Yarn provided by Zen Yarn Garden. Opinions are my own.
Arm knitting is a quick and accessible way to learn knitting basics, and it’s a fun way to mix up a stale knitting routine! Today, let’s embrace this larger-than-life craft with a free arm knitting pattern for the 45-Minute Wrap & learn about something rare in the arm knitting world: a COLORFUL jumbo weight yarn dyed on a chainette base.
About Jumbo Yarn & A Mini-Review of Big Up!
Arm knitting has been a Thing for awhile now. The popularity of arm knitting in recent years has led to lots of interesting developments in the craft yarn world, not the least of which was the addition of Jumbo weight yarns* to the Craft Yarn Council’s Standard Yarn Weight System.**
*A.k.a. yarns that are so big, their gauge measures in at less than 6 stitches per 4 inches (10 cm).
**Interestingly there’s also a hand symbol that the Council has incorporated into their system, which is described thus: “The HAND symbol can be used to represent gauge for yarns that do not require hooks and/or knitting needles, including, but not limited to, loop yarns and arm/hand knitting and crocheting yarns. This symbol can also be used on patterns to note that tools are not needed to complete the project.”
I’d given the technique of arm knitting a try in the past, and I think it’s really fun. It’s is great for teaching a first time knitter looking for instant gratification, and if you’re in need of a palate cleanser between challenging knits, arm knitting is a fun way to mix things up. So while the craft of arm knitting is pretty accessible, the hard thing is finding variety in jumbo yarns that are suitable for the craft.
There are so many amazing neutral options for jumbo yarn, but finding those interesting colors, let alone in multicolor versions, is challenging. Excitingly, the folks at Zen Yarn Garden have come out with their own take on a jumbo weight yarn, called Big Up! I was given a skein to try, and within 45 minutes, I had a wrap finished (ends woven in too!) Since this yarn is from ZYG, the amazing hand-dyed colors I love in their other yarns can be found in all of the one-of-a-kind skeins of Big Up! The base they dye on is a chainette, which helps make it more pill-resistant than a plain roving, which is cool and another common critique of jumbo yarns.
The 45-Minute Wrap – arm knitting pattern
Skill level: Basic (If you’ve never arm knit before, I recommend giving Anne Weil’s tutorials a go!)
Supplies
1 skein Big Up! from Zen Yarn Garden (100% Merino Wool / jumbo weight / chain plied / 43 yds(39 m) / 500g(17 oz.) per skein)
scissors
Abbreviations & Terms
CO – cast on
sts – stitches
k – knit
BO – bind off
A note for traditional knitters: Since this is arm knitting, you are working flat, but not turning your work after each row, so as you arm knit, you are making a stockinette stitch rectangle as a result of the necessary lack of turning as you work each row.
The Pattern
CO 8 sts.
row 1. k8.Repeat row 1 to desired length or until nearly out of yarn. BO all sts and weave in all ends to finish.
To join ends: An optional last step is to join the CO and BO ends of your Wrap. You can simply sew them together or use a more advanced seaming technique if you wish.
Yarn provided by Zen Yarn Garden. Opinions are my own.
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