Create an easy throw blanket finger knitting with loop yarn. An easy and fun project that comes together quickly, no knitting needles or crochet hooks required!
Happy Wednesday!
It’s August which means it’s dog gone hot and humid outside.
August is my least favorite month as I’m anxiously awaiting my favorite season. . .
ready for fall and all-things-pumpkin, with fire pit evenings and a dog in my lap!
With blanket and sweater weather on my mind,
I’m sharing another loop yarn pattern and easy throw blanket
you can create by finger knitting.
If you’re not familiar with loop yarn, the loops in the yarn allow you to knit with your fingers,
rather than needles. I don’t knit or crochet, so I was thrilled
to discover this yarn couple of years ago and have made several blankets since.
Bernat Alize Blanket-EZ yarnis a microfiber chenille yarn that’s machine washable.
It’s so soft and fluffy and comes in a variety of variegated and solid colors.
I used the burgundy Bernat Alize Blanket-EZ yarn.
(It appears more pink than burgundy in most of my photos due to the lighting.)
Bernat Alize Blanket-EZ yarn comes in 18 yard skeins and is considered a jumbo size #7 gauge yarn.
You’ll need (7) 18-yard skeins (126 yards total) to make a throw approximately 48 x 74-inches.
I found my Bernat Alize Blanket EZ yarn at Jo-Ann’s fabric and craft store.
To make this blanket, I used Yarnspiration’s Garter Ridge Pattern,
which I modified, as I didn’t want to have to pay attention to
counting rows while watching TV.
My modified version is EZ :). . . work two rows of a knit stitch (pulling the yarn up from behind)
and then one row of a purl stitch (pulling the yarn from the front to the back).
Then it’s just a matter of repeating: two rows of knit stitch,
one row of purl stitch to complete your blanket.
Besides the yarn and my fingers, here are the other two tools I used:
🧶 a green plastic Christmas tree ornament hanger (or safety pin)
🧶 a bobby pin (or darning/tapestry needle)
To begin, count 62 loops for your foundation row with the yarn end at your right and your working yarn to your left.
Working from left to right, pull the 63rd loop from your working yarn up through 62nd loop from behind to create a knit stitch.
Continue with the next loop until you have worked all 62 loops.
Note: To make it easier to work, adjust your loops so they are facing upwards.
For the second row:
Working from right to left, keep your working yarn in the back and pull the next loop from working yarn up from behind through the last stitch worked on the previous row (knit stitch). Continue to the end of the row.
For the third row:
Working from left to right, place your working yarn in front of your worked row and pull the next loop from your working yarn through towards the back (purl stitch). Continue to the end of the row.
Continue the pattern, working two rows of knit stitches and one row of purl stitches to complete blanket.
A picture is worth a thousand words: Fast forward to the 5:10 mark on this video
to see a demo of the Garter Ridge pattern and how easy it is to finger knit!
There are a couple of ways to join a new skein of yarn.
My preferred method is to hold the last loop of your previous skein
and first loop of your new skein together and work them as if they are a single loop.
Treat them as a single loop again when you come back to them on the next row.
I like to mark the double loops with a clip (or safety pin), so I
make sure to pick up both loops together until I work them into a row.
Another method to join your skeins is to snip the threads of the last two loops
and your first two loops on your new skein and tie the tails together.
You’ll weave the loose tails back through your knitted stitches when finished.
When you get to end of your final skein, you’ll bind off your stitches to complete your blanket
Bind off working in same direction as your last row,pulling the 2nd stitch up through first stitch.
Pull the 3rd stitch up through the 2nd stitch and so on. Continue to end of row.
Cut the last two loops, snipping them apart by the thread that creates the loop to create a yarn ‘tail’.
Cut the last two loops, snipping them apart by the thread that creates the loop to create a yarn ‘tail’.
Pull the tail through your last loop to secure it, then
weave the tail through the back of your stitches to secure and conceal it.
The binding off directions sound more complicated than they are and
I found it helpful to watch a video. There is a good one for binding off, HERE.
You can use a tapestry or darning needle to secure any loose yarn tails.
I used a bobby pin hack to weave my yarn tails through to secure them.
Helpful tips:
🧶 Check your work every 10 stitches or so to make sure you haven’t dropped a loop. Straighten your working yarn and untwist the “squiggly” loops to prevent skipping or dropping loops in your rows.
🧶 If I stopped for a while, I clipped my next set of loops together to make it easier to pick up where I left off.
🧶 Look for coupons available from JOANN to buy online and pick up at your local store or
download their mobile app to your phone to access their weekly coupon when you shop.
Their loop yarn was 40% off this summer, which was quite a savings.
I made this blanket as a gift for friends who have a mountain house
as a ‘thank you’ for letting us stay there.
It took me about an hour to an hour an half to work through one skein of yarn
while watching TV in the evenings so I was able to make this blanket in a week,
just working an hour or two at night.
If you’re looking for other loop yarn patterns, you might like:
Criss Cross Pattern Blanket with Loop Yarn
How to Make an EZ Loop Yarn Throw Blanket with Variegated Yarn
