Knitting is the new black. Though it's often considered a hobby only suitable for women of a certain age (rocking chair required), knitting is now experiencing a rejuvenation of sorts.
Thanks to awe-inspiring Pinterest boards, extreme knitting superstars, and fashion-forward companies like Wool And The Gang and We Are Knitters, millennials are discovering that knitting is totally cool. And if you need more convincing of its utter coolness, consider the mind-blowing art of giant knitting. Behold:
At first glance, this blanket looks like it was plucked right out of a Looney Tunes episode and that it can't be real. But we assure you it is.
Anna Merinenko, the well-known extreme knitter from the Ukraine who made this blanket, says giant knitting is pretty much grandma's knitting, only on steroids.
"I think this type of knitting has become more popular because it is quite unusual but in the same time very traditional technique," Merinenko told The Huffington Post.
But while the stitches might be the same, the tools are not. In fact, the actual knitting needles used for these huge creations could definitely be mistaken for baseball bats.
And if you can't get your hands on the unique over-sized needles, people have been known to use broomsticks, PVC pipes and even just their own arms. Merinenko has used all of the above. The 27-year-old has been knitting since she was a child but only discovered -- and fell in love with -- giant knitting in the past few years. She now sells her handmade, over-the-top fashion and home decor creations via Etsy and says the demand for her pieces is sky high. She hopes to launch a Kickstarter campaign for her company in order to make her products, which are made out of giant merino wool, more widely available and more affordable.
The jumbo yarn that's needed to create these larger-than-life designs is hard to find and expensive. Due to its sheer size and softness, it's very difficult to find shops that carry it -- and when you do, it's going to cost a pretty penny. The amount of yarn needed to make a small 20 x 40-inch blanket could run you upwards of $125.
Joelle Hoverson, co-founder of Purl Soho, a knitting shop located in New York City, says that her customers are clamoring to get their hands on jumbo yarn.
"We're constantly selling out of our thicker yarns," Hoverson told HuffPost. "People are buying it like crazy."
Although the store doesn't sell the largest yarn that's out there, it recently started to carry a bulkier style they call Gentle Giant after it was flooded with pleas to offer bigger material. But it's still nowhere near the size of giant yarn.
"We're always asking the yarn companies that manufacture the yarn if they can make it bigger," Hoverson explained. "But there are limits to what they can do, technically."
That hasn't stopped folks from getting in on the giant knitting trend. Once they do get their hands on some supplies it's easy to create something eye-catching in no time.
"It's very simple. All you have to know is the knit stitch," Hoverson said.
Since one stitch goes a long way and intricate designs aren't needed with such bulky yarn, giant knitting is a great way for knitting newbies to get into the hobby.
To buy: Mills' Yarn "Super Chunky" blanket, $102.
To buy: Knit Decor coat, Price upon request.
To buy: Vingil "Moroshka Papakha" hat, $80.
To buy: Lily And Peabody "Huge Super Chunky Knit Wool" blanket, $280
To buy: Top Knot Style "The Cowl & Top Knot Headband" 2-piece set, $56
To buy: Ohhio "Super Lush" pet bed, $81.
To buy: Little Dandelion one-of-a-kind scarf, Price upon request.
To buy: Wool Couture Company chunky knit throw, $195.
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