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Gift Knitting for the Holidays

1 - I can do better 2 - Jury's out 3 - Pretty darn good 4 - Splendiferous 5 - Awesometastic (by 8 people)   Your rating: 1 - I can do better 2 - Jury's out 3 - Pretty darn good 4 - Splendiferous 5 - Awesometastic

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The Season of Joy...and Non-Stop Knitting!

 

I love to gift knit. The hunt for the perfect pattern, the perfect yarn. The joy of creating something for loved ones with my own two hands. The surprise and delight on their faces as they open their gifts.

Because I have so many family members who squeal with glee over a hand knit hat or pair of socks, my holiday knitting starts early. I'm always wandering around the net or spending way too much time thumbing through knitting books looking for gift ideas. So, I thought I'd share some of what I've found.

All of the patterns listed here are free (yes, FREE). Most of them are quick and easy knits - but with a little twist to keep you (and the honored recipient) from getting bored. I've also thrown in some inspirational photos from flickr, and listed some fun books, incase you don't find what you are looking for in the free patterns.

Happy knitting!

Photo by briebeest

In A Nut Shell 

That's a cinnamon almond nut shell, in keeping with the season, of course.

Want one book to sum up the holiday knitting season? Check out Handknit Holidays: Knitting Year-Round for Christmas, Hanukkah, and Winter Solstice. Written by Melanie Falick, it's full of beautifully photographed projects appropriate for winter gifts to people of all ages, no matter the holiday.

Want to see some of the projects in it before you buy it? There's a user-submitted photo gallery full of things like cabled socks and fair isle mittens. Lovely!

Handknit Holidays: Knitting Year-Round for Christmas, Hanukkah, and Winter Solstice

Amazon Price: $18.15 (as of 01/09/2009)Buy Now
Used Price: $10.86

Gifts For Rugrats 

'Cause you're the best (aunt, uncle, mom, dad, grand parent, family friend, etc.) ever!

Round or Pinwheel Baby Blanket
An easy pattern that's guaranteed to get an "oooo, wow" from the adults in the room...and guaranteed to keep baby warm and snuggly.
HowStuffWorks "Free Baby Mary Jane Booties Knitting Patterns"
Mary Jane baby booties! Can you even try to get any adorable-er?!
Bananahead's Baby Beanie (pdf)
No, it won't make the baby's head look like a banana, but with the little icord bow on top, it'll look really cute!
Debbie Bliss Baby Shrug
A classic Debbie Bliss pattern, This simple little shrug (think "cardigan minus the buttons") is perfect for those sunny days with a bit of chill in the breeze.
The 1932 Soaker Pattern
With a ton of new mommies returning to cloth diapers, soakers are a hot item right now. This pattern was inspired by the original publication, way back in the 1930's. Usually knit out of wool, they act as a diaper cover and an extra layer of absorbant material between a wet baby booty and you favorite pair of jeans. Which is a good thing, right?
Sideways Garter Stitch Baby Bib
This super easy baby bib is knit with self stiping cotton yarn, making it both stylish and machine washable. (Did I mention easy? And self striping?)

A Little Inspiration For The Little Ones 

Warning: cuteness overload eminent

knit baby booties by normanack

for a friend's new babyGoodbye Yellow Brick Road Booties, Lion Brand blogyarn ...

Easy Baby Cardigan by Linda N.

This free pattern from Knitting Pure & Simple was completed in less than...

baby bib by moonrat42

"Baby Bib O'Love" from Mason-Dixon Knitting. Sugar n'Cream c...

MDK Heartbreakingly Cute Baby Kimono by noricum

Blogged here:

baby bonnet by normanack

I can't remember what book I found this pattern in (got it from the library and ...

Run across "psso" or "k1tbl" in a pattern and feel like you need a code book to read it? Check out knittinghelp.com. It's full of video tutorials on both basic and advanced techniques. They've even got the video to answer the burning question on every beginner sock knitter's mind: So, what exactly is the "magic loop"?

Cute Kids 

Patterns for toddlers to teens

Kid's Crown
What little kid wouldn't want their very own crown?! Make your little prince or princess happy with this one. :)
Bulky Kids Mittens
Need a quick knit for a kid? Try these mittens! Knit out of bulky yarn, they'll work up in a flash. Sizes range from 4t to 12 years.
childHood
A cute little hoodie for your favorite little hoodlum! This flexibly-written unisex cardigan pattern is sized infant to six years, and can be knit with or without stripes (or even without the hood).
Arrowhead Lace Headband
A good introduction to lace knitting, this headband knit with worsted weight yarn. It's only eleven stitches wide, and has a four row pattern. Directions are both charted and written out. It would make a great gift for a little girl or teen!
Lost in the Music Coverup
An open, lace shrug perfect for throwing on over a tank. Got a teenage neice? Make her this and you could possibly be the coolest aunt ever!
Felted Skull Tote (pdf)
It's a skull! On a felted tote! What could be cooler?
Family of Felted Slippers
No matter the size of the foot you're knitting for, this pattern's got ya covered. Sizes include toddler though adult.
Kids Vest
Knit this vest out of self striping yarn for a unique look, guarenteed to keep your little munchkin warm and toasty. (Includes instructions for finished chest sizes 25-30 inches.)
Hardcore Cardigan
Know a teenage boy who knits? Give him a gift to celebrate his complete awsomeness! This oversized cardigan features a yarn-ball-skull and knitting-needle-crossbones on the back, with the words "cool boys knit" above it.

Knits For Kids 

Some fun ideas for children's knits

Freddie Fireman by yettis doings

One of my Mothers' nurses knits these, they are fabulous and she gives them to l...

Haberdashery - Socks for a child by Squirrel Cottage

Great soft Egyptian cotton.Kids small - 6" foot(Available - see m...

kid's hat by dicharry

This is one of my younger friends wearing a hat I knit - I crocheted the green r...

WIP First Color Work-Autobot by sictransitgloria

this is my first color work/ fair isle practice. it's only practice, but then i...

Best friends cardigan by AnnaKika

There was a free pattern but the link does not work anymore.Many knitters have ...

Harry Potter Knits! 

Um, I mean: Knitting based on Harry Potter!

Charmed Knits: Projects for Fans of Harry Potter

Amazon Price: $10.19 (as of 01/09/2009)Buy Now

Got an HP fan in your life? Check out this fun book filled with knits inspired by the series. Make a wizzard's robe, a Gryffindor scarf, or even one of Mrs. Weasly's (in)famous sweaters!

Gifts for Guys 

Because every guy needs a knitted tie, right?

Bias Knit Tie
You thought I was kidding? Well, here's a tie knit out of fingering weight yarn. Make it with self-striping sock yarn and you've got a one-of-a-kind gift for a great guy in your life.
Seaman's Cap
Even if your guy gets sea-sick sititng next to a gold fish bowl, he can still look like a fisherman of yore with this seaman's cap. The fold-up ribbed brim will even keep his ears toasy warm on those raw winter days.
Men's Fingerless Mitts
Got a crafty guy on your gift list? He'll love these fingerless mittens! They'll keep his hands warm, but still let him work on whatever he's doing out there in the garage.
The Go To Scarf
A really nifty looking scarf that's an easy variation on the traditional 2x2 rib. Textured enough not to be boring but not so frilly as to scare off the guy who just wants "a plain scarf." Because it's knit out of chunky alpaca, it's light weight but waaaay warm. Gotta keep those guys toasty, right?
Cheesy Puffs Sweater
Need a guy's sweater you can finish by the holidays? Check out this one! It's a handsome sweater knit on size US10 (6mm) needles with bulky yarn, and has enough patterning to keep you interested without driving you nuts. (Don't let the name fool ya, there's no bobbles or puffy do-das on here. But, the knit and purl patterning does kind of look like cheese puffs.)
Guitar Man Socks
Nope, sorry, this is not a sock with a guitar on it. But, it is a nice sock with a handsome diamond stitch pattern that continues down the instep. No lace skills needed, because the diamons are made from purls. This is a good step up from the basic sock.
Mangyle Vest
A modern take on a classic garment. Two rows of small argyles run down the left side of the vest, rather than in the center. A really great vest for a young man...or the young at heart!

Knitted Guy Gifts 

Check it out, I found a picture of a knitted Elvis! If you are knitting for a guy who's an fan, this would be a big hit. Got a sci-fi movie fan on your list? Here's the crew from MST3K on a hat!

Thank ya, thank ya verry much...

Hand warmers for S. by Breibeest

Pattern: Hand/Wrist Warmers from Last Minute Knitted Gifts --...

Harry Potter Scarf by Kelly Sue

MST3K Knitted Hat by Airawyn

A hat I knitted, using the chart from here:

Knit Elvis by Aine D

From the book

Charlie Brown Knit Hat-2003 by sictransitgloria

very first hat i ever knitted. made it for the bf, xmas 2003. Used cheap acryli...

Hand Wash, Please 

Make sure your sweater doesn't end up fitting Barbie

I'm a bit picky when it comes to giving away something I've knitted with 100% wool yarn. Not because I'm stingy, but because so many people don't know how to properly wash it. I've heard too many horror stories of a knitter's relative throwing the amazing cablled sweater she knitted into the washing machine, and ending up with a wadded mess of felted goo.

To prevent this from happening to your hand washable gifts consider throwing in a bottle of wool wash, along with a pretty card explaining how to handle the item. Here are three of the more popular brands of wool wash: Soak, Eucalan, and Kookaburra.

Knits For Ladies 

Because your bff keeps bugging you to knit something for her, right?

Lacy Cap
A good introduction to knitting lace in the round, this beanie makes a great gift for a woman or teen.
Multi Directional Diagonal Scarf
I l.o.v.e this scarf. It's knit all in one piece, but it looks like you sewed a bunch of knitted triangles together. This pattern really shines when knit with a varigated yarn!
Booga Bag
I see people knitting this bag all the time at my LYS (local yarn shop). It's way cute...and way easy! If you've never felted before this bag is a good way to get started.
Coachella Tank
This sexy-yet-elegant tank makes a statement, for sure! Unique shaping creates a racer back with a scooped cowel neck. Very nice!
Ulterior Motive Pedicure Socks
Kind of like fingerless mittes for your footsies, these socks make a quick and fun gift for your best pedicure-loving girl friend.
Strozzi Lariat Necklace
This fun knitted lariat alternates sections of icord with little leaves. Perfect for all seasons!
Anthropologie Inspired Caplet
This cute little caplet (think "top half of a t-shirt married a cape") is just enough to keep the shoulders warm on a cool day. It's even reversible!
Quickie Cowl or Headband
Kind of like a pre-wrapped scarf, this cowl is knit as a flat panel with the ends seamed together to create a tube. Made with chunky yarn in an easy lace pattern, it can even do double duty as a wide headband!

What Are Women Knitting? 

A modest selection from the world of flickr.

unfinished knit hoodie by luckywhitegirl

it's a little mishapen because it's been on the needles all this time and often ...

Moose Lace by ejhogbin

This is the shawl that I'll be using as the demo for the Learn to Knit Lace clas...

friday harbor socks 2 by jylcat

Arline Fisch bracelet by knitsteel

an indulgence for my personal jewelry collection. Arline was one of my grad sch...

Knit Hat - Aunty Shirley by avlxyz

Aunty Shirley modelling the hat grandma knitted.

Loom Knitting 

Knitting without those pointy stick things.

Knitting looms have been in use since the 16th century. They are a great introduction to knitting and come in different shapes, both round and straight, allowing you to make a variety of projects. For an intro on how to use one, check out this video, or visit How to Loom Knit at bevscountrycottage.com.

(Thanks, enslavedbyfaeries, for the inspiration to add looms to this lens!)
powered by Youtube

Looming Patterns 

Well, I went looking for free loom knitting patterns and found the jackpot! Provo Craft has a directory of 41 patterns for the Knifty Knitter, a popular loom set.

Here are some of my favorite patterns form the site.
Striped Leg Warmers
A great beginner project, these leg warmers are basically a tube with a cuff. Change colors when you want to create a custom look!
Hooded Scarf
Keep yourself toasty warm! Make a flat scarf and do a bit of seaming to make a hood in the middle of it.
Knifty Little Snowman
With his cute hat and scarf, his little guy is sure to be a hit this winter.
Shrug
Knit as a flat panel, and seamed up the arms, this shrug is great for those evening when you want just a little something on your shoulders.
Loopy Boa
Once you're feeling confident on your loom, try out this fun scarf. The loops are made by wrapping the yarn across the loom, instead of around it.

Loom Knitting Pics 

Here are some photos of projects on and off the loom, and some of people using thier looms!

Ze beginning of a bag by vieux bandit

I decided to start a "scrap bag", using all the thick yarn I d...

Bolas ecológicas by Natália Tricô

Bolas realizadas com um tear manual redondo. A diferença está no enchimento, t...

Gorro by Natália Tricô

Hat knitted with bigTricotin.

Laurel knitting by oddharmonic

Due to the stop in Amarillo, there is a not a lot of approved-electronic-devices...

Knitting is fun - anyone can do it! by ~My aim is true~

Gina showing me how to use her super-fun knitting loom!

Gifts For Knitters 

Got a knitter on your list? Check out these fun gifts...

Knitted Stamp stamp KNIT! shirt Mona Knits bag knitting hands card
Knitting Chick T-Shirt shirt Knitted Shoes kedsshoe blue knitting mouse mat mousepad Eat Sleep Knit shirt

Bind Off... 

Thanks for making it all the way to the end. :)

I hope you had a good time here, and found some patterns or inspiration to help you on your gift knitting quest. Feel free to leave a comment!

dustytoes wrote...

Great! I am a fairly new knitter...will roll this to my knitting lens! 5 stars!

ReplyPosted January 05, 2009

poutine wrote...

Thanks for the looming video.

ReplyPosted December 23, 2008

alteredkat wrote...

Great ideas here!...I've always admired knitters...and envied them...I was unable to master it :o(
Thanks for visiting and commenting on my reuse toothbrushes lens! I appreciate it!

ReplyPosted December 18, 2008

naturegirl7 wrote...

I crochet, but my sister is just like you. The knitting is never too far away. I'm emailing her the link to this lens. Great job. Thanks for visiting our Christmas Cookie Recipe lens.

ReplyPosted December 16, 2008

sandyspider wrote...

I use to crochet. Very cool stuff!

ReplyPosted December 10, 2008

 
1 of 2 pages

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MerryM

About MerryM

Hi, I'm Merry. I've been knitting for about eight years, ever since the needlepoint store where I worked opened a knitting section. I now teach knitting and crochet at my LYS, as well as taking in the occassional knitting commission. I'm also a massage therapist, and am having fun learning about natural building techniques and sustainability.

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