Chunky Knit Blankets have been an increasing home decor trend for months now and with the growing demand, the cost of them continues to increase too. One of these quality blankets can range anywhere from $120-$300 or even more. There are many types of yarn you can use to make a Chunky Knit Blanket, my favorite yarn being chunky wool yarn but it can still be pretty costly in comparison to other types. I am going to show you how to make a Chunky Knit Blanket on a budget using Sherpa yarn, although the process is the same for each yarn type. My goal was to make a larger sized throw for the bottom of a King size bed so it's more wide than long but there are many different sizes you can make with these same instructions! You can find size charts all over google to roughly estimate how much yarn you will need for the blanket you are wanting to make. In total, I spent about $45 for this blanket!

Supplies

7 rolls of yarn (typically 28-32 yards per roll)

Scissors

Step 1: How to Get Started

Once you have gathered all of your supplies, you are ready to start! The first thing you are going to do is create a loop. Make sure the continuing piece is on top as shown in the picture. From there you are going to pull the continuing piece UNDER and through the loop. It's important you pull it under because that is how you are going to make your initial knot.

*TIP: the size of the first knot is most important because it's going to determine the size of the rest of your knots and loops (how tight or loose the blanket will be)

Step 2: Creating the First Row

The first row is different from the rest of the rows because it determines how loose or tight the blanket will be. You want to AVOID, at all costs, having a tight knotted first row and loose knots throughout the rest of the blanket (and vice versa) because it will warp the ends create a misshaped blanket. Again, pull each loop UNDER and through the next knot to avoid any twisting. This is the first step of consistency to have a successful blanket!

NOTE: Many blankets have 24-28 knots on the first row, for bigger blankets create more. The blanket in this demonstration has 38 knots because I wanted to make it more wide than long. How to count knots shown above.

Step 3: Starting a New Row

Once you have completed your first row to your desired width, you are ready to start on the next row! To start the next row you will need to FLIP the row over to where the continuing piece is now on the opposite side of the knots (on top not the bottom) From there, you will proceed to pull the loop UNDER the last loop hole to create that second row going down.

NOTE: Make sure you do not confuse your last loop hole with the loop that starts the next row - it will mess up the shape of your blanket. It is an additional loop on the last loop.

Step 4: The Process:

After you start the next row, you will be able to go through the process more quickly. From here on, you will start each row the exact same and continue each row identically! Once you start a new row, you just continue to loop the yarn UNDER each the last knot to create an additional loop for the next row (As shown above). Watch out for the loops turning, keep them straight so the row doesn't get twisted creating a lopsided braid for that row.

NOTE: You will not need to flip the knots over each time you start the next row, that is only done after the first row!

*TIP: Give yourself some slack on the yarn to avoid accommodating the size of the loops and tightening them. I advise unrolling the ball of yarn to be able to smoothly pull the yarn through each loop and make sure your number of loops for each row is the same*

Step 5: It's Okay to Mess Up

Fixing a mess up is one of the easiest things about this blanket; Simply pull the yarn to unravel the loops to where you want to re-begin at!

Step 6: Switching Colors and Adding Yarn

Adding more yarn to your blanket is simple! If you are using only 1 color of yarn, the transition from one ball of yarn to another is seamless. If you are switching colors, it takes a little more preciseness but you can make it look just as blended. When adding more yarn, tie a knot from the end of the one you are currently using to the beginning of the one you are adding, then cut the excess pieces and done! You can incorporate any color anywhere in your blanket this way, whether its starting a new row or adding into the middle.

Step 7: Creating the Last Row

Just like the first row, the last row is different than the rest of the blanket! It is even different from the way we started our first row. First, make sure you have plenty of yarn for this row, you will need more than the previous rows. This step ties the whole blanket together. Your goal is to have a smooth braided finish with no loose ends.

To start this row, create the extra loop as you would when you start another row. Then create the second loop just as you would in previous rows. It's important you make these loops more loose because you will be intertwining them together. Pull the second loop UNDER and through the first loop and continue that until you get to the last loop. This folds off the end so there's not any loose ends or hanging loops.

Step 8: Tying Off and Finishing the Blanket

Once you have completed the last row, you will pull the end of the yarn through the last loop to create a smooth curved finish. Find a random spot to weave in the end piece of the yarn, tie it in a tight knot, and cut the excess yarn off. The goal is to keep the tied end piece hidden seamlessly just like when you connected another ball of yarn to the blanket in step 6.

NOTE: When you finish the blanket, make sure you go back to the knot you made in Step 1 and tie a knot at the tip of it, then cut the excess yarn off.