Knitting patterns that are enjoyable to make and feasible to finish in time for Christmas are not unicorns. They do exist and Ingebretsen’s has them. You are not consigned to giving cute Christmas cards with rain checks and promises that the recipients will get their gift on St. Patrick’s Day. Below are some suggestions for patterns that will make the holidays brighter, quickly. Knit gifts!
The rapidly-becoming-a-classic Arne and Carlos’s 55 Christmas Balls to Knit is a good place to start. The charts simplify two-color knitting and the projects are portable, which is always a plus. The Christmas balls are small enough that even someone who knits slowly or has limited time to knit can complete a couple of the ornaments by December 25. You could start a tradition of knitting a couple of ornaments each year as gifts. That way, you have a plan in place and don’t have to spend time each year wondering what you are going to make for the lucky recipients. With 55 patterns in the book, you have at least a decade’s worth of gifts lined up.
Life is just simpler if you don’t have to make two identical anything on a deadline. Hats trump mittens and socks this late in the season. Wendy J. Johnson’s Lovikka hat pattern is perfect gift-giving knitting. The hat knits up quickly, it’s warm, and it’s cute. You can always knit the matching mittens at a later time.
Handmade stuffed toys are an unexpected gift and fun, both for the maker and the recipient. Felting is incredibly durable, so if you make Marie Mayhew’s Wool Kitty Cat pattern, you are making a gift that can last, quite literally, for generations. Her felted bird ornaments can add warmth and color to a home all winter long. Omit the hook for hanging and you have adorable cat toys.
Who doesn’t need a cover for a phone or tablet? Ingebretsen’s still has a few issues remaining of the 2014 Interweave Knits Gifts issue. Eline Oftedal’s patterns for a phone case and a tablet cover, both inspired by traditional Nordic design, are included in this exceptional collection of gifts to knit.
We want to help you with your holiday knitting – drop in, call, or browse our website for more ideas. If you put your knitting on Instagram, please be sure to please tag Ingebretsen’s. We’d love to see what you are making and you might just inspire another Christmas knitter!
GREAT ideas all. And am especially happy to see Marie Mayhew’s Woolly Kitty and the miniature birds featured. Not only are they a quick make, but so much fun to knit…and almost impossible to give away.
We think Marie Mayhew’s kits are pretty darling and you’re right, it’s hard to give away something that cute once you’ve made it.