A soft, brushed bulky yarn isn’t only for blankets. This post covers knitting cozy socks with an afterthought heel, then a chevron throw that’s hard to get wrong. It also covers a beginner-friendly lace shawl, plus why its triangle shape and striped yarn work so well together.
Relaxation socks pattern from Red Heart – free pattern!
Meet the yarn
This yarn is a brushed acrylic, with a luxuriously soft texture. It’s also easy to wash and dry. A bulky weight makes familiar projects feel special. It also makes their construction easier to see.
Knit cozy socks
Socks are one of the most requested hand-knit gifts. Fingering weight yarn makes a very functional sock. A bulky yarn makes something extra cozy instead. This free sock pattern is knit as a tube from the cuff down, with an afterthought heel. Download the Relaxation Socks pattern for complete instructions. A bulky yarn and a larger project make that technique easy to learn. Work a 1×1 rib for the cuff first. Then switch to a 2×2 garter rib for the body. Knit one complete round, then work the 2×2 rib, and repeat those two rounds.
Shape the toe with simple decreases, then graft the ends together. Grafting looks like the end was knitted shut, but it’s all in the technique. Many videos show how to graft a sock toe. Browse a few until one clicks. Everyone learns differently, so try a mix of watching and doing. These socks make a lovely gift, tucked into a basket with a book, tea, and a mug.
Knit a chevron throw
A classic chevron throw is a big blanket with increases and decreases forming a zigzag. The whole pattern is just two rows, repeated. Download the Calming Colors Chevron Throw pattern for complete instructions. It looks more complicated than it is. The sequence is easy to memorize. The only thing to track is stripe length, so you know when to switch colors.
The Calming Colors Chevron Throw product photo from the Red Heart website
Throws are wonderfully versatile. Use one as an extra bed blanket, a couch cozy, or even a couch cover. A throw protects a couch from cat claws too. The stretchy knit fabric tangles in claws, which discourages scratching. A zigzag pattern hides any pulled stitches, because they look intentional. Acrylic throws go straight into the washer and dryer. The couch underneath needs only a quick vacuum. Choose colors that suit the room, or stick with calming neutrals.
Try a lace shawl
Lace in a chunkier yarn has a classy look and a lot of texture. A stitch pattern repeated three ways makes up the shawl. Download the Dreamy Stripes Shawl pattern for complete instructions.It’s rated intermediate, but it’s approachable. The lace sections are the only tricky part. They aren’t a short repeat, but the same stitches come back often. After the first couple of rows, reading the stitches gets much easier. Garter and stockinette sections break up the lace, so it never feels overwhelming. That makes it a good first lace project.
The pattern photo from the Red Heart website. This was knit in Dreamy Stripes in the color Sweetdreams.
A plain, solid color shows off the lace work best. The stitches stand out much more than in a multicolor yarn. A self-striping yarn has its own advantages, though.
Choose solid or striped
The finished shawl looks like a scalene triangle. One side is much longer than the other. The long side stays on the shoulders and curls around the body. That makes it a grab-and-go shawl, with no pin needed. Keep one at the office, in a diaper bag, or in a suitcase.
With the top layer moved away, you can see the edge of the shawl sitting flat on my shoulder. It curls around and hugs the curve of the shoulder.
A self-striping yarn highlights how an asymmetric shawl is built. The cast-on edge has the widest stripes. They get narrower as the shawl widens. The result is a neat set of asymmetric stripes on an asymmetric shape. Solid or striped, the shawl looks beautiful either way. Which will it be?
