Over the past few years, giant knitting has become the obsession of knitters, experts and beginners alike.
In fact, with a very simple yarn (but in XXL sizes), a pair of needles and a bit of creativity, you can obtain surprising results with pieces that are extremely striking in their simplicity.
So here is the giant knitting project (one out of many) that we have chosen to show you. I made a sleeveless jacket by working the yarn using a macrame technique, 1x1 ribbed knitting and crocheting with fingers. As you can see, for me, giant knitting doesn't just mean knitting, but it means using many different technique... the main common denominator is clearly the XXL yarn!
Aside from the yarn and the wooden needles (which are both available for purchase starting today on dhgshop), all you need is a pinch of dexterity and a good dose of immagination. Let's get started!
First of all, we will braid a chain with our fingers which we will use as a base for our knots both for the front and the back of the garment. It is a simple process that I show you in this video.
In this way, I was able to create a chain that was the right size to cover the width of the shoulders, while also keeping in mind that while working the size tends to shrink and therefore it is a good idea to add a few stitches on the sides. To help me, I used a mannequin (you can find many different types for sale even at reasonable prices).
Macrame is a technique using knots (the word comes from the Arabic for "fringe") which I particularly adore because, even if it is relatively simple, it allows you to create quite large and aesthetically interesting textile surfaces. This is why I decided to use it to create a part of the coat.
First of all I prepared the yarn for "knotting" since they have to be in multiples of 3 and they all have to be the same length (4 times the desired length of the finished garment).
I folded them in half and then I hooked them onto the chain, passing each loop through each lower hole, starting from the bottom, and tightening them delicately.
So then I started to braid. In the video here below, I show you the braiding technique.
I will not give you specific instructions on the number or distance between the braids because they are the direct expression of each of our own creativity. It is up to you to choose how many braids to make and at which distance to make them to create a surface that is more or less compact as you desire and in the design that you wish to obtain. Braid after braid, I created the back of the coat and once I reached the desired size, I finished the piece with some double knots of yarn to create fringe.
I then used the same technique to create the two parts that make up the front (obviously leaving a space in the center unbraided, for the collar. I calculate around 18cm for the collar).
At this point I created some holes with my fingers which are used to attach the collar onto the front and back of the coat. I inserted the wooden needles into the holes and, starting from the front collar, began to knit.
I worked the first row in stockinette stitch and starting from the second row I worked in 1x1 ribbing (one knit, one purl) for 10 rows.
The piece is now almost finished! I put a seam at the sides by sewing a thread through the edges, leaving about 23cm for an armhole. As a final touch, I chose to finish off the front and the armholes with a chain stitch using my fingers. Here you have the black version, what do you think?
So here are a few more suggestions "from Grandma" that are true both for giant knitting and for more traditional knitting projects.
See you next time!
If you liked this article maybe you would also enjoy Wool etamine and oversized yarn: my oversize sweater.
WRITE A COMMENT