A blanket sweater – the oversized, wrap-around kind meant for keeping warm at home rather than for going out. Instructions are given for both a crochet and a knit version, so you can make it in whichever craft you prefer.
One size fits most. Skill level: easy.
Why it is easy
A blanket sweater is essentially a large rectangle with openings for the arms. There is very little shaping, no fitted armholes, and no sizing to get right – the garment is supposed to be loose and long, so precision is not required anywhere.
That makes it a genuinely good first garment for either craft. If you have made a scarf and want to make something wearable next, this is the natural step up.
Choosing between the two versions
The knitted version will produce a lighter, more elastic fabric with more drape. The crocheted version will be thicker and warmer for the same yarn, with more structure, and it will work up faster.
For a blanket sweater specifically, either is a reasonable choice. Warmth is the point, and both deliver it. Pick the craft you are quicker at.
Yarn
Whatever the version you choose calls for, buy plenty. A garment this size uses a lot of yarn, and running out with one sleeve to go is a miserable position – particularly if the dye lot has moved on.
Something soft matters more here than in most garments. A blanket sweater is worn against skin, often over nothing much, for hours at a time. A wool blend with good softness or a quality acrylic both work; anything scratchy will not get worn no matter how well made it is.
Weight
Be aware that an oversized garment in a heavy yarn is genuinely heavy to wear, and crocheted fabric more so than knitted. If you want something you can wear all evening, err towards a lighter yarn than the maximum the pattern allows.
Care
Machine washable, unless you are committed to hand-washing something this large. Most people are not.
