Mega Knitting is a new knitting style that is taking over in the knitting community. So many people imagine that it is just knitting on large needles, which it is, but really, it is knitting on really large needles. This is definitely not your grandma’s knitting style, (PIC: …1990 “Grandma’s Knitting style”) but the benefit of it is the sheer speed in which you can make something that should take weeks to complete. With this type of knitting, you can create plush throws, rugs, oversized shrugs, and other amazing pieces in no time at all.
Mega Knitting Needles
Mega knitting is done in the same way as standard knitting, except it’s done on really large needles with really large yarn. The needles need to be a size 17 or larger. Yes, that’s big. Depending on what you want to make, the needles need to be pretty long, too. There are a few places online where you can purchase needles specifically created for mega knitting. These needles have small hooks on the end to make it easier on your wrists. With needles and yarn this size, it can be rather hard on your hands and wrists, so these hooks grab the yarn so you aren’t twisting your hands around as much. Your arms will basically just do a back and forth movement instead. These needles are pretty pricey, and the shipping will be pretty complicated due to their size, but for the design and ease of the process, the price may be worth it for the hooks alone.
If you don’t want to pay for a set of oversized needles, there are ways that you can make your own. Some knitters make their own needles out of broomsticks, but others feel that these are really too small for the yarn they need. Another great way to make your own needles is to buy a length of PVC pipe that is at least one inch in diameter or larger. You can use duct tape on the ends to make a smoother finish. The biggest downfall to using handmade needles is that your wrists will still be doing a lot of work since they won’t have a hook on the end. If you’ve got the tools available, your best bet is to create your own wooden needles with a hook on the end and then you can experience the best of both worlds.
Mega Knitting Yarn
Along with the extra large needles, you’ll also need oversized yarn. For a truly plush throw or wrap, you need something thicker than even the extra bulky yarns you can find in stores. There are a few places where you can find super chunky yarn specifically made for this purpose, but again, this is easily accomplished if you’re willing to do some of the legwork and create your own yarn. Don’t worry; no spinning is required!
To make your own yarn for mega knitting, you need several pounds of wool roving, a few king sized sheets, and a bathtub for felting. You’ll roll all of the roving into the sheets, making sure that there is fabric between each strand of roving so that they don’t felt together. Then you can tie it all up and put it in the bathtub with the hottest water possible and a very small amount of detergent. If you’ve got some galoshes or snow boots of some sort, you can put those in and agitate the wool with your feet, or you can use a broomstick or PVC pipe, but it will be a lot harder to do.
You really don’t need to felt the roving too much, just enough that it all holds together as a piece of yarn. Once it’s done felting, you can unwrap it from the sheets and lay it out on a floor somewhere to dry.
Once your yarn is completely dry and rolled into balls, it’s time to start knitting! The beauty of knitting on huge needles with extremely chunky yarn is that you can knit plush, soft blankets in about four hours. This process creates beautiful, oversized stitches that create amazing texture in your blanket. Mega knitting blankets are becoming extremely popular as home décor for the soft, oversized look that has become all the rage today.
