Big, Bulky Yarn is Still in

September 17, 2015 by Sarah White Leave a Comment

Fall knitting season is definitely upon us, and the stories about fall fashion trends are starting to come in now that New York Fashion Week is done.

I hear from Glamour (because it’s the first place I looked) that neon is still big, as well as faux fur and shearling, which are all looks that could be incorporated into knitting projects. (Especially neon, since you can use it in a scarf, say, if you don’t want a whole neon sweater.)

Brown, black and winter white are also popular colors, go figure. Turtlenecks are also in, apparently.

But one trend that was noted that I’ve seen other places, too, is that chunky knits are still going strong, especially oversized sweaters. Check out these tips from Stylecaster on how to wear a giant sweater (hint: skinny pants, or shorts!) if you’d like to try the bulky look for yourself.

Yarn manufacturers are in on the bulky trend in a big way, with lots of new yarns coming out in the bulky and super bulky arena, as well as tons of pattern support for those big yarns.

A few examples I’ve seen recently:

Berroco has a new super bulky called Gusto, which is perfect for super-quick accessories like this cowl, called Juniper. It’s a simple stitch pattern with eyelets for air flow that will knit up in no time.
Casa Sonia is another great one from Berroco, using super cozy Ultra Alpaca Chunky. It’s another easy stitch pattern, using knits and purls to add geometric texture.
Noble Knits has a couple of great patterns from Universal Yarns using their Classic Shades Big Time Yarn, which looks lovely and like lots of fun to work with. Check out the Cog Shawlette (such a great shape, made with short rows) and the Big Time Cowl (a simple bias knit loop) if you want to bring some quick color into your life.
And speaking of big cowls, and Noble Knits, here’s another quick and easy one from Erika Knight Yarns, the Cobblestone Street Cowl. A little textured knitting keeps this one interesting but it’s still a quick project.
HiKoo Rub-a-Dib might not be a yarn you’d go to for warmth, but it is a great choice for luxurious spa accessories that knit up in a flash. Hello, holiday gifts.
And here’s another one that’s not for wearing, but you might want to stitch it up for plenty of fall and winter warmth. The Angled Eyelets Blanket from Yarnspirations uses the aptly named Bernat Blanket yarn and a relatively easy lace pattern that keeps the blanket from being too hot and makes the knitting more fun.

Are bulky knits on your knit list this season? I’d love to hear what you’re working on!

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Book Review: Brooklyn Tweed’s Knit & Crochet Blankets

Blankets are a great blank slate project that you can change up in a million different ways. From color to stitch pattern to size, the possibilities are almost endless.

Jared Flood, the designer behind Brooklyn Tweed, was inspired by a log cabin quilt his mother made in 1995 to re-create that design in knitting, which led to more blankets and ultimate Brooklyn Tweed’s Knit and Crochet Blankets, which includes 25 patterns from an array of designers using different skills and techniques to make cozy, pretty blankets.

The patterns are divided into three aesthetic themes: traditions, minimalism and colorplay. The patterns are rated on a scale of one to five, with one being the easiest, and there aren’t any pieces rated five. Two blankets are rated one, 14 are two, eight are three and one is four.

In addition, three of the 25 patterns are crocheted, but they either use single crochet or granny stitch, so they are pretty easy even if you don’t do a lot of crochet. You can see all the patterns on Ravelry.

Some of my favorites include Rattan by Rastus Hsu, a chunky blanket worked in knits and purls with simple crossing stitches to make a raised woven look; Homewood by Seth Richardson, covers in dramatic, loopy cables; Ainur Berkimbayeva’s Tessellate, one of the beginner projects that doesn’t really look beginner but is totally worked in knit and purl stitches; Warp + Weft by Aist? Butkevi?ien?, which is mostly knits and purls but makes a fun woven look fabric that blew my mind a little bit; and the same designer’s Canyonland, a multicolored blanket with wavy stripes.

The patterns tell you how to resize them for different dimensions and include information on pattern repeats where it is possible to make a totally custom size.

Many different techniques are included here such as cables, lace, shadow knitting, intarsia and other colorwork techniques, as well as modular knitting and lots of sewing pieces together. The patterns are all presented with charts, but there are line by line written instructions available on the Brooklyn Tweed website if you need them.

The book ends with a deep dive into log cabin knitting, telling the story of the quilt Jared’s mom made and how he made it in knitting, as well as the multitude of variations you can make if you want your own log cabin style design.

The back of the book includes a little written information about some of the special techniques needed, but there are no photos.

This is a lovely book full of inspiration for knitting and crochet blankets for any skill level. If you like to make blankets as gifts or aspire to have a handmade blanket in every room of the house, these designs would be a great place to start.

About the book: 192 pages, paperback, 25 patterns. Published 2024 by Abrams Books, suggested retail price $24.99.

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