Category Archives: super bulky

PRE-ORDER Super-Bulky Knits

The Yarn: Berroco Coco

Today we’re featuring a fun yarn, super-bulky weight yarn, Berroco Coco. Coco is 100% superwash merino wool dyed with splashes of color for fast and fabulous projects. It’s soft, easy to work with, it’s machine washable, and works up in a flash! Plus, it’s made in Italy, the birthplace of gorgeous textiles. See below for more details and colours available.

Pre-Order

These kits are a special-order, we aren’t stocking them in the store on a regular basis but you have the option to order them at any time (they will be available to purchase as long as the manufacturer makes them available to us). Your kit will ship or be available for pick-up once it arrives, and we will contact you. If you need your kit for a specific date please let us know and we can find out if it’s doable.

Bingen

Bingen is a super-chunky cardigan that will work up FAST on 10mm/US15 needles. It is worked flat in pieces in seamed, making it a bit easier for newer knitters to wrap their head around. Seams might seem a bit old skool for seasoned knitters, but they serve a structural function, giving a garment shape and tailoring that is lost when you knit in the round.

Size

Bust (closed): (36, 41, 44) [49, 52, 57] {60, 65, 69½}” / (91.5, 104, 112) [124.5, 132. 145] {152.5, 165, 176.5} cm
Length: (25½, 26, 26½) [27, 27½, 28] {28½, 28½, 29}” / 65, 66, 67.5) [68.5, 70, 71] {72.5, 72.5, 73.5} cm
Shown in size 44″ / 112 cm
Recommended ease: 4–6″ / 10– 15 cm positive ease

Kit Includes

Berroco Coco: (10, 11, 12) [13, 14, 16] {17, 18, 19} balls, shown in 4912 Prairie
Pattern

Kit DOES NOT Include

9mm/US13 needles (straight or circular)
10mm/US15 needles (straight or circular)
Stitch Holders

Garafano

Garafano is a cozy ruana that knits up quickly with a super-bulky yarn. What is a ‘ruana’? It’s a comfy wrap that’s open at the front and under the arms, for maximum mobility and comfort. You can wear it open or throw one side over your shoulder and pin it in place. This pattern begins at the back and has minimal finishing.

Size

Approximately 46 (50, 54)” wide x 58″ long (29″ long when worn)
Shown in size 46″

Kit Includes

Berroco Coco: 11 (12, 13) balls, sown in 4904 Forest
Pattern

Kit DOES NOT Include

10mm/US15 – 29″ circular needles (or longer)
Waste yarn to hold stitches

Perham

Perham is a boxy turtleneck pullover with an allover basketweave pattern. It’s a cozy and warm sweater that will go well both outside and fireside. Perham is knit in pieces and seamed together.

Size

Bust: (39, 42½, 46¼) [49¾, 53¼, 56¾] {60½, 64, 67½}” / (39, 42.5, 46.25) [49.75, 53.25, 56.75] {60.5, 64, 67.5} cm
Length: (22, 23¾, 23¾) [23¾, 23¾, 23¾] {25½, 25½, 25½}” / (56, 60.5, 60.5) [60.5, 60.5, 60.5] {65, 65, 65} cm
Shown in size 42½” / 42.5 cm
Recommended ease: 2–4″ / 5–10 cm positive ease

Kit Includes

Berroco Coco: (8, 10, 11) [11, 12, 13] {15, 16, 16} balls, shown in 4932 Villa
Pattern

Kit DOES NOT Include

Margherita

This basic bottom-up raglan sweater is a great introduction to sweater knitting. The body and sleeves are knit in the round before being joined, and the super-bulky yarn, Berroco Coco, means it can be finished quickly!

Size

Bust: 38½ (42½, 46½, 50½, 54½, 58½, 62½)”
Length: 17½ (17½, 18½, 19¼, 19¾, 20¼, 20¾)”
Shown in size 42½”
Suggested ease: 2–4″ positive ease.

Kit Includes

Berroco Coco: 7 (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13) balls, shown in 4906 Shore
Pattern

Kit DOES NOT Include

8mm/US11 – 29″ circular needles
8mm/US11 – 16″ circular needles
10mm/US15 – 29″ circular needles
10mm/US15 – 16″ circular needles
8mm/US11 double-pointed needles
10mm/US15 double-pointed needles
4 jumbo stitch markers (1 a different color for beg-of-rnd)
2 stitch holders

Becker

Becker is a simple broken rib scarf. Its super size and fringe make it a statement scarf you’ll want to throw on over any fall outfit (or winter coat).

Size: Approximately 13½” / 34 cm wide x 64″ / 160 cm long (not including fringe)

Kit Includes

Berroco Coco: 3 balls, shown in 4915 Pampas
Pattern

Kit DOES NOT Include

10mm/US15 needles (circular or straight)

Berroco Coco

Berroco Coco is 100% superwash merino wool dyed with splashes of color for fast and fabulous projects. It’s soft, easy to work with, it’s machine washable, and works up in a flash! It’s ideal for sweaters, hats, mitts, scarves, cowls, blankets (adult and baby). This yarn is a PRE-ORDER, we aren’t stocking them in the store on a regular basis but you have the option to order it at any time (as long as the distributor makes it available to us).

100% Superwash Merino Wool
100g/70m (77yds)
Super Bulky Weight
10mm/US15 knitting needles
knitting gauge: 10 sts & 14 rows = 4″ (10cm)
P (US) / 12 mm crochet hook
crochet gauge: 7 sc & 9 rows = 4″ (10cm)
Made in Italy
Washing: Place garment in a mesh wash bag, machine wash separately in cold water on delicate cycle. Lay flat to dry.
Patterns for Berroco Coco

How much yarn will I need?

1 ball: hat, headband, neckwarmer, mitts
2 to 3 balls: scarf or cowl
5 balls: shawl/wrap
6 balls: baby blanket
15 balls: throw blanket

PROJECT Decemberist

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Decemberist

Please meet our latest success, Decemberist! I’ve been eyeballing this pattern for a while and figured “What have I got to loose?!” It knits fast with super thick yarn on 9mm/US13 needles (or larger if your yarn is accommodating). We used 3 balls of Drops Andes in colour 8112, an icy blue, so it was a pretty affordable project too ($33). The pattern was straight-forward, and the lace is given in both written instructions and as a chart – it probably fits into an advanced-beginner/intermediate skill level, and would probably make a decent introduction to lace knitting for anyone wanting to expand and explore.

Overall, I think it is a very successful project, and it would make a great holiday gift knit (I kind of like that it looks like a substantial sized gift, even though it’s light on cost and labour). If you know someone with a cottage it would make an amazing wrap to snuggle up in at night or at the end of the season. Women who work in cold offices will also appreciate one of these. I also think that this wrap is so pretty that when your friends/family/colleagues see you wearing this they are going to ask you to make them one, so you might as well get ahead of the curve and start early. Will it look a little strange seeing the women in your office walking around wearing the same wrap in different colours? Maybe, but the Pointer Sisters rocked the look, so I say own it and be your best, favourite you!

Yarn

Drops Andes is a comfortable, lofty 2ply blend of Alpaca and Peruvian Wool. It’s soft to the touch, and kind of feels like what I always wish wool actually felt like – that stage that is just short of the buttery soft texture you normally find with a fine merino or baby alpaca. All of the colours are lovely, but I think the pattern would look especially good in the following:

Greys: 519 Dark Grey Mix, 9020 Light Grey Mix, 9015 Grey Mix, 8465 Medium Grey (solid)
Neutrals: 100 Off White (naturalish), 1101 White (cream), 206 Light Beige Mix, 619 Beige Mix (oatmeal)
Pale/Soft Colours: 8112 Ice Blue, 7120 Light Grey Green, 4276 Misty Rose Mix, 41010 Grey Lilac

Decemberist would also be exquisite knit in a single ply merino like Malabrigo Rasta (5 skeins) and Cascade Spuntaneous (3 skeins). Both yarns can be pushed up to a 12mm/US17 needle.

How to Grow Yours Decemberist

If you want to make yours larger the easiest way is to use a slightly thicker yarn with a larger needle. Malabrigo Rasta (5 skeins) and Cascade Spuntaneous (3 skeins) would both be great yarns to sub, and you can go up to a 12mm/US17 needle with both of them. Unless you are a tight knitter, I would NOT increase the needle size for the Drops Andes; after blocking the fabric flows and drapes, its a beautiful tension (around 9 sts over 4″/10cm).

If you feel confident with your mathimagical abilities, you can also upsize the pattern by increasing the amount of stocking stitch you work before starting the lace. You’ll need to add an extra 36 sts to the stocking stitch section (so you’ll need to do an extra 6 repeats for “Section 1”, which would add an extra 12 rows). Depending on your tension, this should give you about an extra 3.75″/9.5cm of depth and about 16″/40cm in width.

Materials

Drops Andes: 3 skeins (shown in colour 8112)
9mm/US13 – 36″ needles (or longer)
jumbo stitch markers (optional but VERY useful)
tapestry needle
Pattern

If you don’t already own 9mm/US13 needles (or larger) this might be a great opportunity to buy some Knitters Pride Interchangeable needles. You’ll need a long cable for this project, which is something you may not get a lot of use out of in the future (unless you’re going to get into making Bulky Blankets, which are awesome things in their own right). With interchangeable needles one pair of tips can become any length of circular needle from 24″ to 60″, and extra cords are a very reasonable $3.97 each (instead of $20 to $35 for a new pair of needles with a different length cord).

Conclusions

This project is a two thumbs up! It’s pretty, fast, not too complicated, affordable, and giftable. I’m thinking about trying it again in Malabrigo Rasta in 429 Cape Cod Grey, but I’ll wait a month or so in case you guys need the yarn.

FREEBIES & NEW Premier Couture Jazz

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Premier Couture Jazz

Premier Couture Jazz is the favourite yarn of arm knitters, and we agree that it’s the best material for super-duper bulky blankets whether you’re making on needles or with your limbs. It’s a soft and fluffy knitted tube of fine, brushed acrylic, which means that it can be washed and it will look great in your home for a long time. (We want you to love your projects, and the wool roving that is used in arm knitting videos popular on social media is unfortunately by its nature very delicate and will start to pill and look mungy even before you finish your blanket. We love the way roving looks in pictures, but it regrettably doesn’t have much longevity after the photo shoot.)

81% Acrylic, 19% Nylon .
100 g – 16.5 yds/15m
#7 Super Bulky Weight.
Hand wash. Do not bleach. Lay flat to dry.
Made in Turkey

Photo: Premier Yarns

Jumbo Cabled Throw

Photo: Simply Maggie

Arm Knit Blanket

Regular Arm Knit Blanket (36 x 55″): 7 to 9 skeins Premier Couture Jazz
Large Arm Knit Blanket (50″ x 66″): 11 skeins Premier Couture Jazz

NEW Cascade Mondo

Cascade Mondo

Cascade Mondo is SUPER bulky and SUPER soft! It’s a soft blend of superfine alpaca and wool, and is best for quick and bold statement pieces, plus it’s suitable for arm knitting. One skein is enough for a cowl, 4 for a throw blanket.

50% Superfine Alpaca / 50% Wool
Weight: 400g – 53m (58 yds)
Needle Size: 25mm/US50
Knitting Gauge: 3 – 4 sts = 4″ (10 cm)
Hand Wash, Lay Flat to Dry
Pattern Ideas

NEW Knitter’s Pride Jumbo Needles

FINALLY! Knitter’s Pride is now making nice, affordably priced, BIG needles for big yarns and big projects! Sizes range from 12mm/US17 to an unprecedented 35mm/US100. Extra large needles are especially great for yarns like NEW Cascade Mondo, Cascade Magnum, and Bernat Mega Bulky.

Knitter’s Pride Jumbo Circular Needles

Knitter’s Pride Jumbo Birch Fixed Circular Needles are perfect for BIG knitting projects! A smooth join ensures easy stitch glide and no snagging, and resilient, flexible cords lay flat with no kink or twist.

Available in sizes 20mm/US35 to 35mm/US100!

Knitter’s Pride Jumbo Double Pointed Needles

Available in sizes 12mm/US17 to 25mm/US50!

Knitter’s Pride Jumbo Straight Needles

Available in sizes 30mm and 35mm/US100!

knitters-pride-jumbo-combo

West Coast Cardigan

Photo: Jane Richmond

West Coast Cardigan

What an awesome and cozy cardie! The West Coast Cardigan is inspired by the Cowichan Sweaters that are a tradition of the Coast Salish people. Use Cascade Lana Grande of a light, lofty & fast sweater!

Knit from the top down in one piece, the West Coast cardigan features raglan shaping, flattering set-in pockets, a generous shawl collar, and a zipper closure. Bands of stranded colourwork knit up quickly. Extensive charts are accompanied by written instructions, schematics, and helpful links to guide you along the way. Instructions are provided in an easy to follow fill-in-the-blank format. BONUS: Feeling creative? Use this pattern as a jumping off point into your own custom colourwork adventure by using the bonus blank charts provided with this pattern!

Sizes

30 (32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 44, 46, 48, 50) in / 76 (81.5, 86.5, 91.5, 96.5, 101.5, 106.5, 112, 117, 122, 127) cm
Finished Measurements: 35 (38.75, 40.5, 42.25, 44, 45.75, 47.5, 49.25, 51, 54.75, 56.5) in bust / 89 (98.5, 103, 107.5, 112, 116, 120.5, 125, 129.5, 139, 143.5) cm bust

Yarn

Cascade Lana Grande

Main Colour: 6 (6, 6, 7, 7, 7, 7, 8, 8, 9, 9) (colours 6065, 6043, 6067, or 6040 are all great)
Contrast Colour: 3 (3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 4, 4) (colour 6039 would be great)

Materials

Pattern via Ravelry
8mm/US11 – 40″ circular needle
8mm/US11 double pointed needles
9mm/US13 – 40″ circular needles
9mm/US13 double pointed needles
Stitch markers (4)
Waste yarn
Yarn needle
Separating zipper, 22in/55cm (or length to fit front opening)
Sewing needle, pins, and thread (or take your sweater to a tailor to have the zipper put in)

Photos: Jane Richmond

GAMBIT & Knit Hack

Gambit

Gambit is a great little capelet designed to be worn OVER outerwear – clever and stylin’! It’s knit in super bulky yarn, so it’s a satisfying, quick little knit. We used Malabrigo Rasta, we couldn’t *not* indulge in it’s ridiculous softness and depth of colour. If Rasta is a bit too precious for your needs you can also use Cascade Lana Grande or Brown Sheep Burly Spun (see below).

Notes on the Pattern

This pattern involves a few techniques that newbies might be unfamiliar with (short rows, provisional cast on, grafting/kitchener stitch) and is not for the absolute beginner – an advanced beginner should be fine with it.

The shaping is created with short rows, so you’ll have to be diligent and keep track of your rows. I found that I didn’t like the type of short row technique used in the pattern, it left gaps (I don’t know if this is because I used a different yarn than the original design). I changed to regular, old fashioned Wrap & Turn (W&T) short rows. Luckily, in garter stitch you don’t need to unwrap short rows, which makes things much easier. I worked to one stitch less than the number specified for the short row in the pattern, wrapped the next stitch, and turned.

KNIT HACK: To help keep track and stay oriented I put a locking stitch marker in the stitch every time I did a short row.

The garment is knit flat and joined together using kitchener stitch – anther happy discovery was that grafting in garter stitch is a bit simpler than in stocking stitch. You are going to start the project with a provisional cast on (a cast on using scrap yarn), I like using the crochet or ‘chained’ cast on method, the scrap yarn comes out extremely easily. I wove in the ends using duplicate stitch and you can’t see them at all!

One more thing, full disclosure – I accidentally used the wrong size needles (9mm/US13). Yup, even knitting store owners grab the wrong size on occasion. The capelet came out fine after blocking (our mannequin is on the small size and doesn’t move around much), but you should use 10mm/US15 needles to get the appropriate tension.

Photos: Berroco

Yarn Options

Malabrigo Rasta: 3(4) skeins

Cascade Lana Grande: 4 skeins

Brown Sheep Burly Spun: 3 skeins

Other Materials

10mm/US15 needles
Extra large needle for finishing
tapestry/darning needle
locking stitch markers
scrap yarn & large crochet hook (for cast on)
Pattern via Ravelry
Our Project Notes

Really, Really, Really FAST Knits!

Bernat Mega Bulky

Bernat Mega Bulky is an arm knitter’s dream! It’s so big it calls for 19mm/US35 needles (19mm/S crochet hook)! One skein is enough for a hat or smaller cowl, two is good for an infinity scarf. It’s especially well suited for making the Outlander Cowl.

Super, Super Bulky
100% Acrylic
10.5oz/300g, 64yd/58m
Gauge: 5 sts x7 rows = 4″/10cm
US35/19mm Knitting Needles
S/19mm Crochet Hook
Hand wash, dry flat, do not bleach, do not iron, do not dry clean
FREE Patterns

Acorn Hat

Free pattern
1 skein Bernat Mega Bulky
US35/19mm to 20mm needles (straight or circular)

Simple Garter Cowl

Free pattern
2 skeins Bernat Mega Bulky
US35/19mm to 20mm needles (straight or circular)

Woven Look Blanket

Free pattern
15 skeins Bernat Mega Bulky
US35/19mm to 20mm – 40″ circular needles

Big Waves Throw

Free pattern
12 skeins Bernat Mega Bulky
US35/19mm to 20mm – 32″ circular needles

Very Last Minute Knitted Gifts – FREE Patterns

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Aujourd’hui
Pattern: Free via Ravelry
Needles: 10mm needles
Yarn: 1 skein of any of the following:

Malabrigo Rasta ($27.97 ea)
Cascade Magnum ($24.97 solids, $32.47 paints, use 12mm needles)
Brown Sheep Burly Spun ($20.97 solid + semi-solids, $27.97 handpaints)
SMC Bravo Big ($12.97 solids + marls, $13.97 colours)

Magnum Paint Cowl

Pattern: from Knit-O-Matic via Ravelry

Needles: 15mm-24″ circular

Yarn: 1 skein Cascade Magnum ($24.97 solids, $32.47 paints)

Bulky Mobius Cowl

Pattern: Free pattern from Knitomatic.com (that’s us!)
Needles: 10mm circular needles, minimum 36″ long, (preferably 47″)
Yarn: 1 skein of any of the following:

Malabrigo Rasta ($27.97 ea)
Cascade Magnum ($24.97 solids, $32.47 paints, use 12mm or 15 needles)
Brown Sheep Burly Spun ($20.97 solid + semi-solids, $27.97 handpaints)
SMC Bravo Big ($12.97 solids + marls, $13.97 colours)

Rainbow Twist

Pattern: Free via Ravelry

Needles: 12mm straight or circular

Yarn: 1 skein of any of the following:

Malabrigo Rasta ($27.97 ea)
Cascade Magnum ($24.97 solids, $32.47 paints, use 15mm needles)
Brown Sheep Burly Spun ($20.97 solid + semi-solids, $27.97 handpaints)
SMC Bravo Big ($12.97 solids + marls, $13.97 colours)

Open Work Infinity Scarf

Pattern: Free via Ravelry

Needles: 15mm (straight or circular)

Yarn: 1 skein of any of the following:

Cascade Magnum ($24.97 solids, $32.47 paints, use 12mm needles)
Brown Sheep Burly Spun (use 12mm, $20.97 solid + semi-solids, $27.97 handpaints)
SMC Bravo Big (use 12mm, $12.97 solids + marls, $13.97 colours)

Textured Cowl

Pattern: Free via Ravelry

Needles: 10mm-24″ circular

Yarn: 1 skein of any of the following

Cascade Magnum ($24.97 solids, $32.47 paints, use 12mm needles)
Brown Sheep Burly Spun ($20.97 solid + semi-solids, $27.97 handpaints)
SMC Bravo Big ($12.97 solids + marls, $13.97 colours)

Herringbone Neckwarmer

Pattern: Free via Ravelry
Needles: 15mm
Yarn: 1 skein of any of the following:

Malabrigo Rasta ($27.97 ea)
Cascade Magnum ($24.97 solids, $32.47 paints, use 20mm needles)
Brown Sheep Burly Spun ($20.97 solid + semi-solids, $27.97 handpaints)
SMC Bravo Big ($12.97 solids + marls, $13.97 colours)

Avery Slouch Hat

Pattern: Free via Ravelry

Needles: 10mm-16″ circular + double pointed needles

Yarn: 1 skein of any of the following:

Malabrigo Rasta ($27.97 ea)
Cascade Magnum ($24.97 solids, $32.47 paints, use 12mm needles)
Brown Sheep Burly Spun ($20.97 solid + semi-solids, $27.97 handpaints)
SMC Bravo Big ($12.97 solids + marls, $13.97 colours)
For a marled look similar to the picture use 2 skeins of Malabrigo Mecha ($17.97) or Berroco Vintage Chunky ($8.97) in different colours and work with 1 strand of each.