Owning a wool blanket is an absolute must if you are the kind of person who enjoys going out exploring, or for picnics and camping. Although it’s relatively cheap to buy your own blankets, it’s great fun to learn how to knit them from wool too. If you don’t already know how to knit then it has never been easier to learn how to do so. You can easily use the online video sharing platform YouTube to find instructional videos and then learn at your own pace.
Wool has a strength that synthetic fibres struggle to compete with. This makes it the perfect fibre for making blankets as this durability makes a for a longer life. There are of course several different varieties of wool that you can choose from when you decide to make a blanket from wool.
Merino sheep produce a type of wool known as Merino wool. This kind of wool is smooth in appearance and is actually one of the more expensive wools. Merino wool is particularly good for making blankets as it will retain the smooth appearance for a long time, making for a great final product.
Mohair goats produce Mohair wool but this is not frequently used when making blankets as it is considered to be quite itchy. For this reason, it is not a favourite for pieces of clothing either. However, if you don’t mind the feel then Mohair wool makes for a strong product and the end result will be a blanket that will surely last for decades.
Angora wool comes from Angora rabbits and has a soft consistency which is perfect for both clothes and blankets. Using Angora wool to knit an entire blanket could soon become costly as this is an expensive variety of wool. The reason for the expense is because of the time and care that goes into breeding the rabbits, animals which of course don’t produce a great deal of wool due to their small size.
Cashmere is made only from certain areas of the fleece of cashmere producing goats. For that reason, this type of wool is also fairly expensive. However, the cost is often over-looked as it is used to make incredibly luxurious garments.
Hair from Peruvian Alpacas can be used to make Alpaca wool. When used to make fleece garments, Alpaca wool provides up to five times more warmth than standard wool will. Alpaca wool is also a great deal more durable than regular sheep wool, making it an amazing fibre for making blankets. This type of wool is also hypoallergenic, making it the preference of many people with allergies.
Choosing the type of wool you are going to make your blanket with is just the first step and then the fun of creating it can begin. When you make a product like this yourself, it can be as big or small as you want it to be. The shape is also completely your decision and you can get creative with whichever design you desire!