Traditionally you would make a blanket by knitting or crocheting with needles. However, if you don’t know how to crochet or knit with needles then you can finger-knit a blanket with no special skills or tools needed! Today I’m going to share how to make a yarn blanket by finger-knitting it. This method is simple, fun, and easy for beginners.
I will walk you through all the things you need to know to make a yarn blanket using finger-knitting. From how to choose the perfect chunky yarn to a step-by-step tutorial and a video tutorial, you’ll have all the tools you need to create a beautiful blanket. The best part? You don’t need special tools like knitting needles or a crochet hook. Ready to dive in? Let’s get started!
What is Finger-Knitting?
Finger knitting is exactly what it sounds like- knitting yarn with your fingers. You use your fingers to create loops and stitches to form a blanket. With traditional knitting you would use needles but in finger-knitting your fingers take the place of the needles. It’s a relaxing, fun tactile experience that is a great option for beginners and even kids.
For finger knitting you’re going to want to use a chunky yarn because the thickness allows you to create a soft, voluminous blanket in a short amount of time. You can also finger-knit scarves, rugs, and more cozy creations.
How to Choose a Chunky Yarn
The yarn that you choose for your finger-knitted blanket matters. You want to choose a chunky yarn because it’s thick, soft, and cozy. It will help you create that chunky look that is very on-trend right now. You want to keep a couple of things in mind when you pick a yarn:
Material
- Wool: Wool is warm and natural and really beautiful. But it requires more delicate care.
- Acrylic: Acrylic is more durable, affordable, and is easier to clean.
- Blends: Blends can offer the best of both worlds.
Weight
You want to choose a super bulky (6) or jumbo (7) yarn. You will find the number/category on the cardboard wrap that goes around the skien. Choosing a chunky yarn will make the blanket-making process faster.
Color + Texture
Color-wise you are not quite as limited as texture. Honestly, I hope your local craft store carries more chunky yarn than mine does. My local Joann’s had more than my local Hobby Lobby but neither one of those stores had a lot of choices for chunky fabric.
How Much Yarn Do You Need?
The amount of yarn depends on the size of the blanket you want to make as well as well as the weight of the yarn. If you are finger-knitting with jumbo yarn here are some basic estimates of how much yarn you’ll need.
- Baby Blanket (30″ x 40″): 4-5 skeins
- Throw Blanket (50″ x 60″): 6-8 skeins
- Twin Blanket (70″ x 90″): 10-12 skeins
- Queen Blanket (90″ x 100″): 15-17 skeins
- King Blanket (108″ x 108″): 18-20 skeins
Important Note: The above estimates are based on standard skeins of jumbo or bulky yarn, which typically have 20-25 yards per skein. Adjust if your skeins contain more or less yardage. For example, for this tutorial I used yarn skeins that had 72 yards per skein and so I only needed to use 3 of them because it totaled 216 yards.
Supplies You’ll Need
Here is what I used I to finger knit a throw blanket that is 42 inches X 60 inches. This is a bit smaller than the typical throw size blanket but I was eyeballing it a little.
- Chunky yarn (I used Bernat Blanket Extra Thick yarn. I used 3 skeins. The packaging says that it is size 7 Jumbo. One package of yard weighs 21.2 ounces and has 72 yards of yarn. Adjust the number of skeins based on the size blanket you want to make.)
- Scissors
How to Finger Knit a Blanket Video
How to Finger Knit a Blanket Tutorial
Step 1: Preparation
Set up your work area. It’s easiest to finger-knit something on a clean, flat surface. I like to sit at a dining table. I’ve tried doing this while sitting on the floor in the living room and that hurt my back after a while so I just do it sitting at the table now.
Step 2: Starting the Chain
You are going to start by making a slip knot. Make your slip knot about 6 inches or so from the end of your yarn. The loop of your slip knot should be about 2-3 inches if you were to measure from the knot to the top of the loop. This is the size that I chose for my blanket. You could choose to do a larger loop if you want, it will just result in a looser look. Whatever loop size you choose keep it consistent as you make new loops later.
So your knot is located in between the tail (6 inches of yarn) and your working yarn which leads to the skien of yarn. The slip knot is your first loop.
For the next step you are going to now reach inside of the loop of your slip knot, grab the working yarn, and pull some through. The yarn that you pull through makes a new loop. Pull the yarn so that this loop is about the same size as the loop of the slip knot. This is your new loop.
Now you are going to reach inside the new loop and pull the yarn through to make another loop. Repeat this step, adding new loops. Your first row will look kind of like a braid.
Step 3: Starting Finger-knitting Rows
Keep pulling through loops until the length of your chain is as long as you would like the width of your blanket to be.
Pull your yarn across to the side of the chain you started from.
Ok, so starting at the end of your chain. Hold onto the last loop. Skipping that loop you are going to pull the yarn through the second loop from the end. You pull it to make a loop about the same size as all of your other loops. This is the start of your new row.
Then moving to the next loop, pull the yarn through to make a second loop, heading down the line toward the starting slip knot. Be careful not to pull the yarn out from the previous loop, messing it up.
Repeat this process going down the row. Pull through the last loop of the row, making your last new loop.
Move the skein and working yarn back across the row to the other side.
You are going to now repeat this process BUT you are not going to start with the last loop of the row. Skip that loop and start with the second loop.
Then proceed down the row, repeating the process of pulling the yarn through the loops. Remember you pull loops through all the way down the row but then when you start your new row you skip the last loop of the row.
Keep repeating the process going back and forth across the rows.
If this process seems confusing, watch the video above and that will hopefully clarify things.
Step 4: Joining new skeins
At some point you will run out of yarn and need to start with a new skein. There are a couple of ways to join together your skeins of yarn. I prefer to simply tie the ends of the yarn from the two skeins together.
I trim the extra yarn from the knot.
Then I make sure I hide the knot in the back of the blanket. With the chunky, fluffy yarn that I used it’s not too hard to hide the knot in the back of the blanket.
Alternately you can burn the ends of the yarn from both skeins and melt them together but I am more comfortable with just tying them.
Step 5: Finishing the edges
So as you near the end of your yarn and desired blanket size make sure that you finish a row with enough yarn to go back across the width of the blanket a few more time (like make sure you have 3-4 times the length of a row left).
Start at whichever side you end on. This time DON’T skip the last loop. Grab the last 2 loops.
Then pull the working yarn through the two loops to make a new loop.
Now you take your new loop and grab the next loop on the row. Pull your yarn through these two loops in your hand to make a new loop. Keep repeating this process as you go down the row.
You will notice that the last row starts to look like a braid along the edge.
Almost done! Let me show you how you finish when you get to the end of the last row. Just a side note about the next few photos. I had to actually pull out a row on my blanket because I was running out of yarn… So in the photos above I was working my way to the right side to finish and in the photos below I am working my way to the left, so it will look a little bit different. BUT it’s the same process, just a different direction.
Ok, so when you get to the last two loops you are going to grab them and pull the yarn all the way through this time.
Now cut the yarn to like 8-10 inches and then weave it into the back of the blanket. I actually kind of like to tie mine into it when I weave it in for a little extra protection but weaving it into a few loops should keep it in place.
Go back to the beginning of the blanket and weave in the excess yarn that is in the corner where you began.
And now you have a cozy blanket that you made yourself! I hope your first finger knitting experience was fun and that you loved making your own blanket with these step-by-step instructions.
Tips for Making Your Finger-Knitted Blanket
Try your best to keep the size of your loops the same. Consistency will make a better looking blanket BUT you don’t have to be perfect. The fluffy, chunky yarn is pretty forgiving.
Try to buy your skeins of yarn all at the same time before you begin your project. They may sell out of the color you chose or the skeins there may not be the same dye lot, meaning the color might be slightly off from the yarn that you bought before.
Caring for Your DIY Yarn Blanket
Read the packaging around the skein of your yarn for care instructions. Some yarns are not machine washable so check the care instructions before you even buy the yarn if that’s a dealbreaker for you.
Generally speaking:
- Wool Roving: You want to handwash gently and then lay flat to dry.
- Acrylic or Blends: You can machine wash your blanket on a gentle cycle and then lay it flat to dry to maintain shape.
For the Bernat Blanket Extra Thick yarn I used it says to machine was on a delicate cycle and tumble dry low. I will be following those instructions for my chunky hand knit blanket.
I hope that this tutorial on how to make a yarn blanket was helpful! Let me know if you try it and please leave any questions in the comments section below! I will do my best to help answer them! Even if you don’t try this tutorial let me know if you’ve tried finger knitting or arm knitting before as I think it’s so much fun and I’d love to hear your experiences!
More Crafting Fun
Leave a Reply