Last Minute Gift Ideas for the Knitter or Crocheter in Your Life

There are two standbys for last minute gifts: gift cards and books. The former is easy. Go to your knitter or crocheter’s local yarn store and get one. The latter might not be so easy, but here are a handful of suggestions for knitters and crocheters of all skill levels.

Beginner: Let’s Knit!

This book looks like a great reference for the beginning knitter and has some simple, but clever, projects that walks the reader through step by step.

Beginner: Getting Started Crochet

I haven’t started crocheting yet (although I want to, soon). This book looked like the one I would pick out for myself if I needed to self-teach. It’s a couple of years old, but has some good projects and easy step-by-step for beginners.

Quick Stitch: Two Balls or Less

This book includes more than 30 projects that require two balls of yarn or less, including throw pillows and a storage bin. Interesting stuff that you might not think of as a knitting or crocheting project.

Not Necessarily Patterns: Free Range Knitting & It Itches

I, along with literally thousands of others, love the Yarn Harlot. Her take on all things knitting is smart, sassy and frequently very funny. This book, Free Range Knitter: The Yarn Harlot Rides Again is her latest.

Franklin Habit, and his blog the Panopticon, are favorite reads. He’s featured several of these cartoons prior to publication and they always make me laugh out loud. This book is on my personal wish list.

There are dozens, if not hundreds and thousands of great knitting and crocheting books. Chances are, if you find one that you think your knitter or crocheter would like, you’d be right. Happy holidays!

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Knitting Will Save My Sanity

Sitting through a mildy annoying Thanksgiving was so much easier because I had a knitting project to work on.  If you’re planning to spend some time with family, here are my tips for bringing your knitting along as a sanity saver.

• Work on a project that doesn’t take a lot of concentration. Let’s face it, you might still have to carry on a conversation or have a hand free now and then to take another gulp sip of wine. Of course, none of my projects require concentration for experienced knitters, so you’ll have to gauge your own skills to figure out what kind of project is best.
• Make sure the yard you’re working with on said project is scrumptious. So far few things are more annoying than getting several days into a project and deciding I don’t like the yarn. Spend a few extra bucks, get something super soft and you’ll enjoy working on the project that much more while you listen to Aunt Bee rattle on. Scrumptious yarn and beautiful tools to work with make the time fly by.
• Invest in a nice bag to travel with your project. Mine at the moment is a gift bag revisited. Your bag should, minimally, hold the project in process, along with the needles it’s on, an extra ball of yarn, little tools (see next tip), and hand lotion. I have a couple on a wish list here and here. Having everything handy and organized will ensure you’re not stuck with a project you can’t work on.
• Find little gadgets to help organize your small knitting tools – stitch markers and row counters, measuring tape, etc. These Crafty Critters from KnitPicks are pretty cute.

Good luck with all your family gatherings this holiday season! I’m sure I’ll have some new FOs to share by January 1.

Photo by Jim Frazier via Flickr

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