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Where can I buy the pattern?
You can buy my pattern on Ravelry and Etsy. I recommend buying the pattern on Ravelry because it’s cheaper (I can charge less because Ravelry’s fees are lower) and you’ll get immediate delivery of the pattern. If you buy on Ravelry, it has the benefit of sending out automatic pattern updates when they become available.
Click here to buy the pattern on Ravelry.
Click here to buy the pattern on Etsy.
Where can I buy the wool?
I have a few reliable sources I can recommend:
Paradise Fibers
They have a great 7-pound special for non-superwash version. You can usually get a good discount if you sign up for their mailing list, and free shipping on orders over $99.
Sheep Shed Studio
Cheaper per pound, but you must pay shipping.
World of Wool
Good for international/UK orders, and a huge range of different colors. Shipping can be expensive.
I don’t knit! Do you sell the completed blanket?
I do sell the completed blanket on commission on Etsy. Because every blanket is made to order, delivery will take 4-6 weeks upon receipt of payment.
Click here to buy the completed blanket on Etsy.
Click here to buy the Cabled Giganto-Blanket Throw on Etsy
What are the finished measurements?
The finished blanket size is approximately 50″ by 84″. Because each blanket is unique, sizes will vary slightly.
Where can I find the cabled blanket pattern?
The cable chart is now included in the pattern!
How much wool does the blanket require?
The pattern calls for six to seven pounds of unspun wool roving. I’ve knit a ton of blankets so far and will order 7 pounds just to be safe, but I usually have a bit left over.
Doesn’t that make the blanket really heavy?
Yeah, the blanket’s pretty heavy. It’s very comfy, too. The weight does require a bit of upper-body strength while knitting the pattern, however. You need to be fairly able-bodied in order to knit with such large needles and with so much wool. To alleviate any weight and stress on your arms while knitting, I recommend resting the “needles” on the floor while working with the yarn and taking regular breaks!
How much do the materials cost?
Well, that depends. I buy my wool from Paradise Fibers and get the 7-pound Merino Special. As of January 2018, 7 pounds of roving costs $146, with free shipping, and I usually have at least a 15% discount coupon in my inbox because I’m on their mailing list. That said, there are many places to purchase roving and you can possibly find a cheaper source. The most important factor in choosing your roving is to make sure the roving comes in long pieces — ideally, you’d like it to all be in one long piece. Sheep Shed Studio has also always delivered impeccable roving, and I can highly recommend them as a source in addition to Paradise Fibers, but feel free to shop around!
The non-wool materials needed are PVC pipe, duct tape, and ideally a needle felting mat
Though the needle-felting kit is listed as “optional” in the pattern, I highly recommended it for grafting ends together.
How do you cast on?
You cast on using a simple backwards-loop cast on. It’s very easy and has the benefit of using up less wool than other cast-on methods. Here’s a video tutorial on the backwards-loop cast on.
Where can I get more information about the process?
Here are all the blog posts about the giganto-blanket.
Here are all my pictures on flickr tagged “gigantoblanket.”
Here are all the people who are working on the blanket on Ravelry.
Here is a video of me grafting the wool ends together.
Does the roving shed?
Any unspun roving will shed, so the felting process I describe in the pattern is intended to minimize this shedding in the completed blanket. That said, the blanket will still shed fibers and pill a fair amount — there’s just no way around it, as far as I can tell. Suggestions are welcome! I recommend putting the blanket in a low-traffic area to reduce shedding. The more abuse the blanket gets, the more it will shed. Also, just expect to use a lint-roller afterwards if you’re going to curl up under the blanket. You can also “groom” the blanket gently with your fingers to remove excess fiber or pilling.
How long does it take to make the blanket?
In my experience, it takes about 2-3 hours to felt the wool. After letting the wool dry for 24 hours, the knitting itself takes anywhere from 2-4 hours. There’s about 720 stitches in the entire blanket, so it’s a quick knit!
I want to make a different-sized blanket! How much wool do I need?
In my experience, you get about 600 square inches per pound of wool.
Why do I have to felt the wool? I thought superwash wool doesn’t felt!
The felting process does indeed work on the superwash wool, and the main reason I do it is to puff up the wool so it’s larger in volume and can be split into two strands more easily. Also, the texture changes a bit after felting, so hopefully this makes the wool sturdier and cuts down on shedding. Check out this post for more info and a photo.
How do you clean the blanket?
Spot clean with a wool-safe detergent when necessary. If you need to wash it: Soak with a no-rinse wool wash in the washing machine — do not agitate. Drain, and gently squeeze out excess water. Dry flat, or as flat as you can. You can also Dry Clean if needed.
What is a needle felting mat and needle felting tool and what does it mean to “graft” the ends together?
Good question! Here is the needle felting tool
Here’s a video tutorial showing how I graft the ends together:
Basically what you do is hold the two ends of wool together and pound it with the needle felting tool until it becomes one cohesive piece of wool. The friction from the needle felting will basically fuse the wool together so you don’t have to worry about weaving in ends. I highly recommend using a needle-felting kit while making this blanket because it allows you to use up every inch of your precious wool and not have any ends to weave in.
Can the super-sized blanket be converted from knitting to crocheting?
Sure! I don’t include a crochet stitch in my pattern, but that doesn’t mean you couldn’t improvise your own! The bulk of the pattern is a tutorial on how to prepare the wool (about 6 of the 8 pages total), so even if you intend to crochet the blanket, I believe the pattern will still be useful for you. That said, I’ve been told that crochet uses up about 30-40% more material than knitting, depending on the stitch used, so make sure to buy more wool to accommodate this difference. And because crochet only has one live stitch at any given time, you can just use your arm as a “crochet hook” and just make sure to not unravel when you take breaks.
Can I use non-superwash wool?
Yes! In October 2016, I added instructions for how to prepare non-superwash wool for knitting.
Where do you get the needles?
They’re 1.5″ PVC pipe — I got mine at Home Depot! The pattern also tells you how to make the needle tips so they’re easier to use while knitting.
I’ve never knit / I’m new to knitting: can I still make this blanket? Is it suitable for beginners?
The knitting skills needed for the blanket are really really simple. The pattern is a k2/p2 rib, but you could also just do it in normal stockinette (where you knit on the right side and purl on the wrong side) or garter stitch (where you knit every row).
Here’s what I’d say: practice doing whatever stitch you’re planning on normal-sized needles, just to get it down and know the mechanics. Just knit a swatch — and maybe try learning to knit backwards, too, so you can figure that out. Then you’ll have a better footing when you go to knit on the big needles!
There’s a TON of amazing knitting tutorials on youtube, and all you need to know is how to do the backwards loop cast on, knit, purl, and bind off.
I’m allergic to wool and/or vegan, can I use another fiber?
I have only made this blanket using wool roving, so I can’t guarantee good results with other fibers. However, other knitters have suggested using llama or alpaca roving in place of the wool. They claim lanolin is the culprit with wool allergies, and llama and alpaca don’t create lanolin. That said, I would make sure to test with a small swatch before committing to buying the whole weight and make sure you don’t react to a different fiber.
If you’re vegan, you could try using 100% acrylic roving, but it might require trial/error to get the gauge right. Also, don’t steam or felt this stuff!
What kind of steamer do you use?
I have an older model of this Rowenta Compact Valet Steamer, but any steamer with a big-enough reservoir to last a few hours should work.
Why didn’t you answer my question?
Because you haven’t asked me yet! Please feel free to post any additional questions in the comments and I will be happy to answer them. Thanks!
288 Comments
I did a search for “roving shed” and found great info about the studio you use to get your roving, but that wasn’t the question I really had in mind.
Does the roving leave fibers all over? Does the light felting help?
Hi Erin! I answered your question on the page. Thanks!
Hello Erin! How long does it take to make each blanket? can I get the wool like that on the internet? I have checked local knitting shoppes and I cannot find any.
Hi Jessica — I’ve answered your question in the FAQ page. Thanks!
Hi, I was wondering if there was another yarn you could suggest to replace the wool. I’m TERRIBLY allergic to wool, but I really really really like the look of this blanket. Thanks!
Unfortunately I can’t think of any substitute for wool for this blanket — you need a fiber that comes in long lengths of roving, and wool or alpaca or other animal fibers are the only things I can think of.
Hello. As an industry standard, a synthetic alternative to Wool is generally Acrylic. I, unfortunately, do not have a source in mind of someone who produces such large roving yarns in Acrylic, but I am sure they do exist.
Modern advances have altered the fibers of Acrylic to represent Wool very closely. They make the fibers very porous so it produces a hairier hand-feel in the end result. Generally these advances have been because of people who have allergies, but it is also growing more popular because it is considerably cheaper.
Silk!
If you are allergic to wool, you will have no problem with Llama or alpaca. They lack the lanolin of wool that causes the allergic reaction. In addition, Llama and alpaca fiber already has a hollow core to provide superior insulation.
Good Morning do you have a source for Alpaca or Llama?
I don’t, but maybe try Paradise Fibers or Etsy!
I found a place online that sells alpaca roving. But they sell it in 1 ounce packages. I know nothing about knitting- (I’m going to Learn so that I can make this blanket!!) how many packages would I need to make the blanket? Thank You!! Wendy
I wouldn’t buy roving in 1-ounce packages because you’ll end up spending too much time joining them into “yarn” — it’ll be too much effort! Now, if you can buy in 1-ounce increments but the roving comes in one continuous strand, that’s a different story.
There’s 16 ounces in a pound, and my pattern calls for 7 pounds. So that’s 112 ounces, but wool might weigh different than alpaca, so that’s an estimate.
Maybe you can make “yarn” using cotton knit that you would cut in a long continuous 3 or 4 inch thick ribbon? You cut in in a long zig zag from a couple of yards or you cut straight ribbons a sew them together in a continuous. You could use sweat pants cotton k it too. When cut theses fabric don’t u ravel and have a stretch to them and if you pull on them they will curl on themselves into a rope Lille thing…. It could work. Maybe fleece a really thick high quality could be fun too.
Those are all great ideas!
I have heard that alpaca is supposed to be good for people with wool allergies.
They do make a silk roving, I found it after reading through these questions and thought you might like to know. It is considerably more expensive but it might work the same way?
They probably do make silk roving, but it might be cost prohibitive for such a large blanket. Take a look online and see what you can find!
I’ve made this for my daughter-in-law who is allergic to wool with a thick cotton rope. I’ve also made them with fleece. Cut fleece into 5″ strips & sew strips together end to end. Roll it length wise as you roll it into a ball to knit. You can add color by alternating colored fleece when you stitch them together. (I used blue & cream. Blue strip, Cream strip, Blue strip, etc.) Very cozy – soft & thick. I do mine with arm knitting. A much quicker technique.
just wondering, how much fleece did she buy? I was hoping to to the fleece alternative for a small blanket and id like to know how much to buy!
What a good idea. Do you use fleece blankets and cut them up?
Hi Lynda,
I was wondering how many yards of fleece you bought for your project.
Thanks!
Leah
Check out jazz couture yarn it’s super chunky too
Hi! I was wondering how long the pvc pipe should be?!
Yes, I’m wondering that, too.
They’re each 5 feet long.
If you use superwash, how does it felt? I was looking at The Sheep Studio website, and they have “DOES NOT FELT!!” in red letters…Am I looking at the wrong roving?
This is a very fair question! Even superwash roving will felt a little given the right circumstances. What we want is a very LIGHT felting, not a full-on heavy-duty felting, so superwash is actually ideal for our purposes!
What is a needle felting mat and needle felting tool and what does it mean to “graft” the ends together? I’ve knitted for a long time but I have no idea what these mean =/ Super-excited to get to work on this though!
Hi Meredith! I answered your question at the end of the FAQ. Thanks for asking!
On that website you shared there is $15 dollar per pound superwash and #1 white superwash for $14, whats the difference?
Would it be okay to make the blanket with dyed superwash instead of just white?
And do you have to take the felting tools to every single inch of material in order to make it?
How long would the necessary felting take?
Hi Kenzie — the dyed wool is $1 more a pound than the undyed white wool, which accounts for the price difference. I haven’t yet made a blanket with the dyed wool but I imagine it would be a fun process! The only thing to worry about would be the dye bleeding into whatever sheets you used during felting, so you would need to make sure those sheets aren’t expensive or important to you! You don’t have to use the felting needle on the whole length of wool — that’s only used to graft the ends together, probably about 6-10 times per blanket. The felting is actually done by stomping on the wool in your bathtub, and the whole process takes about 3 hours of active time and then 24 hours to let the wool dry. The process is explained in full detail in my pattern. Hope that helps!
Hello! I’m not sure if I’ve missed this on your website but could you tell me what size needles you use & where you get them from? Thanks!
Hi Maddie — the “needles” are actually 2 pieces of PVC pipe! All the details can be found in the pattern. Thanks!
-Laura
Is th 1.5 inch PVC pipe the inside diameter or outside diameter?
Gina, I’m not sure! It was just advertised as 1.5″ PVC pipe, I haven’t measured it! But if it’s a few millimeters off, it’s no big deal.
brilliant – thank you!
Hi!
Do you ship this blanket worldwide?
I do ship worldwide — I just have to charge a bit more for shipping! Please contact me directly for more info. Thanks!
Beautiful!!!
Do you by any chance know of a site that sells wool in Europe?
The Sheep Shed Studio delivers in Italy (where I live) but it costs 60$…
Also, there is one thing I haven’t understood in the whole process.
It is the “stomping on the wool in your bathtub” thing, why do you need to do it?
I will buy the pattern the minute I figure out how to get the wool here, can’t wait to get started and roll myself in your gigantic beauty!
Thank you,
Samantha
Hi Samantha! I’m not familiar with any shops that sell roving in Europe, but there has got to be one somewhere! The most important thing is to find a place that sells roving in one long strand, or as close to one long strand as possible. Check out the ravelry.com message boards and see if there’s any hints about where to find roving in Europe… that’s how I found the Sheep Shed Studio here in the US.
If you manage to source some wool let me know and I can post that info on my site. Thanks!
You said that you felt the roving wool in the bathtub, but on the website for the wool it says that the superwash wool roving does not felt… just was confused about the contradiction. Please confirm that it does felt…
Nevermind… I saw that you already answered this question a few above 🙂
Hey!
This is super awesome! I was wondering if I crocheted this instead of knitted it if it would use less wool? I don’t know how to knit but I I do know how to crochet and I saw this picture of a girl crocheting with her arms instead of needles this huge yarn. The link was disabled so I have no idea how she used it or how she got the huge yarn….it looks very different from what you have here. But your wool is the only thing I’ve been able to find thats close to what I’m looking for. Unfortunately its very expensive and I thought if it used less to crochet it this might be a possible project for me. thoughts?
Hi Lauren — I’m not sure if crocheting would use less wool as I’m not very experienced with crochet. If you wanted to use less wool, in theory you could use broomsticks instead of PVC pipe and split the yarn twice instead of just once?
I have found that crocheting takes up *more* fiber than knitting.
Hi Lauren, I knit and crochet and crochet uses much more yarn than knitting. About 30 to 40% more, depending on the stitch pattern
How do you felt super wash wool? It’s my understanding super wash won’t felt
Laura D
Hi! Good question! Any wool, including superwash, will felt in hot, soapy water. Superwash wool is just more resistant to felting. What we want is a really LIGHT felting so I find superwash to be perfect! Hope that helps!
Has anyone tried roving that’s not superwash? Any modifications needed in the felting technique? I am after a darker natural color and can’t find that in superwash – Thanks!
I actually saw a blanket like this at Anthropologie last winter. I wanted to make it SO much but didn’t know where to get long strips of roving. Thanks a bunch!
Wow! This is super cool. Do you know, roughly how many yards of this roving you used to make one blanket? Thank you!
Gosh – good question! I know I use about 6 pounds per blanket but not sure what that translates to in yardage. I might go downstairs and measure a length right now to see. Stay tuned!
Okay, I measured and it’s approximately 117 yards of raw roving for the blanket, but then you felt it and split it so he actual yardage knit is about 234. I got this by measuring out 8 ounces of wool and found it had about 9.75 yards. Hope that helps!
Hi Laura,
I am attempting to make a blanket out of this wool http://yarnatwebsters.com/store/cascade-magnum-paints-yarn.html . Would I need 117 yards or 234 since it is not roving? Thanks 🙂
Hi Nat – unfortunately it’s almost impossible for me to know how much yarn you’d need, as it’s a completely different gauge! The best way to know would be to buy a skein and knit a swatch, and see how much yarn you use per stitch.
Awesome blanket. I just received a circular pair of Size 50 needles custom made by Ed Jenkins. The cable is an airplane cable and is 72 inches long. I’m going to make this with four strands of Hometown yarn from Lion Brand. That way, I don’t have to worry about shedding. Cool idea for a quickie blanket.
Would love to know how this turned out with the Hometown yarn. I don’t want to worry about the shedding and wool makes me itch badly, even the slightess amount. I recieved a cashmere sweater as a gift and was never able to wear it.
Me, too. I have made a numbr of things with hometown usa.i am allergic to wool, silk, cashmere, etc. my daugtr wants this, but i als cant lift more than 7 lbs. i am thinkingof a 17 needle and double strands of yarn. I got an addie turbo super long circular and would love to use it again.itbwouldnt be quite as big a stitch.
I really think 450$ is far too much for this blanket. Don’t get me wrong i can definitely see how you should be compensated for the labor. But, a 300$ profit seems excessive when you did say yourself that materials are about 150$ and you can finish the blanket in about 5 hours. I am not made of money but I really want this blanket!
Cat, I’m sorry you think the blanket is too expensive. I certainly understand — I couldn’t buy a $450 blanket for myself, either! But I need to charge that much to make it worth my time to make the blankets. While it takes about 6 hours of active time, it does take a lot more of my time for procuring the wool, managing customer service, driving to the shipping location, et cetera. I work full time and also do freelance web development, so I have to make it worth my time to make these blankets. I offer the pattern for $5 and have no restrictions on you hiring another knitter to make you a blanket as long as you or they don’t resell the item. If you can find another knitter willing to make it for less, more power to you!
I know this is really old but how do you know if people resell the finished blanket or not? If they make it themselves, even if it may be from your pattern and instructions are they not allowed to sell it? It just doesn’t seem like this kind of policy is based on anything. I understand not reselling the pattern itself, but not a finished blanket that the person made themselves.
Well, this is a tricky question, Sara. Here’s one answer. I’m not a lawyer, so I can’t speak to the intricacies of copyright law, and I don’t care to get into a big debate about it either. For me, the question is more ethical than legal — as a designer, I used my expertise and time to create an easy-to-follow pattern for other knitters. I ask that other knitters only use the pattern for private/personal in good faith.
That said, the TEXT of my pattern is 100% copyrighted and protected, so it can’t be reproduced or distributed without my consent. For instance, a yarn store can’t buy one copy of my pattern and print out 10 copies to resell or give out for free. Does that make sense?
How dare you whine about the cost of the blanket when she has taken the time to develop the pattern, work out a method to create the “yarn”, figured out which materials to use, etc. You sound so incredibly entitled. Just because you want something, doesn’t mean you get to complain about the cost of it and expect that the price be dropped simply because you can’t afford it.
Wow. Really! You aren’t counting in the time it took her to develop the idea, find a source, develop the pattern, pay for a business license, learn about setting up a business, set up and manage her website, respond to your comments, work with the yarn in the bathtub, split the yarn, join the pieces together, roll them into balls, knit the blanket, pay for any health related needs associated with such a large blanket (or insurance if she runs this as her full time business), print business cards, purchase packaging to pack the blanket, go to the post office and pay to send it. She is also recording it so there are Internet fees and she obviously had to purchase some kind of recording device to upload the video so people could know how to make the blanket.
I’m sorry but it is kind of ridiculous to expect her to work like an hourly employee when she is really an artist. You wouldn’t go up to a painter and say, “I can buy a canvas and paints for $20. Paying $1000 for your painting is ridiculous”.
What would it cost for you to get the roving ready for me to do the work. I am not sure i understand what needs to me done. I want the roving all one peice.
Patty-Jean, I don’t have the time right now to prepare the wool on contract. The wool preparation is basically just done to keep the fiber intact while knitting, reduce shedding, and fluff up the fiber. The process is detailed in the pattern. Thanks!
Patty Jean, the wool place that she recommends will actually do the prep for you for $12.50 a pound, which add $87 to the cost of the wool, but it might be well worth it to not have to do that step yourself!! Check out the website… I think it’s further down on the page around where they talk about custom dying.
Hope that helps!!
First I have to congratulate you on your creativity. This is so unique looking.
Must one purchase your pattern to get instructions on felting the wool…and all the instructions to prepare for this project. I love your idea. My funds ARE EXTREMELY LIMITED. Live off of social security so have to be very careful with expenditures. I think I can borrow the pvc pipe from a builder nearby. I have much yarn since I have knit for decades. If you could point me to a website that would guide me I would appreciate it.
Thanks for your kind words. I sympathize about being low on funds, but as a designer I have to protect my own intellectual property, so even if I knew of a free place to find the tutorial (I don’t) it would be inappropriate of me to link there. Good luck with your knitting!
Vangie, I, too, must closely watch funds (Social Security). You might think about making fleece strips. Watch for fleece to be on sale. Just “google” ‘how to felt’ & you’ll find more sites than you can watch. When I was making felted purses, I would buy wool sweaters, etc. at the thrift store to make the felt. Another alternative, if you have a large stash, it to knit 3 or 4 strands bulky yard together. Of course, like all things, when you substitute wool to another material, it not exactly the same, but you can still produce a nice blanket.
This is about the neatest thing I’ve seen in a long time. SO creative and beautiful. I bought your pattern and ordered the roving and can’t wait to try it. My daughter is hoping for success because she wants it! I knit and crochet and will definately try your knitted version, but am already trying to think through crocheting it as well. I’ll be roaming Home Depo/Lowes for inspiration. I know there is U shaped PVC pipe. It could be cut to make a hook shape. Maybe the hook part of a cane could be cut and fit to PVC pipe or maybe a kid’s plastic golf club. Just ideas.
Thanks for the kind words, Mary! I wonder if you could just use your hand and forearm if you want to crochet this? I’d love to see it however you attempt the feat!
Hmmm, maybe so! I have to tell you….my husband just got back with my “needles” Apparently, I’m already (in)famous at Home Depo. He told them just enough there for them to be intensely curious/think I’m hexed. On his way out, the lady at the hot dog stand even gave him a free hot dog! I think they are hoping for updates, perhaps to which mental establishment I have become committed.
I love this idea! I bought your pattern and ordered about 4 lbs of roving. I want to make a small blanket for my cousin’s baby. I saw some of your pictures using the broomsticks and I think that might be a better size, do you know if the roving will split twice into fourths? Thanks!
Hmmmm — I’d be a little worried about the wool becoming too unstable when split into fourths, but it might be possible. Thirds could be an option, too — just be very careful while splitting!
In several responses you have said that you use superwash because you only want a light felting. Why only a light felting? What do you think the final blanket would be like if knitted from plain wool roving that has been “seriously” felted? I am imagining that it would pill less if it is more heavily felted… Thank you!
Hi Debbie — In my original pattern I only wanted a light felting because I wanted to maintain the softness and fluffiness of the wool roving. Of course, he trade-off is that it sheds a lot! I wrote the pattern up using my own experience, and since I haven’t tried he blanket with non-superwash roving I couldn’t speak to my experience there. But it’s definitely a possibility!
where do you get the giant needles?
They’re just PVC pipe with duct-tape tips! The pattern has all the info on how to make them yourself.
Hi Laura!
This is a super duper cool blanket and I’m going to make one!
But I’m living in HK and can’t use the yarn you recommended. Plus I only found a offer of yarns in different colours of 6 pounds for USD200……… >__<)
Thank you !
Oh yes and I don’t really understand how to split the yarns into two…
Hi Milla — the pattern describes how to do it in more detail, but it’s basically just pulling the wool apart into two pieces down the length of it — you have to be careful while doing it, but it should come apart pretty easily.
The fleece fabric is an interesting idea… I wonder if you could just cut a long strand out of a long piece of fleece (the synthetic blanket kind, not the natural kind) by doing a zigzag cut in the fabric. You wouldn’t be able to graft the ends the same way but the fabric would be stable enough to just sew the ends together. Hmm… Do you have any idea of what your yardage was?
You know, a lot of people have asked me about my yardage so I suppose it’s time to try and measure it! I honestly have no idea what it would be, but I also think it’d be different for fleece than wool, so you might just need to try a gauge swatch and see what happens 🙂
very unique and inventive. Good for you, it is these kind of ideas that give you a name. I have seen this type of thing knitted out of a large icord. The icord which actually was about the size of the roving, was made from cotton/poly I think. But I haven’t a clue where one would find that. The two factors that wouldn’t agree with me is the weight of the finished blanket and the shedding, but this is still a neat idea.
Thanks, Linda. I think you’d have to make the i-cord yourself, right? I’ve been thinking about trying this with fabric instead of wool to see if it would be lighter and, obviously, less shed-y. The wool just looks so nice visually, though!
You can purchase an i-cord machine tool for about $15 that will make i-cord very fast. I use different yarns to make the cord and then knit with it. Much cheaper and easier than buying roving.
So just for clarification purposes its it one piece of half inch pvc or is it 1piece of one and a half inch pvc.
Hi Kay — it’s a single 10-foot length of 1.5″ PVC pipe that you need to get cut in half so you can get 2 “needles” out of it. Does that help?
How much wool roving do I need to order to complete one blanket?
The blanket takes approximately 6 pounds of wool.
when i felted the wool it really stuck to the sheet when i opened it to hang it to dry. is this normal? it was really not smooth and has a lot of pieces coming off of it. do you think i did something wrong?
Hi there — you know, this is an intermittent problem for me, but as long as you’re careful pulling the yarn out of the “sausages” I find it isn’t a problem with the completed blankets. I think some sheets cling to the wool more than others, but no matter what you’ll be losing some of the wool during the process. Just be careful when pulling the wool out to dry, and try to keep it as intact as possible, and I think you should be okay!
I purchaced your pattern and have the wool on hand. I also have both of my “double sausages” rolled tied and ready to go. My question is about your comment about stomping the sausages 4 minutes. this is a very precise number. Have you stomped for longer and had bad results? If so could you share those or comment on why just 4 minutes?
Thanks so much!
Shaorn
Hi Sharon! It’s by no means a precise number — I think 4 minutes was my estimate. I try to stomp on the “sausages” long enough where they start looking felted in the water, I’d say 4-10 min, depending on how vigorously you do it. I don’t think it’s all that important, actually — going longer shouldn’t be deleterious! Good luck!
I was just reading through the comments and noticed that some of you would like to try with fabric such as fleece. I have already crocheted with fabric and it turns out great. So I decided to try knitting fabric. It works out very nicely. Fleece is nice because when you cut it, it does not ‘shed’ and you can make your strands as wide as you want and then you simply sewing the strands together to get your ‘yarn’. Works like a charm and it does not show in the knitting. When you knit it or crochet it, you can sort of roll it up along the way. Haven’t tried wool roving though. I am having a blast with the knitting. Lovely job on your blanket Laura.
Is the wool itchy? I don’t want to make it if it is going to be itchy. I know there are different types of wool, but I am unfamiliar with them all. Thank you!
I personally don’t find it itchy, but it is 100% wool so if you’re very sensitive I wouldn’t recommend it.
Is there anywhere you can get the wool all ready to go? I am limited on time preparing the wool seems very time consuming.
Not that I know of! If there was a place to get this wool ready to go I’d probably do that myself, too! 🙂
The wool shop you referenced that you source from offers a “fulled” option and she splits in halves the wool roving option for an additional 10$ per pound. I think there is even a 4ths splitting and “fulling” for $17.50 a lb as of today 9/25/16. You have to add the wool to cart and check the splitting/felting button . Laura do you know if this “fulling” and splitting option for $10 a lb offer the same result as your bathtub felting and splitting ? Thanks
Hi Sarah, I’ve never seen her fulled fiber, so I’m not sure how it compares to my method. Carol Ann at Sheep Shed is very knowledgable, though, so I imagine it’s a good service!
How do you felt the wool? I’ve never had reason to felt anything 😛
Eryn, the pattern goes through the felting process in a lot of detail! 🙂
I was wondering ..my aunt loves this blanket but is allergic to wool. Could this be done with cotton? I would love to know..
Thank you,
Carrie
Hi Carrie — I’m not sure there’s cotton roving that will behave the same way as wool, but other commenters have suggested using fleece fabric and cutting it into long strips to mimic “yarn” — you could try that, I suppose!
I do NOT understand the using felt part…does anyone have a pic of what something other than the wool looks like?
This is explained in detail in the pattern! You can find links to buy the pattern at the top of this page.
Hi, Did you needle felt the ALL of the wool, or just the parts you were connecting together? and also why does it say “leave it to dry out” after felting, why is it wet?
You do the main felting in a bathtub with hot, soapy water. The needle felting is just to graft the ends of your “yarn” together so it becomes one continuous piece. Hope that helps!
Hi…could you recommend a different way to use a super bulky yarn (6) maybe holding 2-3 strands together> I realize it will be no where a large as your roving but that’s ok. I basically need to know the amount of yarn I would need. And how many to cast on? Thank you so much.
Susan
Hi Susan — It’s really hard to know how much you’d need ’cause it would all depend on what kind of yarn you use! I’d recommend just trying it out with a few balls and then getting a gauge that way. Unfortunately you’d likely need a TON of yarn, so I’m not sure if it’d be any cheaper! Good luck!
Someone asked about different yarn you can use…I originally saw a scarf on Pinterest with the arm knitting technique using Andriafil Magia yarn. Another similar to that is Berroco Link yarn. I’m not sure they are as think as what you used as I have never in my life knitted. But that might be an option for this blanket
Hi!
I love love love this pattern. I elected to go with roving from knitpicks. Do you have dimensions from your original roving so I can figure out how I need to split it?
Thank you!
Hi Shireen — the roving is about 2″ wide when I get it. Check out this post for a photo! Thanks! http://nocturnalknits.com/2012/11/why-bother-felting-the-giganto-blanket/
Thanks Laura! The Knitpicks roving poofed up just fine once it dried. I tend to knit looser and to go down to 1 1/4 inch PVC.
What did you use for knitting needles? Where did you find them?
Meagan, they’re just PVC pipe I bought at Home Depot. All the information is available in the pattern if you’re interested in making one of your own!
I just purchased your pattern and looking forward to this project. I’m a knitter and finally will knit for myself. Great challenge. Thanks.
Hi there! I’m interested in making such a blanket but wonder if you can give me a primer on roving? I was told to buy wool roving with super-long “staples”, and that if I purchased such roving, I could knit the blanket straight from the bag. (I was told the roving comes braided or something?) Please help! I’m so overwhelmed!!
Also, what was the diameter of your PVC?
Thank you so very much!!
Hi —
There’s a lot of info about the roving in the pattern, and all the info about how to source the PVC pipes is in there as well. The roving I use does not come braided and requires a bit of preparation before knitting, all of the steps are described in detail in the pattern. Hope that helps.
Hi! I just began knitting and I loooove it. I’ve been looking for a project just like this for my bedroom and just had a few questions. What exactly is felting and how do you do it? Also, how soft is the wool? I would use the blanket as my main comforter and wouldn’t want it to be itchy. And does it snag or tear easily? I have 2 big dogs who like to jump on my bed. Oh and do you think as a beginner I would be able to do this? I’ve only knitted a simple scarf so far and I don’t want to waste my money if its too difficult. Please get back to me and thanks for all your info, It was really helpful!
Hi Sage — it’s definitely a beginner project, but I recommend practicing the k2, p2 rib on normal needles before getting started. The wool is very soft, but it is a bit delicate and sheds, so I don’t know if it would stand up to your two big dogs! And the felting process is done in the bathtub and all the info is in the pattern. Hope that helps!
This blanket is SO amazing! What a great idea! I love your needles too. The hollowness of the piping probably makes them much lighter than any wood could. I may try to wrap some styrofoam cones for tips on the ends and duct tape around them just to give me the same effect as the lady who ‘3-D printed tips’ her friend designed. Look at all the people getting involved in this idea!
I saw years ago on Ravelry that ‘Weaverknits” made her sister a shawl with blue roving/broomstick needles… it was quite interesting too. I love the dimensionality the roving gives the projects! if you want to peek at her creation check it out here-
http://weaverknits.blogspot.com/2007/11/this-week-in-knitting.html
and then she even sites another link from the runways that year showing all the giganto knits that designers get 1000$ of dollars for! Maybe you’ll start a new trend in at-home knitting. I am thinking of doing this in a colored roving- I think the color dying process tends to ‘felt’ the wool a bit by itself- so I may not need to go through the bathtub process- I will let you know.
I am adding you to my favorite designers in Ravelry!
oxox, juliblue
Hi! Before I buy all the roving, I was wondering how you wash/dry it. Also how does it feel?
Hi Morgen — the blanket can be washed by soaking it in a washing machine without agitation, then low-spinning to get most of the water out, and then hung out to dry. And I think the blanket feels very soft, but it is 100% wool so some people might find it scratchy.
The “scratchiness” of wool all depends on its “micron” count – how fine the wool fibre is. The lower the number the finer the wool. Superfine Merino wool is the softest and should be between 16-18.5 micron. Anything about 19 micron some people will find that it will itch, depending on the person’s skin sensitivity.
This blanket is beautiful. I really want to make this blanket or something close to the idea of it for my sister’s birthday, however I no experience with roving or felting, and I was wondering how much of a task is the felting? Is it hard? Or can an extreme beginner do it?
Hi there — the felting actually requires no knitting skill, just a little bit of stomping in a bathtub. It’s definitely something a beginner can do, and the process is explained in detail in the pattern. If you’re not confident in the knitting aspect of it, I recommend just practicing a k2,p2 rib on normal sized needles before attempting the giant ones. Hope that helps.
Hi, beautiful blanket! I was wondering what the dimensions of the blanket are when finished.
The finished blanket size is approximately 50″ by 84″. Because each blanket is unique, sizes will vary slightly.
Hi there!
I just wanted to tell you how much I love this pattern, and can’t wait to try it out. Thank you for being so generous with all your advice and ideas, it’s really sweet to see you patiently answer so many questions.
Thanks!
Thanks, Amanda!
Hi. I have made several similar Blankets to yours though not quite so heavy. I used 24mm needles bought from RACHAEL JOHN on the CREATE and CRAFT web site. I used 5 strands of Chunky knit wool to make them. But, the beauty of knitting this blanket is, that you can use multible strands of various thicknesses of wool and multiple colours. Thus, you can use all your left over wool from other projects. Just tie a knot and trim the ends to join in the next ball of wool when you need to. The knot is hidden in the multiple strands so there are no ends to weave in at the end. I too live on a limited budget so I buy cheap value balls of Acrylic wool which is not ‘itchy’. I also work a 4st Garter st border at the sides and start and finish with 4 rows of Garter st. so the blanket stays flat. As for a pattern I usually make up my own. I have made them with panels of cable running up through them, and also a chequer-board pattern. I hope this was interesting for you to read. I live in the U.K. so it might be useful for your other European readers. I hope so. Regards, Sheila.
Instead of using the felt needle mat to put the wool ends together can I just draft the wool like this girl did before using the drop spindle for yarn? I am a beginner and I want to make the blanket but I have no idea what I am doing 🙂
here is the link of the girl drafting wool:
Hi Jazmin — I don’t think the drafting would work. That process is actually making the wool thinner and less strong, and what you need for this blanket is to join the ends together in a strong, reliable way. You don’t necessarily need to use the needle-felting tool, though — I didn’t use it for the first blanket I made. I just left a length of wool out and started knitting with the new ball each time, and then wove the ends in with my hands at the end. However, now that I’ve started using the needle felting tool I wouldn’t go back — it allows for seamless transition from one ball to the next, and thus lets you use every inch of wool! Also, it’s very easy and kinda fun. Check out my video (posted above) and you’ll see just how simple it is. Hope that helps!
Thank you so much. If I have any other questions I will come back to this website and ask 🙂
Hey,
I am looking at making a poncho for a 5 year old in the same way you knitted this, would you have any idea of how much wool i would need for it? i am thinking of not making it as thick?
thanks 🙂
Hi Jess – you know, if you make it thinner you’ll have a completely different gauge, and I don’t know the measurements for a poncho like that, so it’d be nearly impossible for me to figure out how much wool you’ll need! My instinct is to say: order 3-4 pounds to be safe. But that’s a total guess, it could require more or less. Send pictures if you make this! 🙂
Have you ever tried for a thinner blanket using 3 lbs of wool and splitting the roving to double the length. I hope I explained that right…!
Sorry, Tia — I haven’t done that! I’d worry that splitting it a second time might make it too thin and fragile, but I’m not sure!
I need to know how much of the Martha Stewart roving would it take to do the giganto blanket?
Martha, I don’t think the Martha Stewart Roving yarn is the same type of roving I refer to in the pattern. True roving is much larger in gauge — I believe “Martha Stewart Roving” is just loosely spun, bulky yarn. I hope that helps!
Laura~
Thank you for this pattern, I bought it just for the felting process because I wanted to crochet an giant blanket! I used all 6 pounds of the wool and my blanket came out as 50inX 84in as well, it was a really fun project and I learned a lot! My husband made me a giant crochet hook out of a 2 in wood dowel! I wish that I could post a pic for you but I don’t know how to, I made this blanket for a friend for Christmas, I also entered it into the local fair and received a honorable mention… any way like I said thank you!!!
I’ve been debating attempting this with the roving for a few months now but have decided against it (for the time being). However, I did just cut and sew up yards upon yards of fleece strips to give it a go with that (and my arms instead of pvc) If it turns out I will send you a picture
just wondering, how much fleece did you buy for your blanket?
Hi! Is there any way I can submit a photo to you? I was so inspired by your knit if made a poncho for a four year old and would love to share!
Hi! I had made this blanket for my friend a few months ago and everyone loved it! I was planning on making another for my sister for Christmas but I had a few questions. I followed your instructions while felting the wool and used all the recommended products but after the process, the wool felt nowhere near as soft as it did when I got it in the mail. It got quite a bit rougher and was shedding much more and I am not sure if I did not felt it as much as I should have but it didn’t seem to grow much at all. I had a small piece left that was not felted and in comparison, some pieces were smaller than the unfelted wool. All this considered, I was wondering if I could skip the felting process and just split the wool as it comes. I am definitely a perfectionist and I might be over analyzing the situation so please let me know your thoughts as I want to get started as soon as possible. Thank You!
Hi Sage — you could try splitting a short length of the yarn before felting and see if it looks/feels the way you’d like, and then proceed from there. I haven’t done this without felting for fear of excessive shedding and lack of structural integrity, so I can’t tell you whether it works or not! I find my yarn poofs up a lot after felting — did you buy the brown sheep superwash?
I’ve absolutely needed to knit this blanket ever since I saw it, but I want it to be something other to white. Instead of buying pre-dyed roving, I have decided to dye it myself (which is pretty ambitious considering I have never worked with dye, roving, or felting before).
My question is, where should the dyeing process fit into the felting process? Can (or should) they be combined? Also, do you have any recommendations for dyeing large bunches of stuff? Should I buy a kiddie pool and just dye the whole blanket after it’s knit? Is it a bad idea to felt the roving in my parents’ hot tub?
Thank you!
Hi Krista — I’m so glad you like the blanket, however I can’t recommend dying your own wool or felting this in your parents’ hot tub! Regarding the hot tub: the wool is going to come off in the tub, and unless you’re willing to buy your parents new filters and fix any clogged jets I say don’t do it! Also, before you attempt dyeing your own wool, do a lot of reading about it. To my (limited) knowledge, most dye requires either heat or chemical to make it set, and trying to dye that large an amount is a very daunting process! If you decide to go ahead with it, I would definitely recommend doing it outdoors and in something disposable, as dye will probably get EVERYWHERE. Good luck — do let me know if you go ahead with this and let me know how it goes.
How much wool is needed to make the blanket? Lengthwise, not pounds
I have no idea! I’ve never measured its length, unfortunately.
My daughter told me about your knitted blanket so I decided to check it out. She missed the part about felting in the tub. You are not only creative but incredibly patient.
Hello 🙂 I am very interested in making one of these beautiful blankets but have never felted before and was wondering how you went about felting the roving for your blanket? Thank you for your help!
Hi Cassie – all the information on how you felt the blanket is in the pattern. I use a bathtub or sometimes a top-loading washing machine.
My daughter find tis blanket on and I was going to try and make it for her, but I’m have trouble.
I bought the brown sheep white superwash from sheep shed studios. I followed what you said to do, when I split the yarn it is not very strong it just pulls apart. What did I do wrong.
Thank you
Margaret
Hi Margaret, the yarn will still be a bit delicate even after felting, but my suspicion is that you didn’t quite felt it for long enough. You may still be able to give it strength by lightly twisting it before knitting, and try not to pull too hard on the wool. I hope that helps.
What is the color of the wool? I was looking on the site you provided. I saw soft yellow and super wash white.
I use the “#1 White Superwash”
First, Thank You for the pattern. My Irving is drying as I type. Do need to “fluff” the roving when I split it? It just seems to have lost a lot of mass and your pictures almost look like my roving prior to the felting process.
Hi Judy — it fluffs up a LOT once dry. Mine usually looks compact right after the felting process, but once it’s had a chance to fully dry it puffs up quite a bit.
Thank you Laura. I’m excited to make this for my Daughter and now Son-in-Law
Laura, I haven’t knitted for over 25 years so I am kind of starting all over. It’s seems simple enough from your explanations and tutorials but once I have all the tools, are your instructions simple and clear enough beginning from the initial washing of the wool, to felting and the finished product? Also, I thought I would start with the basic blanket through Ravelry. If I decide to try the Cable Blanket, can I also purchase that one on Ravelry also? Seems for the price and able to get free pattern updates, it’s the best way to go.
Hi Cheryl — the pattern now includes both the basic and cabled versions, so if you buy it on Ravelry or Etsy you’ll get both! I do recommend buying through Ravelry, though — the automatic pattern updates are great, and it’s a bit cheaper because they don’t charge me as much to sell. I have to charge a bit more on Etsy because I’m charged a flat fee for every pattern sold, while Ravelry charges in bulk. Good luck! Post pictures of your finished blanket on Ravelry – I’d love to see it!
Hi Laura,
I have a question regarding your pattern. Why do you only split the roving AFTER felting the wool? Wouldn’t it be easier or wouldn’t it result a sturdier yarn if you’d split it before? Have you tried this already? I thought about this when i was in the middle of splitting it, and had some loose strands which i had to work into the yarn afterwards. Do you think this would work?
Hi Bianka — the problem with splitting the wool first is that you’d have to have TWICE the amount of sausages to compensate! So that’s why I do it this way. Also, I feel like it would be easier to split afterwards than before, but I’ve never tried it the other way, so who knows!
Where can I buy the needles?
And what size did you use?
Thanks!
Rachel
Hi Rachel – the needles are just 1.5″ PVC pipe I bought at a hardware store. All information about how to find the right pipe and make “tips” for the needles are detailed in the pattern!
How do I know I’m getting the quality of roving you used? I looked on sheep shed, it says you will be buying mill ends. Is this what you use? I also have several local wool dealers in my town, I’ve talked to one already, he is looking into his stash to see if he has what I may need. My question is how do I inform him of what I need? I don’t know the terminology and how to tell I’m getting soft wool that comes in long enough pieces, and also close enough to the finished project so that this being my first project of this sort will not be overwhelming to me. I love your blanket and I can’t think of any thing else right now!!!!
Thank you,
Janelle
Hi Janelle — I’m so glad you like the blanket! First, I don’t use the mill end rovings, I use the “Brown Sheep Superwash Roving” that you can find on this page: http://www.thesheepshedstudio.com/NewSuperpage.html
As far as finding the same quality, it’s very hard to say if you’re finding the same quality with your supplier, as it’s both a subjective thing and difficult to judge. Another term for the wool I use is “top roving,” and ideally you want it to come in one or two continuous lengths. When I order from Sheep Shed Studio, I usually can get 7 pounds all in one length. I hope that helps!
I wanted to thank you for posting such a wonderful blanket and the opportunity to purchase pattern. Plan on sending in for pattern tonight. My daughter loves it and I now have a perfect christmas gift. I have never knitted but do have limited knowledge. Looking forward to tackling this project. I do have a question. What is superwash wool roving? What makes it differ from regular wool roving. I see the price is different and that’s not issue., but would save the $ if there is no difference in making of blanket. Otherwise I want to do this right so would go with your suggested products. Also I have experience with needle felting but have never hot bath felted. Am I in for a complicated learning curve? Thanks for your attention to my questions. And thank you for a beautiful gift idea.
Hi Deborah — superwash is different in that it’s not supposed to felt, while regular wool felts quite a bit. Which is counterintuitive, considering I ask you to felt the wool in the project. The reason I used superwash is because I didn’t want to over-felt the wool — I just want it to puff up a bit and shed less. The hot bath felting is pretty unique — it’s fairly easy, but I recommend having someone help you so you don’t slip and fall! Good luck!
Laura,
Purchasing your pattern today. Daughter loves blanket and as a first time knitter but with limited knowledge of how to knit and purl and am tackling this for a Christmas gift for her. Hope it all goes well. My question is what’s the difference with superwash roving and just white roving? I want to do this right. I know there is a price difference but that’s not a issue. I am also a new needle felter but never felted with hot water and sheets. Am I in for a tough education process? Thanks for your attention. Great pattern and christmas idea for the country girl who has everything.
Is there a difference between top roving and superwash roving?
hey, ive just bought the pattern and cant wait to start this project. i just wanted to ask as im new to working with roving, when you wrap the wool into sausages, you do them in rows, once you have used 1 sheet do you then cut the roving and start a new sheet or do you keep the roving attached and just continue with a new sheet untill all the roving is made in to a sausage so that after the felting process you just have one long piece? sorry if that doesnt make sense
You can cut the roving, Bernadette! You’ll just graft it back together when you knit it up.
Good evening,
I purchased your pattern the other day and as I read through it I am confused. Please keep in mind I have very little knowledge of knitting and purling. So…. Could u please explain the pattern stitches to me?
K1, P2, K2 to last st, P1. Turn
Repeat 23 more times (or until you think you’ll run out of yarn).
BO loosely.
K means knit
P mean purl
But St and BO? And what’s the star mean by p2? Sorry to be bothersome.
Thanks much.
Deborah hayes
I absolutely fell in love with this blanket, however, I have never knit in my life, but want to learn how… I get very itchy with wool, so I’m wondering if I can get the same effect with a cotton yarn… Do you have any suggestions? I want the blanket to be very soft… acrylic isn’t my favorite either… any suggestions are welcome.
Thanks…
Amy
Hi Amy – I’m sorry but I don’t have a lot of advice for you! I’ve never knit this with anything but superwash wool, and I’m not sure how other fibers would behave, or where you could source cotton roving. If you find out, let me know!
Hi Laura! I absolutely love this blanket and I truly can’t wait to try and create it, especially for this coming winter :). But where did you buy/(how did you make?) your ‘knitting needles’?
Thank you!
Blessings
Hi Madeline – they’re just PVC pipe! I have detailed instructions on the size and how I cut them to the right length in my pattern, which is available for purchase — see the links at the top of this post!
Hi Laura.
I’m relly excited about this project, and now i have recieved a few wool samples (not from SSStudio, but UK store).
Now i take some piece, and tried to felt it on bathtube, but my result is not was expected.
The wool looks scrumpled and narrower than before (waited 24h) .
Do you have some ideas, why so? Is this depend of fiber content, animal?
I have a photo of diference, but can’t upload here.
Thank you, first- for this fantastic idea!
Hi Iveta — are you using regular wool or superwash wool? In my tutorial, I use superwash, which is wool that resists felting. It’s counterintuitive, I know, but you need wool that doesn’t fully felt when washed. I hope that helps!
Wondering how much I would need to fit a king size bed?
In my experience, you get about 600 square inches per pound of wool. Hope that helps you calculate your sizing needs!
How do you felt the roving? Do you have a video tutorial? Thanks!
Hi Luda — all the details about how to felt and process the wool are in the pattern!
I am wondering what kind of wool you used for the blanket you made for Free People? Also, can you recommend another type of wool/yarn that will not shed as much? I really like the blanket but would prefer to make it with something that sheds/pills less…..
Hi Jules — I used the same wool as in the pattern. Unfortunately, all unspun wool will shed a bit — it’s the nature of the fiber!
I have never knitted before – would this pattern work for me? I am looking for a crochet pattern that uses wool roving, but haven’t found any. My searches keep leading me to you on one site or another. So I’m thinking maybe I should just give it a try?
Hi Kim — the pattern is mostly a tutorial on how to prepare the wool, so you could definitely get the pattern and modify it to crochet instead of knit. You’d just need to make up your own crochet stitch for it, but it wouldn’t be too hard to figure out!
And if you’d rather just knit it, I’d recommend learning to do a k2, p2 rib on normal-sized needles before you start on the big needles. Hope that helps!
I am allergic to wool can I use another yarn? And if so what kind? Thanks.
Hi Chris — you could certainly try and find a commercial yarn in another fiber to use and knit it on the large needles. You’d probably have to hold 3 or 4 strands of it together at the very least. Unfortunately, all the giant yarns I know of are made from wool.
Hi! I’m not sure if you’re familiar with this brand of yarn, but do you think Loopy Mango big loop would work for this pattern? Thanks!
Hi Sarah — I haven’t actually gotten my hands on the Loopy Mango yarn, but I imagine it should work for this pattern! It looks to be approximately the same gauge as the wool after felting, etc.
Thanks Laura! I’ll let you know how it turns out if I give it a shot.
Did it work?
Hi Laura! I’ve recently learned the basics of knitting and while looking for a new project I stumbled upon your blanket and instantly fell in love! I absolutely have to make it but I would like to make it larger than your pattern calls for…how would I go about doing this? I’m also worried about buying the pattern because I don’t really know how to follow patterns…I learned how to knit through a YouTube video. If you have any advice I’d really appreciate it!
Hi Jacqui — I’d recommend buying my pattern because it walks you through all the steps of the process in fine detail. This includes prepping the wool and how to construct the needles — the “pattern” portion is actually very simple because it’s just a k2, p2 rib. And as with any knitting, if you’re going to make modifications you’ll just have to do some math! So you would swatch and figure out how many more stitches to add to the pattern, and you’d need to buy more wool. In my experience, you get about 600 square inches per pound of wool. Hope that helps you calculate your sizing needs!
Hi there,
I know that in your post you said that felting the superwash is optional. I was wondering if you felted anyway, besides the ends? If you have felted some blankets and not others, which turned out better and have a longer life?
Thanks!
Hi Sam – I’ve felted ALL of my blankets. It’s optional but very helpful! It puffs the wool up to about twice its size and makes it more durable. Hope that helps!
Would using the ‘non’ super wash roving impact the turn out at all? I was hoping to make the blanket in a more natural creamy colour, however this doesn’t seem to be available in the super wash. Anyone who HAS made it in the white super wash, is it a true white, or is it a cream colour? Thanks!!
Hiya!
Just found your tutorial and I am itching to get started – however, I am in the UK and I can’t seem to find anywhere that does unspun wool roving in a large size! Can you recommend anywhere in the UK please?!
Thanks!
Hi Laura,
I just got the pattern, I’m waiting for the wool to arrive, and I’m excited to start! I was wondering if I can use my hair blow dryer to speed up the drying process. Do you think it will harm the wool? Thanks!
Hi Atena — I don’t think it will, but you can always test it on a small section and see — if you ruin a few inches it won’t affect the final outcome! It might even puff your yarn up extra, but it will be a lot of work on your part!
Thanks for your reply! I’ll give it a try 🙂
Your big stitching poles are just crying out for a nice pointy end. I am a woodworker and can supply two ends, if you tell me the exact inside diameter of the “needles”.
Thanks for the offer, Joe! But I find the blunt ends are actually perfect for this project because they don’t split the wool as you’re trying to knit.
Hello Laura, I purchased your pattern & this will be my first knitting project. I have already purchased merino wool roving. I was wondering if all wool needs to go through the felting process?? I am nervous to start the project and want to make sure that I follow the directions fully. Please advise at your earliest convenience.
Thanks in advance!
Hi Meha – non-superwash wool will behave very differently during the felting process, so I’d recommend skipping it altogether for non-superwash, or steaming the wool instead of rolling up in the sausages. I fear the non-superwash will felt TOO much and you’ll end up with wool that’s very dense. Hope that helps!
-Laura
All I meant was to have an end, that is smooth and concentric. How blunt or pointy is up to you. It’s a free offer, with no strings attached. Thank you for video and explanation on to make that wonderful blanket.
Hi, Do you know how many yard it took to make this blanket. I know you said pounds but I’m wondering about the yards
Hi – I mentioned this in a previous comment, here’s what it said: I measured and it’s approximately 117 yards of raw roving for the blanket, but then you felt it and split it so he actual yardage knit is about 234. I got this by measuring out 8 ounces of wool and found it had about 9.75 yards. Hope that helps!
I see that they sell the material by the pound.
How many pounds do I need to make a 50″x84″ blanket?
Thank you,
I usually buy 7 pounds and that’s enough to have a little extra wiggle room in case you mess up. Hope that helps!
I absolutely love this blanket. I’ve been wanting to make this blanket for years now! (it’s what originally got me into needle crafts) I’ve been crocheting for about 3 years now and I think it’s time to start my version (a crocehted version) of this blanket.
I have never worked with unspun wool roving before. Can you explain the felting process to me, I am unfamiliar with it.
Thanks!
Hi Abby — the pattern actually goes into fine detail about the felting process. Since the actual knitting “pattern” is very simple (k2,p2), the majority of the pattern is about helping you figure out how to prep the wool. I hope that helps!
Where did you get those huge knitting needles ??????
They’re 5-foot lengths of PVC pipe — I got them at Home Depot! The pattern has all the instructions on how to make them yourself.
I would absolutely love to give this a try but a few quick questions would normal but more bulky yarn work for this as well so that it could indeed be more durable? Cuz honestly myself if I was to make this I’d want to constantly curl up under it since it looks so warm and fluffy, also any other projects similar to this for doing scarves and the like that you have tried?
You’d have to hold together a number of strands of super-bulky yarn in order to get the same thickness, and that might make the blanket extremely heavy (and expensive!) But I wouldn’t stand in your way — if you can find some yarn you think would work, more power to you!
And I haven’t done any scarves because of the shedding issue, but I know I’ve seen some other people who sell scarves on Etsy so maybe it’s possible? I just know I wouldn’t want to walk around with it on my neck because I’d be constantly pulling fibers out of my mouth! 🙂
Laura,
I was asked if could make your gigantic blanket by my nephew serving our military in Quantico. His wife is always cold and he is always hot. So for their anniversary he wanted this blanket for her. I have completed it and besides it being kind of like wrestling with a bear considering the upper body strength needed everything went well. Your instructions were very well done. I do have a dilemma as the wool smells like a barn yard. Would I be able to soak it in cold water and detergent and spin it , then dry flat?
I did use detergent when felting but it smells bad. I’m worried to send it this way. I appreciate your thoughts and help. Thank you
Hi Lillian — wool definitely has a distinct aroma. Some people love it, but some hate it! Wetting wool generally brings the smell out more, at least while it’s wet, so I’m not sure washing it again would make much of a difference. Maybe spritzing some Febreze or a scented spray over it might help? I would try a small area first, just to make sure it doesn’t discolor or affect the wool in any bad way. Hope that helps!
Do you have a crochet version of this blanket!?!
I don’t, but it would be very easy to convert! The pattern is really mostly a tutorial on how to prep the wool for knitting, so you could just use your hands to crochet with your favorite stitch.
I was looking to see if someone else had asked this question and I had thought of using hands instead of hook as well!! I’ve never hand crocheted before but I had a friend recently ask me to make one of these for her and I think I may do it!!!
Keep in mind though, that crochet uses more yarn than knit. So to make the same size afghan, we should probably get a bit more. (maybe an extra lb?)
Another commenter said crochet generally takes 30-40% more yarn, depending on the stitch. (I never knew how much more yarn was needed for crochet!)
Hi, sorry I’m not sure if I have already emailed you this (my phone decided to mess up when I clicked send.)
I only know the basic knit. Would I understand the gigantic blanket pattern or would I have to brush up on my knitting pattern skills first? 🙂
The knitting skills needed for the blanket are really really simple. The pattern is a k2/p2 rib, but you could also just do it in normal stockinette (where you knit on the right side and purl on the wrong side) or garter stitch (where you knit every row).
Here’s what I’d say: practice doing whatever stitch you’re planning on normal-sized needles, just to get it down and know the mechanics. Just knit a swatch — and maybe try learning to knit backwards, too, so you can figure that out. Then you’ll have a better footing when you go to knit on the big needles!
There’s a TON of amazing knitting tutorials on youtube, and all you need to know is how to do the backwards loop cast on, knit, purl, and bind off.
I just want to make sure about the PVC size. You said 1 1/2″ pieces. So does that mean they’re actually 2″ or so in diameter?
The PVC pipe is 1.5″ in diameter. I bought a 10-foot length and sawed it in half, so I have 2 pieces of 1.5″ diameter PVC pipe that are each 5 feet long. I hope that helps!
Can you make this blanket in colors or is it just one color?
I can make it in almost 100 colors! Check out my color card here: Giganto-Blanket Color Card
Can you knit this material using arms instead of a needle?
You could, but the problem with arm-knitting is that you can’t put your work down and take a break very easily! So I like using the giant needles instead.
Hi,
I love the blanket, and I was wondering if it is possible to ditch the needles and arm knit instead? Is the wool too thick or the dimensions too large?
Thanks!
You could, but the problem with arm-knitting is that you can’t put your work down and take a break very easily! So I like using the giant needles instead.
I’ve read all the questions and answers, and didn’t see this. I’ve purchased the pattern and the wool arrived yesterday. I got the superwash from Carol at the shed, 7 lbs. It’s beautiful! But this bathtub felting deal sounds soooo time consuming and messy. For the non superwash, you describe using a garment steamer. Can I do that with the superwash instead? The blanket is beautiful and I can’t wait to get started… thanks!
Hi Katie — I don’t have any superwash to test with, but I’m guessing it’ll work just fine. If you try it, let me know and I can update my FAQ!
Hello! I am looking at the site you recommended for the wool. Do you have them do anything to the wool before you buy it? Like how she mentions she can full the wool? I don’t really know what that means… haha. I only ask because she said the wool does not felt. I am just worried about buying it and then having my blanket fall apart while I am making it. Haha it is kind of intimidating! I have never felted wool but I know you said that you talk about it in your pattern. I am an avid crocheter so this is new to me! I am going to practice knitting for a bit before I start. I just want to get details on what you do when you buy your wool and then what you do there after before you start. Thank you!
Hi Shay – yes, I provide 2 different ways to prep the wool before knitting. I call it “felting” while Carol at the Sheep Shed Studio calls it “fulling”, but the end result is the same. You can either use a bathtub or a fabric steamer. More info on this blog post: Why bother felting the Giganto-Blanket?
If I’m allergic to wool can this Gigantic Blanket still be made in Cotton or another Fabric? Also can I get a certain color or colors?
Hi Nikia — I think it could be made with Alpaca, but it would be much more expensive! I don’t think cotton would work because the roving won’t be as fluffy. Some people have commented that they’ve done this by using long strips of fleece fabric — check out earlier comments for their suggestions!
Hi,I’m from Greece and I’m looking for the yarn.Any idea where I an find it or If I could buy it in any other way??
I would try the World of Wool or Etsy!
Hi there! I’m interested in trying this with some of the materials mentioned earlier (specifically the fleece). I was wondering about how many yards you work with for one blanket. I saw the 600 square inches per pound, but I’m not sure how to convert that.
Thank you so much!
I measured once and it’s approximately 117 yards of raw roving for the blanket, but then you felt it and split it so he actual yardage knit is about 234. I got this by measuring out 8 ounces of wool and found it had about 9.75 yards. Hope that helps!
I was just wondering why do you have to felt it? Can you use it as when you buy it?
Preparing the wool helps puff it up to twice the size so you can split it and get double yardage from the same weight of wool. More info on this post: Why bother felting the giganto-blanket?
So I went to find the wool on Sheep Shed Studio’s site and they offered this, “SUPERWASH does not felt. I can FULL your Superwash or #1 Wool Top Roving for you, and SPLIT it in half ready for knitting these giganto items. The roving is split and rolled in up into 2-4 balls ready to knit depending on amt. purchased. Needle felting needle included to attach the lengths of roving making one long “strand” of roving….”
Would you recommend getting this service? if so, would I still need to felt the wool?
Thank YOu!
I haven’t personally used this service, but Carol Lee at Sheep Shed Studio provides a good service and I’m guessing it’s a very good product! If you’re interested in skipping the fulling/felting step (the terms are interchangeable for the purposes of this project) you can have her do the work for you.
Hi Laura,
I am not sure if I completely miss this point in your thread.. Can you please explain what “felting of wool” is? I understand “why” to do it, but don’t understand “how” to do it. Usually I find answers to most of the questions on internet, but this was a bummer. Can you explain how you do it or direct me to another website or something where I can read/see how it is done?
Thanks,
Hi Sayali — the felting process is covered in detail in the pattern! You can find links to buy the pattern at the top of this page. I hope that helps.
Laura, when purchasing from Sheep Shed Studio could you bypass all the work of felting your roven through them by paying extra? If so would you felt again?
Carol Lee at Sheep Shed Studio will prep the wool for you for an additional cost. If she preps the wool for you (she calls it “fulling”) you won’t have to do anything but knit when you receive the wool.
Hi,
I am trying to make blankets that are about 4 sq ft in size. What is confusing to me is that you said one pound of gets you about 600 sq inches, but you use 7lbs to produce a 50″ x 84″ blanket (a little bit over a 4 sq ft size). Would the one pound work for a 4 sq ft blanket or is there something I am missing?
Hi Pamela — a 50″ by 84″ blanket is 4200 square inches. So 4200/7 = 600, which is how I got that measurement. 4 square feet would be 2′ x 2′, which is 24″ x 24″, or 576 square inches. So a pound of wool would work for a blanket of that size, but it would be quite small.
I’m wondering how easy it would be to adjust this pattern to make different sizes? Like single, double, queen and king?
It shouldn’t be too hard! You get about 600 square inches per pound of wool, so you’d just have to buy more or less, and do a little gauge math.
Hi Laura,
My name is Meghan. I bought your pattern, and I am using cheaper acrylic yarn. I hope it comes out ok ?, but anyways I’m confused on the pattern. It says K1, P2, etc, but I am not sure where to find out what those are… please help ?. Thank you!!!
Hi Meghan – those are knitting abbreviations. K1 = “knit one” and P2 = “purl two”. Do a quick search for “learn to knit” or “knitting abbreviations” on google and that should help you out!
Hi Laura,
I have done a lot of research and I think I’m ready to take the plunge and purchase your pattern another reader touched on my question but I’m not exactly clear on the response. My current intent is to make this blanket for myself and family but if at some point I would like to sell them is that ok to do if I purchase and use your pattern and instructions?
Thank you for your time and help!!
Melissa
This is a tricky question I’ve tried to answer above. Here’s a link to another opinion. I’m not a lawyer, so I can’t speak to the intricacies of copyright law, and I don’t care to get into a big debate about it either. For me, the question is more ethical than legal — as a designer, I used my expertise and time to create an easy-to-follow pattern for other knitters. I ask that other knitters only use the pattern for private/personal in good faith.
That said, the TEXT of my pattern is 100% copyrighted and protected, so it can’t be reproduced or distributed without my consent. For instance, a yarn store can’t buy one copy of my pattern and print out 10 copies to resell or give out for free. Does that make sense?
Hello,
I’ve just buy your pattern and I’ve start looking for the superwash wool. To avoid the high shipping fee I was looking to buy it on loveknitting.com, can I ask you what kind of features should it have? Just superwash and about 6 pounds?
thanks a lot!
Hmmmm, as far as I know Love Knitting doesn’t sell roving in the quantities needed for this project. If you’re in the UK, I would check out World of Wool’s “23mic 64’s Merino Top Superwashed”: http://www.worldofwool.co.uk/products/17/natural_wool_tops_and_fleeces/merino.htm
Or maybe I’m wrong? Let me know!
Hi Laura,
love love LOVE your blankets!! I made my first giganto-blanket before stumbling on your website and didn’t do the felting process before knitting and it’s starting to pill 🙁 Can I felt the blanket as it is made (in the bathtub) or do I have to unravel and start again? Thank you!
I would definitely unravel first! You run the risk of felting the stitches together if you try to do the felting/fulling process after knitting. Also, if you follow the bathtub method, you need to make sure you have superwash wool, otherwise the wool will felt too much.
Hi, I’m totally new to this and don’t know all the lingo, but I am teaching myself knitting and practicing before I dive into this. What does this mean (from Sheepshedstudio) “SUPERWASH DOES NOT FELT!! It will FULL or FLUFF when rinsed!” Is this just the felting/dividing process you talk about?
Also to drape over a king sized bed, how much wool do you think I would need?
Thank you so much!!!
Hi Shannon — I go into this in a lot more detail in the pattern, but I use the term “felting” a bit differently than Sheep Shed Studio does. You can check out my blog post about why my preparation process is important: http://nocturnalknits.com/2012/11/why-bother-felting-the-giganto-blanket/
And in my experience, you get about 600 square inches per pound of wool. So you would multiply the length and width you’d like the blanket to be, then divide by 600 to figure out the poundage.
Hi Laura!
I saw in the FAQ you recommend 7 lbs for a blanket to get the 50″ by 84″ size , but was wondering, do you need to split the roving to have enough to get to that that size?
Thanks!
-JD
Yes, you need to split the roving to achieve that size! 🙂
Hi,,
Silly question again, I purchased your instructions but I am a total newby to knitting and despiste searching tutorials, I do not get the instructions (K… *End, return, ect)
Would you have a good site where everything is explained.
Thanks
Here’s a resource that might help: http://www.womansweekly.com/knitting/basic-knitting-abbreviations-12000/
Hi,
Another silly question, how do I know if my yarn is of “Superwash” type? My vendor has no clue as he is just reselling.
I’d like to know which felting method I should apply.
Thanks
If they don’t know, it’s NOT superwash. You should follow the instructions for the steaming method.
Can you arm knit this instead? And if so, how do you “put it down”to finish later if arm knitting?
I’m thinking I’ll need 13 pounds of wool to get a super chunky king size bed throw.
Thanks for the help!
Hi Sierrah — you could definitely arm knit this, though it might be a different gauge depending on how big your arms are, or how loose you knit. If you need to set it down, you’d just loosely and carefully remove the stitches from your arms and place on a flat surface. When you pick the live stitches back up, make sure not to twist them.
Hi, I am allergic to wool what other yarn can I use?
Hi Leeza – I just updated the FAQ above to answer your question: I have only made this blanket using wool roving, so I can’t guarantee good results with other fibers. However, other knitters have suggested using llama or alpaca roving in place of the wool. They claim lanolin is the culprit with wool allergies, and llama and alpaca don’t create lanolin. That said, I would make sure to test with a small swatch before committing to buying the whole weight and make sure you don’t react to a different fiber.
If you’re vegan, you could try using 100% acrylic roving, but it might require trial/error to get the gauge right. Also, don’t steam or felt this stuff!
Awesome job and careful, generous advice. Especially replying to those who don’t want to spend the money.
I always say, you get what you pay for. If I weren’t a long time knitter and do this myself, I would gladly pay for an artisan blanket.. there are lots of knock off blankets for sale online that look absolutely awful.
Thanks for taking the time. You work hard. Plus, you must have kids on top of this. I admire that.
Thanks again,
Pat, a longtime knitter
in NJ
Thank you for this kind comment!