Our Favorite Knitted (and Crochet) Gifts to Make

Today is the day to start making warm woolens for yourself and those you love. We know how good it feels to have a yarn stash.  It feels even better to have a stash of accessories on hand well before you need them.

Give the gift of luxury
Our first project suggestion is Razelle made in two skeins of Cosette, a luscious blend of superwash wool and cashmere/nylon. It has a beautiful luminous halo and a light airy drape. So many beautiful colors to choose from. 

Would you rather crochet? We love the lines on this one.

Give the Gift of a Hug around their Neck

Our second project suggestion is the Second Sock Cowl by Barbara Benson. Any guesses on how she came up with the name?

This cowl only takes 50 grams/200 yards of fingering weight yarn, so you can make two cowls with one skein. And if you only ever make a pattern once, you can try this with the other 50 grams. 

Would you rather crochet? We love this cowl, but you'll need a full 100g skein of fingering weight yarn.

This is a Great Gift for a Survivor

Whenever I knit with Handspun Hope yarn, I'm thinking of the Rwandan women who make it, the things they have survived, and the new life they are bringing to their communities now. I love being part of their story.

We chose to make Penny Gloves  with their Angora blend to inspire you to make a luxurious gift for someone special. The angora and wool for this yarn are humanely-sourced from their own flocks of bunnies and sheep. This yarn is especially good for mitts because the soft halo increases with wear.

Would you rather crochet? These mitts are also beautiful!

A couple of years ago I made this Seagull and gave it to my grown son with a copy of the book Jonathan Livingston Seagull. It was a huge hit.

The Toft kits come with all the materials and instructions. There are also video tutorials. These kits are recommended for beginners, but it is helpful if you know basic crochet before you start.

Would you rather knit? Little Cotton Rabbits has adorable patterns(and they aren't all rabbits)!

 
Gift for the Climate Conscious

If you are looking for one pattern to make over and over and give to everyone this is it! People LOVE these. Pair it with this and you are giving the gift of relaxation.

Make a couple to include with this and you've pleased the "greenest" person on your list. Did you know that Clean Cotton is made with 100% recycled fibers?

Another great yarn choice for washcloths is Sweater. The wool in this yarn helps the cloth keep its shape and prevents it from getting smelly.

Would you rather crochet? This cloth has great texture. And the pattern comes with a tutorial. This could be your first crochet project!

When you need something quick

This was such a quick knit, I had time to knit it twice.

I had a request to make an orange hat, so I picked two orange-ish colors(in the photo above) that looked like they would have enough contrast and I set off. As I went along, I had my doubts, but it might have been okay, right?!?

And it was okay, but not great, so I picked a stronger contrasting color and tried again. Much better! 

My advice is to test your contrast by taking a picture of your colors in black and white before you start. See the two hats above, It would have been obvious...

You can even make matching mittens or a cowl, you have that option. And if you'd rather work with worsted weight Malabrigo Rios, you can do that too.

Would you rather crochet? This hat is beautiful!

 
For Someone with Cold Hands and a Warm Heart

I had so much fun making this first mitten that I immediately cast on and finished the second. 

The Comfy Gusset Mitten pattern had a new-for-me gusset. And I have to say it is very comfy. I love the way these fit! 

Holding a strand of Cricket together with a strand of Neighborhood Fiber Co Loft on a size 5 needle gives me 5.5 st/in with a cozy, but flexible fabric - perfect for mittens. And then I made a second pair with Sister Ananse DK and Manos Cabrito.

Would you rather crochet? Try these.