What Is Arm Knitting?

For those looking for a cool new crafty hobby, arm knitting has recently gained popularity. You can knit without using needles!!

Arm knitting consists of using extra bulky yarn, typically a size 6, or the recently developed jumbo yarns. You can determine how many skeins of yarn you want to use for your project based on how long and thick you want your finished product.

Your options for knitting include blankets, infinity scarves, regular scarves or cowls. A simple project like a scarf can be made in as little as thirty minutes.

For more Knitting Resources, Check Out Our List Of Stores and YouTube Channels Dedicated To Knitting

Why Try Arm Knitting?

Perhaps you’ve picked up needles in the past but the length of time and intricate directions made you lose interest. Why might arm knitting be better for you than the traditional knit projects? Even if you have never held a pair of traditional needles, arm knitting will provide you with a new creative hobby that is calm, relaxing, and results in beautiful products.

Perhaps your fine motor skills are impaired by injury or illness. Arm knit projects use gross motor skills rather than fine motor skills. Even if you can’t keep a steady hand you can still be creative and arm knit. Let’s look at some of the advantages of incredible craft.

• Stopping or taking a break is a breeze. In traditional knitting, if you suddenly need to put down your project, it is frustrating and time consuming to recount all the stitches to where you left off. You better have good eyesight to find and continue working. Stopping in the middle of arm knitting is simple. Move the stitches onto a holder, something large like a wrapping paper tube or a broom handle. Begin your project on the last row of stitches you were working on, and you are good to go.

• Find an easy rhythm to produce consistent stitches. Even if you don’t consider yourself a creative person, you can gauge each stitch around your arm and fall into an easy rhythm. You have more latitude because the stitches are so much bigger. Find your comfort zone and you will be surprised how you fall into a relaxing and comfortable pace.

• Want to go extra big and chunky? This is the creative part of this hobby. To make even chunkier yarns, you can add two, three or four strands together. It’s easy to hold the ends of each strand and watch as they blend.

Where to Buy Supplies

It’s easy to begin arm knitting as all you need is an idea and your yarn. You can go to any major craft or sewing store and purchase chunky yarn. As suggested, size 6 is appropriate as well as the jumbo yarn.

Consider purchasing several colors and textures as you never know what will inspire you as you begin your first project. You might want to start with a single yarn, or you can just go for it and try combining yarns right from the beginning.

If you don’t have time to get out and shop for yarns, or you have mobility issues, you can have the yarn delivered right to your door. There are hundreds of chunky arm-knit project options online. Look through them without even leaving your home and pick one that inspires you. Many of these come with next-day delivery options.

How Do I Learn to Arm Knit?

To make a basic scarf or blanket, you can find several websites that give step by step directions on how to arm knit your project. The best part is that instead of taking days or weeks to complete a project, your creative genius will find completion in an hour or two. If you like projects that require the bare minimum for completing and are finished quickly, you will love this craft.

Perhaps you are more of a visual learner. Following written directions is difficult for some people. The good news is that learning to arm knit has become so popular, many websites offer videos on how to complete a project.

Watch several videos before you decide which project you want to tackle first. There are so many fun ideas out there that you might see something you never even thought of that inspires you immediately. Here’s a couple of YouTube videos to get you started!

How To Arm Knit A Blanket In 45 Minutes – YouTube Video

Arm Knitting – How To YouTube Video

Fun Facts and Tips

Jumbo yard was recently developed due to the popularity and number of arm-knit projects. There is a Craft Yarn Council that sets the standard for the yarn industry. Their Standards Committee added a 7th category known as “jumbo” to meet the growing demands for larger yarns required for arm knitting.

These larger-sized yarns can be a bit bulky and heavy. You can opt for more lightweight, fluffier animal fiber yarn. You can find several jumbo yarns that are made with regular sheep, Merino, or even alpaca wool. You will pay more for this type of natural wool, but your finished project will be lighter and decadently soft.

Try your very first project with a less expensive yarn and as you gain experience and proficiency you can complete your finest works of art with a more luxurious natural fiber wool.

Just to give you an idea of the cost of a skein of jumbo yarn, you can pay as little as $7.00 for the synthetic brands. The Merino or alpaca can range from about $15 a skein to as much as $50 for the really good stuff.

Arm knitting is not as sedentary as traditional knitting. When you begin, if you are self-conscious, close your drapes. Your neighbors might think you’ve been abducted by aliens as you contort with giant skeins of yarn wrapped around your arms.

You may feel erratic and a bit awkward as you gain your arm knitting skills. Never fear, as you become proficient and more comfortable with the process, it will be much more graceful and transform more into a smooth dance.

Your creations will be all about expressing yourself. Unlike traditional knitting, this is more of an expressive art. Let your imagination run free, don’t feel you need to stick to any guidelines or constraints. You might be surprised at what your creative side will discover and what possibilities exist.

This new hobby may inspire you to try arm crocheting. There are patterns and designs for making blankets, footstools, wall hangings, carpets and just about anything else you can imagine that is made through the art of crochet. The structure of these projects is very strong and complex and versatile in the endless possibilities.

If you find a project that uses traditional needles and doesn’t have an arm pattern, you can substitute your arms for the needles. You can loosely follow the pattern and find a way for you that is less confusing. When you get to the end of a row, just move the stitches from the cast onto your other arm and complete the row.

In Conclusion

Even if you haven’t been the craftiest person in the past, this simple hobby may be perfect for you. You need a minimum of supplies and space; projects are completed in hours instead of weeks.

There are endless possibilities for what you can make. Unleash your creativity and give arm knitting a try as all you need to invest in is a skein or two of yarn. You just might surprise yourself and be the new family favorite at the gift-giving time with your amazing, hand-made creations.