONS: Soak with a no-rinse wool wash in the washing machine — do not agitate. Drain, and spin out excess water. Dry flat, or as flat as you can.

  • Jody says:

    Truly inspiring project. Thanks so much for posting it! One question…. (I’m new to yarn crafts) Is this blanket itchy?

    • Laura says:

      Thanks, Jody! The blanket is surprisingly not itchy! I think it helps that you’re usually wearing clothes while snuggling up under it.

  • tara says:

    i have really basic knitting skills and im so happy that i can easily accomplish this amazing project! thank you for sharing your creativity!

  • Teah says:

    Hi, I am going to try making one of these for my mother and just wanted to know…did it take you the whole 6 pounds of roving to finish the blanket? I am just figuring out for much I will need to buy.

  • Carrie Lee says:

    You are awesome!
    I love this.
    Thank you so much for sharing it.
    I must now learn to knit .

  • Jen says:

    Hi Laura, beautiful….thanks for sharing! Can you purchase the roving ready to knit for this project? Thanks again, can’t wait to try it!

    • Laura says:

      Hi Jen — unfortunately, I don’t know anywhere that would sell the roving ready for knitting. You still have to go through the felting process! It’s actually kinda fun, though, so it’s not a total loss ๐Ÿ˜‰ Thanks for your kind words!

  • Christine says:

    Hi Laura ๐Ÿ™‚

    truly gorgeous!!! I want to make one where can I purchase those gigantic knitting needles?

  • Faydra Jones says:

    Hi Laura!!

    I โ™ฅ this!! You’re so clever… You look like Thumbelina…in fact, I have to do this project… I always wanted to be a fairy/gnome girl as a wee one. This project, you see, can make my dream come true! ๐Ÿ™‚ Oh happy day! ๐Ÿ™‚

  • Cameron says:

    Soo im a guy and i have no knitting skills whatsoever but I think this is so cool . Could somebody email me with the price they would charge to make and ship something like this? I w2ould like to buy this as a gift for my girlfriend. PLEASE SOMEONE GET BACK WITH ME.

  • dane says:

    quel courage, c ‘ est extraordinaire je te dit bravo et fรฉlicitation c ‘ est gรฉant ,a bientรดt dane

  • Mary Schumaker says:

    Hi Laura, The gigantic blanket is lovely! What kind of yarn did you use!!

  • carette frederique says:

    Wahoooo! I find it verry fantastic but were do you find the big yarn?
    I’am french, sorry for my english!

  • Addie says:

    Just wondering- I’d love to make this but am afraid that my cat would kneed it and make it pill to death. I read above that you have cats, how has the wear and tear been on your blanket?

    Thanks! (and great job on the blanket, it’s lovely!)

    • Laura says:

      My blanket is still in pretty good condition, though it does kinda thin out a bit over time. The cats don’t actually really bother it that much — the blanket is so huge it’s kinda beyond their ability to destroy it :).

  • cathy says:

    Hi Laura,

    I’m so excited to try this, just purchased the instructions and wool…now I must wait ๐Ÿ™ I would like to make my yarn slightly smaller, perhaps splitting the wool into 3?? But I’m not sure if I would cast on the same amount of stitches…how would one figure out the size needles and gauge?

    Thanks so much,
    Cathy

    • Laura says:

      I’m not sure about splitting in 3 — you’d have to be pretty careful while doing that. As far as gauge goes, you can always knit a little gauge swatch and get an estimate. The wool will frog at least once, so swatching is totally doable.

  • Ashley says:

    Hi Laura!!
    This is truely inspiring!! I want to make about 5-6 for christmas/bday presents. But they all have pets or young children, and the shedding could be a problem. I also want one, and i have two young girls. Is there any way to treat it so it doesnt shed? Or can i buy a kind that wont shed?? I truely love this!! (i also want to make quilts for my girls out of it, and that really cant shed bc they could breathe it in at night.) Thanks so much!!! I love thiss!!!
    (im sorry for any typos, im on my phone)

    • Laura says:

      Hi Ashley – unfortunately, part of the trade-off for using that big, fluffy roving is that it sheds a lot. I haven’t used any other material to make this blanket, but I was thinking that in theory you could use long strips of fleece sewn together to form “yarn” and try knitting with that. Another thought I had would be to spray the wool with hairspray to try and keep shedding to a minimum, but I’ve never tried it. If you do try hairspray, I would test it on a small section first.

  • do you have any idea of how many yards are in the unspun yarn… knitting with the yarn is impossible for me, so I like your suggestion for using fleece, but would need an ideas of how many yards are in an unspun ball of woll.. I know you 700+ stitches, so if you can give me an approximate number of yards I would appreciate it.
    thank you

    • Laura says:

      Hi Agnes — gosh, that’s hard to figure out without knowing the fleece you’re using. I would say to knit a swatch and then unravel and measure it? I couldn’t begin to guess your yardage, so I wouldn’t want to give you a number and sent you in the complete wrong direction. I’d love to see your finished blanket!

  • Meagan says:

    Hi! I have no idea how to felt! Does your pattern go over this in detail?

    • Laura says:

      It sure does! I’d say that’s the main topic in the pattern, actually, since the actual knitting instructions are so simple ๐Ÿ™‚

  • Lee says:

    This blanket is amazing. When I first spotted it, I thought it must have been made with roving and broomsticks. Who would have thought that broomsticks were too small?

    I’ve been knitting (mostly scarves) for a few years, but am not very knowledgable. I was told that maching washable yarn would not felt. Do you know why machine washable roving felts? If someone were to ask, I’d like to give them the correct answer.

    Does roving come in thicknesses (there’s pronably a better term)? Is it possible to find roving that is not as thick as what you used? I think I’d work best with something that wasn’t quite as thick, as I tire easily.

    • Laura says:

      Hi Lee — my understanding is that superwash roving is just felt-resistant, but any wool will felt eventually if given enough time, heat, friction, etc. I chose to use superwash roving because I just wanted a light felt, not a full one. I still want the fiber to be soft and fluffy, just a little felted so it doesn’t shed so much.

      As far as roving-thicknesses go, I have no idea if there’s a standard or not! I’ve only ordered from Sheep Shed Studio, but I’ve seen roving out in the wild and it all does seem more or less the same thickness. If you want thinner “yarn” you could try and split the roving 3 ways after felting, but you’d have to be pretty careful while doing that! Hope that helps!

      -Laura

      • Lee says:

        Thanks for the information, Laura. Last night I made a quick spin through Anthropologie and actually spotted the blanket. From what I remember, it was 50″ x 60″, 60% acrylic and 40% wool, and $230. It had cables. I saw ribbing on yours but didn’t see cables, not that it was important. It had tassles on one edge (didn’t check both) that looked like popcorn fringe, with the popcorn being huge. Each was about the size of a grapefruit, with the yarn tied together to make a big poof with about an inch of fringe under the tie – kind of reminded me of huge, soft acorns. Because they were so big, the weren’t bery many of them. If anyone ever had leftover yarn, I think they could make them into popcorns for kitty toys. I didn’t read the care instructions because I forgot to look for them.

        It was pretty, but I think I like yours better. Your knitting was more uniform, plus I assume yours was 100% wool. I’m kind of a yarn snob when it comes to letting acrylic into my yarn, although sometimes make exceptions for washable yarn for baby clothes. I was happy to have seen yours first so I would pay attention to the details of the Anthro throw (no pun!). Lee

  • april woo says:

    How much roving did you end up using for this blanket? Thanks in advance

  • Kaitie says:

    I love this blanket but I have never knitted anything ever! I bought your pattern but it is mostly just an explanation about the roving. Is there a place to buy the roving already prepared? Or an alternative material? I read through the comments and saw you mentioned felt. I would prefer prepared roving but I’m not having much luck. Any help would be great. Thanks!

    • Laura says:

      Hi Kaitie — unfortunately I don’t know of anywhere to get prepared roving. The knitting part of this pattern isn’t actually all that difficult, but the felting/prepping part can be time consuming, so I understand the hesitance. But it’s really fun, I promise! ๐Ÿ™‚

  • can i just buy this blanket? i’m not kidding, where is your shop? it is amazing! i need it!

  • Liz Davis says:

    This is so so so so cool! Thanks for sharing. I’m putting this project on my list of stuff to try this winter. It’s such a gorgeous blanket!

  • Grace says:

    Wow! This is amazing! How much does this normally cost?

  • Lauren Tucker says:

    How much roving per blanket?

  • LR says:

    Hi!
    I love this blanket it looks so cozy! I was wondering how you slightly felt the roving? Would it work on alpaca roving?
    Thanks

    • Laura says:

      The felting process is done in the bathtub and all the instructions are in the pattern and on the FAQ page. I haven’t tried it with alpaca, but I imagine it would work!

  • Jenn says:

    I just came across your awesome blanket today, but I knew the bulk and care of roving wouldn’t work for me. And then I came across this video for knitting on your arms: http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=_D2PcXyoZEE And now I have the most amazing inspiration to use a round knitting loom to create a very very long chunky tube of knitted yarn to be used in place of the roving. It won’t pill and will be machine washable. If you need me, I’ll be buried under 300lbs of yarn for the next six months because this needs to be made!

  • kim says:

    That’s amazing!!! Looks so snuggly

  • kristin says:

    amazing. i half wanted to sing row row row your boat since those PVC “needles” look like oars and your couch is your boat. great blanket!

  • Nanette says:

    love love love the blanket. But I cant handle any pilling. I’m curious though to know if anyone has attempted to felt the roving and then knit it up? I realize that the bulkiness would diminish and more roving would be needed, but maybe that works for me in my case. Thoughts?

  • Harmony says:

    Not To A ‘Negative Nancy’….But Wouldn’t It Have Been Easier To Just Use Your Arms, They Are The Perfect Circumference ๐Ÿ˜‰

    Sorry For Every First Word Being Capitalized, My Phone Is Being Dumb!

    • Laura Birek says:

      Hi Harmony — or should I call you Nancy ๐Ÿ˜‰ Just kidding! You’re right, your arms are a good size, but the problem is you can’t put them down and walk away! ‘Cause this gets so heavy towards the end and sometimes requires bathroom breaks, it helps to have some needles that are not attached to your torso. And since you cast on so many stitches, your arms aren’t quite big enough for the job. But I do just use my hands/arms for the binding off portion.

  • Erika says:

    So amazing. I just don’t have the patience…or the yarn!

  • Bev says:

    I’d love to make this but in Australia I am struggling to get Superwash at anything near to a reasonable price. I can however get handwash roving. Would that work and how would I modify your pattern?
    Thanks

    • Laura Birek says:

      Bev, I haven’t yet tried this with normal wool, so I would recommend testing a shorter length of roving first!

  • Joy says:

    So my question is… where did you get the yarn? ๐Ÿ™‚

  • Belinda says:

    I don’t know much about wool or felting, but I want to make this blanket. When I looked at the sheep shed website it’s says not to felt the superwash, but I know you did so I’m a little nervous about that. Also I want a super soft blanket, after you felt it does it loose that softness, because everything I find seems to show the wool literally coming out like felt?

    • Laura Birek says:

      Hi Belinda, it’s a little confusing ’cause the whole point of superwash wool is that it isn’t supposed to felt at all when washed. That said, all wool will felt if stressed enough, even superwash. What we want for this blanket is not a full felting, but just a really light felting to help puff up the wool and make it stronger. It is still quite soft after this process, just more resistant to tear and shedding. Here’s more info on that: http://nocturnalknits.com/2012/11/why-bother-felting-the-giganto-blanket/
      Hope that helps!

  • Krys says:

    Ever since I found out about this blanket I’ve been super interested in trying either buy or make one myself. Thanks so much for the tutorial and the fact that other people have asked about cleaning instructions is telling me I might want to consider a darker color for the wool.
    I look forward to trying to out one day ๐Ÿ™‚
    – Krys

  • Nilda says:

    Lovely and inspiring. I enjoyed washing you knit with the enormous needles.

  • ryan rabuska says:

    i need to get this yarn ASAP!
    i love the way yours turned out, and i really really want to try!
    so were can i buy the yarn cheapest?

    • Laura Birek says:

      Hi Ryan, check out the FAQ (link in the navigation at the top of the page) for all the information you need.

  • Geni says:

    Awesome! Could you share how you formed the tips on your pvc pipe knitting needles?

  • Nish says:

    Hello I love this idea and can’t wait to start my own project. But I’m very confused by what happens after you order the 5.5 lbs of unspun wool and felt it. What does felting mean and could you please put a video up showing us how you do it?

  • Donna knight says:

    I think you are truest fantastic, you remind me of someone from a sitcom lol.
    Brilliant:)
    This blanket too is fantastic my partner asked me to buy her one.
    Just wondering are yours the ones listed on ebay?

    I’m saving for one for her ๐Ÿ™‚

    Kindest regards

    Donna

  • Patrice says:

    Hi, these blankets are really popular now, but I’m concerned about how they hold up over time. I would think the roving felts even more with use; if not, there must be some pilling. And is dry cleaning the only way to clean them, other than spot cleaning? Are they safe for children and pets? I guess that would depend on the quality of the roving. Any insight you can provide is greatly appreciated.

    • Laura Birek says:

      Hi Patrice — these are definitely art pieces that should be treated gently and with care. They will hold up very well with proper care, but might not be suitable for high-traffic areas or areas with lots of pet/small child activity. The fabric will shed, especially at the beginning. I wouldn’t recommend washing them by fully-immersing in water because not only will it make the blanket VERY heavy, it also runs the risk of felting the wool together. I hope that helps!

  • Teresa Hensley says:

    This blankie is amazing and you are adorable. I also love how patient you have been in answering the same questions over and over. I think your answers have been very thorough and I am about to start my journey to complete this blanket. Wish me luck and thanks for your inspiration.

  • Nichole says:

    Where else could get this kind of /yarn? I’m trying to start this project

Previous Story Next Story