Arm knitting has been pretty popular this year, and I have to admit, though I don’t always like the look of arm knit projects, it is pretty fun and it’s a quick and easy way to use a lot of yarn.
Arm knitting is one of those crafts that looks far more complicated than it really is. Instead of using traditional knitting needles, you use your arms to form oversized stitches with super bulky or jumbo yarn, which means you can create a scarf, cowl or even a blanket surprisingly quickly.
That speed is a big part of the appeal. If you need a last-minute handmade gift, want a satisfying weekend project, or simply love the look of chunky textured knits, arm knitting is a great technique to have in your crafting toolkit. It is especially good for beginners because you can see the structure of each stitch clearly, and there are no needles to manage while you are learning.
If you have never tried arm knitting before, start with the basics: casting on, transferring the stitches from one arm to the other, keeping your tension fairly loose, and binding off. A smooth super-bulky yarn is usually easier to learn with than something very fuzzy or heavily textured.
For a visual introduction, the Michaels Arm Knitting for Beginners video walks through casting on, working the rows, adjusting tension and finishing a chunky cowl. The LoveCrafts step-by-step arm knitting guide is another useful beginner resource, with clear photos showing how each stitch is formed and advice on choosing super bulky yarn.
If blankets are what caught your eye, Wool and the Gang also has a beginner arm-knit blanket tutorial that takes you through the process without traditional needles. And here on CraftGossip, we also have an arm knitting tutorial roundup with photo-based instruction covering casting on, knitting, binding off and finishing.
Once you understand those few basic movements, you can move on to the chunky cowls, scarves, wraps and other quick projects featured below. They are perfect for holiday gifts, cold-weather accessories or those times when you simply want to make something substantial without spending weeks on it.
If you’ve missed out on the trend so far, here’s a little bit of the history, a tutorial and some more information.
I’ve been seeing more patterns popping up on Pinterest and elsewhere again (and I’m thinking hard about attempting an arm-knit blanket) so I thought it was time to share some again.
The Arm Knit Cowl from the Kurtz Corner is a classic style in the genre, and includes solid color and striped versions, as well as tips for how to finish your project.
Creating Laura has the fun Triplet Shawl, which makes a triangle you can use as a shawl or scarf or tie on over your bathing suit at the beach.
And Universal Yarn has the Big Impact Cowl (PDF), which uses two strands of a multicolored bulky yarn for, yes, big impact.
Have you tried arm knitting? Would you knit these projects, whether for yourself or for gifts? I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Check out this Arm Knitting book
on Amazon.
