How to Make a Chunky Blanket Using Merino Wool Yarn

When it comes to making a chunky blanket, we can never deny that the Merino wool yarn is the best option. It has so many features that other types of wool yarn do not have to make a chunky blanket. Unlike other types of wool yarn, the Merino wool yarn has a thin diameter, which is why it doesn’t cause itchiness. Besides that, it also provides impressive warmth and moisture-wicking capabilities.

What are the features of the Merino wool yarn?

Below are some of the features the Merino wool yarn has, which make it the best option when it comes to making a chunky blanket:

1. It keeps you fresh and dry. No other type of wool yarn can keep you dry and comfortable like the Merino wool yarn, even in sweaty conditions. The Merino wool fibers are hydrophilic, which means it absorbs water molecules and pulls moisture away from your skin to the surface of the fabric where it evaporates. It doesn’t only wick sweat from you, but it also moves water vapor before it becomes sweat.

Its ability to absorb and release moisture from the air is the reason why it’s one of the most breathable materials available today. It can absorb up to 30% of its weight in water, and it will still make you feel dry.

2. It helps you feel warm when it’s cold and feel cool when it’s warm. In other words, the Merino wool is an insulator as it provides exceptional warmth in cold conditions. Also, it provides coolness on a hot day. It’s interesting how one fiber can do so much.

The Merino wool can naturally absorb and release moisture. While it absorbs moisture from the atmosphere, it releases heat and warms the weather. During cold conditions, the crimp in the wool fibers makes tiny pockets of trapped warm air, which serve as insulators. Unlike the other types of fabric, the Merino wool can retain its insulating properties when wet. As it pulls moisture away from the skin to evaporate, you will feel cool and dry even during the warm weather.

3. It eliminates odor. The Merino wool is the best fabric that will keep you smelling good after a hot day out in the sun. You can even wear it every day without smelling foul. This is because the lanolin in the sheep’s wool has anti-microbial properties that eliminate the bacteria in sweat. Because it manages moisture so well, the surviving bacteria don’t have the damp environment needed for them to thrive. Without the build-up of this odor-causing bacteria, the Merino wool will always smell good at the end of the day.
4. It’s durable and long–lasting. The Merino wool garments are always durable and can hold their shape for a longer period compared to other fabrics. The Merino wool fibers are made of an interlocking structure of Keratin molecules, allowing the wool to stretch and bend in multiple directions, tens of thousands of times without damaging it.
5. It provides natural protection from the sun. Naturally, all types of wool yarn can absorb radiation, even when completely untreated by chemical processes. However, the amount of UPF protection depends on the wool’s weight. 230g, 400g weight 100% Merino wool knits provide UPF 50 protection. A UPF rating of 50 means that it allows 1/50^th UV transmission, while a UPF rating of 25 means that the fabric allows 1/25^th of available UV radiation to pass through it.

The Merino wool provides the best performance fabric for a whole year. It’s very interesting to find out that it provides natural protection from the sun.

6. It provides extreme comfort. The smoother and smaller the fiber, the softer it is. Traditional wool is produced from sheep whose coats are rigid and thick. This is the reason why it causes irritation and itching. However, the Merino sheep are so much different. Superfine Merino wool fibers (17.5 microns to 18.5 microns) do not poke or scratch. Instead, they bend at the lightest touch, which creates a fabric that is smooth, soft, and comfortable to wear.

These features make the Merino wool yarn fit for making a chunky blanket. How can you make a chunky blanket using this wool yarn? Find out how below.

How to make a chunky blanket using the Merino wool yarn

1. Take it slow. It’s important to take your time, especially when you’re learning something new. Count your stitches carefully, and don’t miss any. If you do, you’ll end up starting all over again. Nobody wants to do the work twice, so be careful and don’t rush the knitting project.
2. Measure the stitches. Keep in mind that the size of your stitch should be between 3.5 to 4 inches tall, from top to bottom. This ensures that your blanket will end up in the size you want it to be and avoid using too much yarn knitting.
3. Be consistent. In knitting, the most important thing is to be consistent. If you make one stitch a certain size, then make sure that the succeeding stitches match it. If you have uneven stitches, your blanket will be uneven, too.

Redo the stitches if you must or try to practice a couple of times to make sure you get the stitch size correctly before you get into the project.

4. Avoid pilling and shedding. The Merino wool yarn is prone to pilling and shedding with heavy use. To prevent this, pre-felt it before you start knitting. Apply heat to strengthen the fibers of the wool to make sure they are more durable.
5. Complete the ends. Once you’re done with the blanket, make sure to finish the ends. It should have two loose ends. You can tuck them into your knitting, or you can use a felting needle to parse the fibers apart, and connect them together.

This way, the loose thread will be joined with another thread in your knitting without unraveling later.

You might run out of Merino wool yarn at Darn Good Yarn, so if you’re considering making a chunky blanket this Christmas, now’s the time you place your order – before it’s too late.