Do you know about the knitted afghan/blanket with size 50 needles/or your arm and REALLY BIG yarn?

[loopy1]

Someone I met out shopping today told me about this and that it's the in-thing. Already-made afghans are selling for $$$. She said to look for Jacqui Fink on Instagram and to search for Becozi and Purl Soho, which I have. There is also a blog dated 10/15 on snugglelry.com entitled Best Yarns for Arm Knitting. 

I'm looking for the right yarns to use and to know if anyone has had experience with these afghans. I saw a picture of a very pretty one with every row knitted.

Thanks!

[loopy1]

The ones selling are 100% wool but I want to use something more practical. Can you imagine washing an afghan in your bathtub? And then how will you dry it? 

[magiccrochetfan]

I'm not in love with the look, myself, and i think it may be something that looks cool in a photo but not so much in real life.  and the wool roving for these is horribly expensive, and i agree not easy to care for, but not sure if there is an acrylic that big.  and if so would you even be able to put it in a dryer?  

but maybe you could use a few strands of a very bulky acrylic and try it out that way?  

[loopy1]

I agree with you about the look...not something I would want but it's for my 21-yr old granddaughter and I think she will like it. She wants fall colors and I was just thinking that using several strands of different fall colors would work best. Also, I think size 35 needles would work just fine or maybe even 19. 

This appeals to me because it won't take that long to make and Christmas is 58 days away!

[magiccrochetfan]

Oh, yeah for that age I think it'll be a great gift.  They do seem to be very trendy and popular.  

I don't know how much unasked-for advice you really want  but I would stick with a solid color rather than mixing colors.  I think the appeal is being able to see the huge stitches, and if you mix colors you will lose that stitch definition.  Most of them I've seen seem to be very neutral, usually off-white or gray.  For fall colors I think bittersweet orange might fit the trend.  just my 2¢  worth :-)  

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/chunky-knit-blankets-throws_us_597f9b62e4b08e143004dda0

[Granny Square]

Something along the scale of the crate & barrel one on Magiccrochetfan's link would be reasonable IMO, looking at the other ones just make my hands hurt .  Agree that the 1 coloredness of the samples is part of the appeal, I wouldn't combine colors (by holding strands together).  Maybe stripes, 1 color in a row (then you could do fringe and not worry about weaving in).

[loopy1]

Sorry I haven't been here lately. I used to live in this place before my hubby got sick in April 2012...hardly any activity since then.

I appreciate your suggestions and welcome them. Yes, a solid color would be best...I didn't think about being able to see the huge stitches. 

Granny Square, just to clarify about the stripes, do you mean, for example:

• one or more rows of red
• one or more rows of gold
• one or more rows of brown

By the way, she texted that her apartment is primarily grey.

Thanks again, Ladies! 

[redrosesdz]

Welcome back! I'm sorry to hear about your hubby getting that ill.

I'm jumping in the conversation about the colors. Fall colors don't go well with grey. That's odd that she wants them. My suggestion is to pick just one fall color and make it solid.

If you're getting the yarn at a store, pick one of each fall color and lay them on a piece of grey fabric or next to several skeins of grey yarn. Go with the one that looks best.

If you're getting it online, then red or gold or burgandy go better with grey, than brown.

[magiccrochetfan]

If you do stripes, I would make them very big...almost like color-blocking more than stripes.  so for the whole blanket, there would only be, say, three or four stripes.  But I really think the monochromatic colors are what people are liking about these blankets.

(Watching HGTV, it seems like gray is the "in" color.  Every time i see a house with gray floors, gray countertops, gray tile, gray walls, all i can think is "you're gonna be very tired of that in about 2 years".  I just don't get it. Well, I admit, I think off-white is the only color for walls    A pale gray wall or two, i can understand.  Yesterday I saw one kitchen with brand-new cabinets but they were a medium gray, and it seemed like the dreariest thing ever.  The woman who was buying didn't like it either, she wanted lighter cabinets. )

At any rate, I agree with Sharon I don't think brown would be a great choice with gray.   If fall colors are what she wants, I personally would go with a bright gold, or orange.  

[Tampa Doll]

Hey Loopy so good to see you back.  So sorry to hear about your DH.

That is not my idea of a fun project, but I would go with a fall color (solid) then do if you want a mixed color for a border.

[Granny Square]

Right, I meant 1 color (may be several strands to get the thickness, but all strands the same color) at a time across 1 or or more rows, versus many colors held together throughout.  In the first, you'd be able to see the stitches, the second would just be a color cacophony IMO.  

 

[loopy1]

15 hours ago, redrosesdz said:

Welcome back! I'm sorry to hear about your hubby getting that ill.

I'm jumping in the conversation about the colors. Fall colors don't go well with grey. That's odd that she wants them. My suggestion is to pick just one fall color and make it solid.

If you're getting the yarn at a store, pick one of each fall color and lay them on a piece of grey fabric or next to several skeins of grey yarn. Go with the one that looks best.

If you're getting it online, then red or gold or burgandy go better with grey, than brown.

Yeah, I was surprised that she said grey. I knew brown was a bad color but for some reason I couldn't think of burgundy or orange.

[loopy1]

10 hours ago, magiccrochetfan said:

If you do stripes, I would make them very big...almost like color-blocking more than stripes.  so for the whole blanket, there would only be, say, three or four stripes.  But I really think the monochromatic colors are what people are liking about these blankets.

(Watching HGTV, it seems like gray is the "in" color.  Every time i see a house with gray floors, gray countertops, gray tile, gray walls, all i can think is "you're gonna be very tired of that in about 2 years".  I just don't get it. Well, I admit, I think off-white is the only colo r for walls    A pale gray wall or two, i can understand.  Yesterday I saw one kitchen with brand-new cabinets but they were a medium gray, and it seemed like the dreariest thing ever.  The woman who was buying didn't like it either, she wanted lighter cabinets. )

At any rate, I agree with Sharon I don't think brown would be a great choice with gray.   If fall colors are what she wants, I personally would go with a bright gold, or orange.  

Grey is the in color. I can't remember exactly how she did it but my daughter used a light grey in my grandson's room that looks great! 

I don't know what I'm going to do about this afghan--yet. But when I figure it out, you all will be the first to know!

[loopy1]

8 hours ago, Tampa Doll said:

Hey Loopy so good to see you back.  So sorry to hear about your DH.

That is not my idea of a fun project, but I would go with a fall color (solid) then do if you want a mixed color for a border.

Hey Tampa Doll, glad you dropped in here!

[loopy1]

7 hours ago, Granny Square said:

Right, I meant 1 color (may be several strands to get the thickness, but all strands the same color) at a time across 1 or or more rows, versus many colors held together throughout.  In the first, you'd be able to see the stitches, the second would just be a color cacophony IMO.  

 

Yes! A color cacophony! 

[loopy1]

Okay, I've been learning how to "quote" a post again. Technology has changed how the Ville looked five years ago. Don't think I'll be spending as much time here as I used to but it's good to see that all of you are still here. Yes, I remember all of you. 

Thanks for all you guys' help!