With Christmas just around the corner, many knitters are gearing up for a few weeks of marathon knitting in order to create gifts for their friends and family. If you haven’t gotten started on your holiday knitting, don’t despair! There are lots of quick, easy patterns out there that will turn out beautiful gifts in a short amount of time. Many quick knits also do not use much yarn and can often be completed with only one or two skeins, which saves money too. Here are some ideas and free knitting patterns to help inspire you to create handmade gifts this season.
Mittens, Gloves and Arm Warmers
All kinds of lovely accessories designed to keep hands and arms warm in the winter are also small, portable and quick to knit. Big wool mittens will keep your friend’s hands toasty this winter, and with the chunky wool they will knit up fast. If you prefer to knit something a little more sophisticated, Fetching is a beautiful pattern for cabled fingerless gloves that requires only one ball of yarn and can be knit in a weekend.
Handbags and Scarves
For the girly girl on your list, try making a little girly bag. A cute beaded flower applique dresses up the simple, small design. If you can afford a little more of an investment of time and money, striped Noro scarves yield a stunning finished product and are still a relatively quick and simple knit.
Dishcloths
If you’re unsure about the size, style or preferences of the person you want to make a quick knitted gift for, you can’t go wrong with a dishcloth. Made out of basic cotton yarn, you won’t need to worry about whether the wool will be itchy against the skin or whether your gift will stay in the drawer all year because it doesn’t color coordinate with the giftee’s other clothes. They’re also useful, durable and inexpensive to make. This grid pattern dishcloth is simple for even very beginning knitters, and can be made as either a dishcloth or a facecloth. Combine your knitted cloth with a nice soap, or a mug and a packet of hot chocolate to round out the gift.
Handmade gifts help make Christmas more environmentally friendly by reducing the amount of consumer goods shipped overseas, and most people greatly appreciate the time, energy and love put into handmade presents. For knitters, quick Christmas knits can be a great way to learn new skills, such as cables, applique or color work, in a small project that does not demand a huge commitment of time and yarn. Not to mention the satisfaction of starting and finishing a knitting project in a short amount of time! So don’t be afraid to cast on a quick gift or two for your friends and family this holiday season.