Holiday Gift Knitting

I think this is the first Christmas since I began my knitting obsession where I can safely say that I’m not stressed at all about gift knitting! I set out thinking that I would knit for a lot of people, then decided that wasn’t going to happen (it was, after all, only 5 weeks until Christmas at that point) and instead just focused on the few people that I knew would appreciate a knitted gift. Of those, I knit for about 90% of them, so I’d have to call that a success! Does that mean I’m done with gift knitting? Errr… no… but it does mean that I’m down to two gifts and have one 60% finished (should finish tonight) and the other one I will start either tonight or tomorrow but since I already bought the recipient a very nice non-knitted gift, I am covered should I not be able to finish the knit in time. No harm, no foul.

I must say I am really surprised and shocked that this happened as I only began knitting Christmas gifts on November 11 and managed to come out with 6 (perhaps 7 if you count the one that may or may not be finished by Christmas Eve) gifts in the end! Not too shabby all around, I must say. And as some of these recipients have already received their gifts, I can share these knits with you now! The first one was the Sugar Bear Hoodie that I already shared with you last time, which I knit for the handsome Tudor. The second gift is actually two things (so does that I mean I’m knitting 7 or maybe 8 gifts???) and went to Tudor’s lovely mother and my dear friend.

Dyade cowl - Finished

Dyade Mitts - FINISHED

Those are the Dyade Cowl and Mitts, designed by Vanessa of one of my favorite stores, The Fiber Fix. They were an incredibly quick knit and a wonderful gift. The recipient loved it and is so excited about finally owning fingerless gloves (she’d been eyeing the ones I had knit for a while now) and I couldn’t have asked for a better person to knit for as she always is so appreciative of my work! 🙂

Dyade cowl - Finished

Pattern – Dyade by Vanessa Smith (project link – Cowl | project link – Mitts)
Yarn – Earthly Hues Cashmere Seedling in Poppy (rav link | store I used)
Needle – US6 (4.00mm) and US1 (2.25mm)
Cast on – November 26, 2010 (cowl), November 29, 2010 (mitts)
Cast off – November 27, 2010 (cowl), December 1, 2010 (mitts)
Modifications – None

I also knit for Tudor’s father who received a lovely Windschief in Malabrigo Worsted (mmm, Malabrigo!). It was SUCH a quick knit as well and it turned out wonderful! I loved it on him (looks better than on me in this picture, LOL!).

Windschief - FINISHED

Pattern – Windschief by Stephen West (project link)
Yarn – Malabrigo Yarn Merino Worsted in Olive (rav link)
Needle – US6 (4.00mm) and US7 (4.5mm)
Cast on – December 3, 2010
Cast off – December 5, 2010
Modifications – None

I also made a hat for another friend of mine. This one was sort of a request. She wanted a beret in pink. That’s all I knew. So I got some yummy (and oh so soft!) MadTosh MCN worsted in the gorgeous Fragrant from my stash and knit up a Crooked Paths for her. And I just LOVE how it turned out! She received it on Friday and is totally in love with the hat, so I’m happy!

Crooked Paths Hat - FINISHED

Pattern – Crooked Paths by Melissa LaBarre (project link | pattern link)
Yarn – Madelinetosh 80-10-10 MCN in Fragrant (rav link)
Needle – US5 (3.75mm) and US8 (5.0mm)
Cast on – December 12, 2010
Cast off – December 13, 2010
Modifications – None

I think that’s enough projects to show in one post, though, so I’ll finish this up later this week. I hope everyone else is having a stress-free holiday gift season like I am, and if not that you soon will be stress-free! 🙂

8 thoughts on “Holiday Gift Knitting

  1. Lovely knits! I’m finished with my holiday knits – at first my list was very ambitious, but then I scaled back. Stress free is the way to go. I’m just about finished with my Wollmeise shawl – that will be my gift to myself. You were right about Wollmeise, I totally get it now.

  2. I love everything you made! I always say I’m not knitting gifts & then I end up doing so last minute every single year (like I started & finished some fingerless gloves this weekend)! I’m starting early next year, a promise I am making to myself. I can’t wait to see the rest & I hope you have a Merry Christmas!

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