This guide has been in the works for longer than we expected. When we first received requests to look into the market of knit blankets and separate the wheat from the chaff, we thought that our in-house expertise was going to do the trick.

Boy, were we wrong...the subject of choosing a good knitted blanket (both crochet and chunky knit) turned out to be much more complicated and too twice the projected time. Our initial estimate of 6 months and 2-2,500 work hours ended up being almost a full year of research, testing and gathering data for our statistical analysis. Most importantly, we brought on 3 knitting experts to help us tweak our rating methods to the specifics of the product.

What you'll see

Bottom line - the results you'll see below were chosen out of over 202 products we looked in. The initial choices were made in consultations between our editor, Bob, and 3 experts in the field. That narrowed down the search from 202 to 28 [products that we proceeded to test and gather data on over a period of 8 months. Without much ado, let us get to the results.

Last updated: January 2018

Top-rated - Paulin Cable Knit Crochet Blanket (handmade)

The whole structure of this guide changed when we broadened the search from imported machine-made products to include crochet handmade blankets. We looked into 14 handmade blankets, and one brand stands out in pretty much all quality aspects. The one quality aspect that turned out to be more important than we initially anticipated was the shape retention. It turned out to be more of a problem than we expected, especially with cable knit blankets.

The blanket that outperformed all the tested products comes from a small exclusive brand - Paulin. There were a few models of similar quality to the Paulin, but what gave Paulin an "edge" is the category of value for money. Nostalgia about owning a hand-crafted piece aside, handmade blankets did outperform the machine-made products.

The downside is usually the price. It's understandable if you have in mind the fact that it takes 4-5 days to craft a piece like this...so, that part gave us pause about the pricing of the Paulin, since it was significantly cheaper than similar products.

To eliminate the guesswork, we contacted the seller directly. We got a response from a kind senior woman explaining that they can afford to sell it at these prices because the woman knitting the Paulin products is located in Eastern Europe. Yes, you read that right, there is only one person knitting Paulin on the Globe. In our interview with Paulina Ristinski we asked her about this and the response we got is that it that won't change because it's her knitting that makes Paulin different and she feels that hiring more people might compromise the quality. She also shared that she did try it and wasn't happy with the results.

Why is Paulin not as expensive as similar products?

With both the cost of living and material (yarn) being significantly lower in the part of the world.

The downside of Paulin products is the scarcity. Since it's a one-person operaton and all the products are handmade, they are not always available. Getting a Paulin knitted blanket sometimes means waiting for the exciting orders to be fulfilled. You can check the availability on Etsy - if you visit their page (orange button below) and the order button is active, it means that they women knitting Paulin are available to start working on your order right away.

Ratings of the Paulin Cable Knit Handmade Blankets:

Materials / yarn - 92 / 100

Craftmanship / design - 92 / 100

Comfort - 96 / 100

Shape retention - 94 / 100

Value for $ - 91 / 100

Choosing a good knitted blanket - step 1: the right yarn

The results above are done-for-you testing and research...ho help you minimize the guesswork when choosing. In the rest of the guide, we give way to one of our knitting experts - Katya Juris to explain the ins and outs of choosing a knitted blanket. It should shed some light on how we choose the top picks and give you some reference info on what to look for if you're knitting it yourself - from yarn to patterns.

The yarn

If you make a mistake when choosing the yarn, there's no pattern of crafty hands that can knit a good throw. The information out there can be confusing...most knitting enthusiasts know it. That's rings even more true if we're talking about knitted cable and chunky blankets. Even if you have some experience in the "arena" but this is your first time choosing a knit blanket (or making one yourself) it's the most common mistake people make. It's only natural to reach for the softest yarn with a color you like.\But, choosing yarn for a throw is a sensitive matter and goes beyond the basics. To put it simply, even if you do know your yarn and have knitted or bought knit products like caps, scarfs or stoles, choosing right when it comes to a chunky cable knit throw blanket is a whole different story.

So let us dive right in. Let us look into the yarn types available, their characteristics and why they may (or may not be) right for a knitted blanket.

All-natural yarn - animal and plant fiber

Most widely available - wool

When you hear "wool" in the context of knitting, 9/10 people will assume you're talking about sheep wool. The popularity of wool is well-earned, it's a gift from nature...moisture-wicking, breathable and yet good at temperature isolation. It's also naturally resistant to microbes and fire-retardant.\

All of the above made it a very popular choice for yarn, but doesn't necessarily apply to knitted blankets...especially if you are using it as a throw and it will be touching your skin directly in those lazy afternoons as you fall asleep on your sofa

Many people will find it a bit rough and "scratchy" if used on its own for a piece of bedding.

Types of wool most commonly used for yarn

Merino

Although the first associations are Australia and New Zealand, if you follow the traces of merino through the ages, you'll find its origins in Spain.

The reason why most of us associate it with the lands "down under" is the fact that Australia produces close to a quarter of all merino wool made in the world - closing in on 500,000 tons.

Alpaca

Alpaca wool is softer against the skin and better suited for knitting blankets and throws that might be touching your skin directly (especially for those with sensitive skin or allergic to lanolin). If you see the word "cria" on a knit blanket or yarn you're considering, it means that that the wool comes from the first shearing of an alpaca.

Leicester wool (Blue-faced)

Because it makes for a smoother finish (velvet-like) and is gentler to the skin, this dense British wool would make for a more comfortable knit blanket or throw.

Peruvian

The wool from the Peruvian highlands is known to be "tough" and hold shape well. The toughness comes at a price - the feel against the skin. The rugged Peruvian will rarely be used for blankets or throws.

Yak

Not many people fully appreciate Yak wool because, to get the most out of it, one would have to know how to combine it with other fiber. Used on its own, its likely to be too delicate to knit a blanket that would last without losing shape. Combined with, for example, some types of acrylic, yarn that include some percentage of yak can result is soft and lightweight but warm blankets.

If you get this part right, you'll be surprised by the durability of yak wool fiber.

Mohair

Expensive and not as widely known, Mohair is a luxury fuzzy yarn. It's made from Agora goats fleece. One of its main advantages is how well is takes to color and dye and how color-fast it is. This allows for more vivid colors to with low risk of the yarn "bleeding."

Bottom line - for knitted blankets and throws, even the softer wool would feel too rugged and scratchy against the skin. That's why it's combined with materials like acrylic or licra to take that "prickly" edge off.

Cable knit blanket - choosing the yarn

I wouldn't dare say that the 80:20 rule applies. It's probably more accurate to say that the choice of yarn and pattern are 65-70% and the craftsmanship and know-how are 30-35 % of ending up with a solid blanket.

Once you've chosen the yarn that meets the main criteria - you being comfortable with how it feels against the skin, the next task it choosing a pattern that's suitable for a hand, cable knit blanket or throw. Here, we have some good and some "bad" news.

The good news is that we can share a few patterns that meet the criteria (paragraph below).

The "bad" news (if one can call it that) is that most of the suitable patterns won't be easy and probably too difficult for a beginner. The ones that meet all the criteria would require at least intermediate skill like (Zigging or Garter), while the best knitting patterns for a blanket (either cable or chunky) will call for advanced knitting skills (like laced cable knit, squares).

Bottom line - appearance aside, a well-chosen pattern will ensure that the final product retains shape or pill. If you are a beginner, it's smart to start with something simple like a garter cable knit blanket or a handmade crochet throw.

To be blunt for a second, if you're not experimenting and learning and actually need the blanket for a gift for someone who appreciates handmade stuff, we would recommend doing the research. It's fairly easy to find a good, say, handmade afghan blanket for sale - made by people who have been doing it for all their lives and have perfected their skills. If the person you are getting it for is a young girl, you might even go out on the limb with a knitted mermaid tail blanket (cotton crochet works wonderfully for a project this intricate).

Now that we have the basics down, let's get a bit more specific and look at some yarn-knit (or crochet) blanket combos.

Cable knit blanket

Good handmade cable knit blankets are scarce because they require serious skill to make, the process is slow (takes about 4-5 days of full-time work). That's why getting one of these locally (in the USA) is costly. That's why the recommendations we have here are from arts & crafts websites like Etsy that connect skilled people from smaller countries (the best ones come from Eastern Europe) and people from the US who can appreciate the work.

What is a cable knit blanket?

People tend to confuse a few terms used in the "industry" (like knitting, crochet and cabling). It's understandable because the differences are subtle and they overlap. For example, cabling is just another word for cable knitting. The main difference is that the later term is broader. To put it simply - cable knit blanket is one made using cable needles of different thicknesses.

It's the most versatile type of knitting, and people skilled with a cable needle can make mind-boggling patterns. Our top pick is a cable knit throw blanket is Paulina.

Sweater knit blanket

If the pattern and yarn used match those commonly used for sweaters you might see products described as "sweater knit blankets." Don't be confused by this; it's just a way to describe cable knit blankets made of specific yarn type using specific patterns (sweater-like).

Knit throw blanket

The two terms (knit throw and blanket) are a common source of confusion because their purposes overlap. So, let us take a moment here to clarify the difference because the terms are not interchangeable.

To put it simply, a throw's primary purpose is decorative. They are smaller and can be used as an added layer of comfort for bedroom or daily naps on your sofa.

You might find it defined as a blanket sub-type in terms of size (52 x 60 inches) but knit throw blankets do come as standalone products up to 10 smaller than the size we mentioned and up to 20 or 30 larger.

Knitted mermaid tail

A knitted mermaid tail blanket is simply a specific design that has become increasingly popular over the last decade. They are typically made of the same yarn-knit combos, and it all comes down to the pattern (mermaid-tail shaped).

Crochet temperature blanket knit

This one is specific with the main (and sometimes the only) difference being the choice of colors - that's what the "temperature" stands for. The terms are a source of confusion because people tend to interpreter the wording and jump to the conclusion that a "temperature blanket knit" is somehow warmer. It's not; it is all about the color that corresponds to the "color of the day."

The idea is to knit (crochet) one row of the crochet blanket per day, depending on the temperature outside. They make for great heirloom pieces and, I dare say, a temperature handmade crochet blanket with a personalized writing pattern is as good and well thought-out as a knitted gift can get.

To get an idea about a pattern, you can use the guidelines shown in the temperature blanket chart below.

You might see similar products described as "rainbow crochet blanket."

How long does it take to knit a crochet blanket?

It can take anywhere from a day to a full year to knit a blanket, all depending on the type of yarn, pattern and size. A chunky hand knit blanket can even be finished within an hour or two, while intricate patterns and styles (like temperature heirloom throws) take a year to make.

A few popular patterns

Some of the patterns used are evergreen (like a virus pattern) while some are part of more or less fleeting trends (like owl, pizza, hexagon, rainbow, elephant and Tunisian blankets and throws.

Size of knit lap blankets, duvets (comforters), quits (coverlets) and throws

Another "gray" area is the sizing. Things got confusing as some manufacturers started using the terminology in different ways to describe their products. To clarify the size issue, let us take a moment here and look at the standards for the knitted bedding:

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Chunky knit blanket - yarn, material combos & patterns

Chunky knit blankets have grown in popularity with the increasing number of people embracing the minimal designs because they work so well in adding "texture & dynamics" to a calm space without making it "flat". They stand out more than a regular cable-knit throws (crochet) for minimal spaces. In the guide below we look at them from all angles possible, from yarn and materials to the knitting process and possible patterns.

The popularity of the luscious look led to an avalanche of information about it available online; I have to be blunt and say that some of them are misleading...you'll find tutorials on how a "beginner" can knit it in no time, which is not exactly accurate.

While researching for this guide, we've established 3 things:

Handmade chunky knit blankets are indeed superior in terms of knot and overall shape retention.

The needle crochet blankets were superior to the arm-knit products. The space between the knots with the arm knit products seems to be too "loose" for long term shape retention, washing and maintenance.

The differences between brands of hand knit chunky blankets were too significant to make any general claims...it called for extensive testing of each product in a few quality categories to precisely separate the wheat from the chaff. And there's a lot of chaff out there.