Headband in Plymouth Yarn Woolcotte - F658 - Downloadable PDF

Plymouth Yarn 658 Encore Chunky: Fast Throws – Complete Pattern Summary

Designed by JoAnne Turcotte and published by Plymouth Yarn Company, Book 658 Encore Chunky: Fast Throws is a downloadable PDF pattern collection featuring 13 individual throw designs, each knitted in chunky-weight yarn. These throws are intended to serve as baby blankets or lap throws suitable for every member of the family, making them wonderfully versatile projects for gift-giving or home use. The collection is specifically designed for beginner knitters, emphasizing speed, simplicity, and satisfying results with minimal yarn investment.

Overview of the Collection

Each of the 13 throws in this collection is engineered to be fast and easy to knit, living up to the "Fast Throws" name. The finished dimensions of each throw measure approximately 25 inches by 30 inches, a practical size for a lap throw or a baby blanket. Because each design requires only a small amount of yarn, these patterns are also budget-friendly and ideal for using up yarn from a stash or trying out new colorways without a large commitment.

The collection encourages knitters to personalize each throw by changing the color to suit the intended recipient, making these patterns endlessly adaptable. Whether knitting for a newborn, a child, or an adult, the straightforward construction and chunky gauge mean that even a first-time knitter can complete a beautiful, functional throw in a short amount of time.

Materials Used

Primary Yarn

• Plymouth Yarn Encore Chunky – the primary recommended yarn for all 13 designs
• Each throw requires just 3 balls of 100g Encore Chunky, making these extremely economical projects
• The collection also notes compatibility with Plymouth Yarn Encore Chunky Colorspun and Plymouth Yarn Encore Chunky Tweed as direct substitutes, offering knitters a range of texture and color options within the same yarn family

Alternative Yarn Option

• For knitters who cannot find the desired color in the Encore Chunky lines, the pattern suggests working with a double strand of Plymouth Yarn Encore Worsted
• When using Encore Worsted held double, US size 13 needles are recommended, and 4 balls of Encore Worsted are required
• The finished throw will be slightly larger when worked in the double-strand Encore Worsted alternative

Needles

• US size 11 knitting needles are specified for use with Encore Chunky at its standard gauge
• US size 13 knitting needles are recommended when substituting with a double strand of Encore Worsted

Techniques and Stitches

As a beginner-level knitting collection, the patterns in Book 658 rely on accessible, foundational knitting techniques. The chunky gauge and straightforward stitch patterns mean that knitters can focus on learning and practicing core skills while still producing a polished, professional-looking finished object.

General Techniques Used

• Flat knitting – all throws are worked back and forth on straight or circular needles, producing a flat fabric
• Basic cast-on and bind-off methods – standard techniques appropriate for beginner knitters
• Color changes – while not complex, the collection encourages color customization, introducing knitters to the concept of substituting or selecting yarn colors intentionally
• Gauge swatching – implied by the alternative needle and yarn guidance, helping knitters achieve the correct finished dimensions

Stitches Featured Across the 13 Designs

• The collection includes a design specifically named The Easiest Throw (pattern 658-01), suggesting that at least some designs use the most fundamental stitches such as knit and purl combinations
• Pattern 658-02, titled Brok, is among the named designs, indicating a variety of stitch patterns across the 13 throws to keep