It’s that time of year again. Time to surreptitiously leave your laptop open so that those you love will know how to shop for their favorite knitter. We knitters are becoming so numerous and powerful that more and more delicious tools, yarns, jimcracks and geegaws are available. It took some serious editing this year, I’m happy to say!
Our feature image today is from my favorite, “Christmas Ornament Set” pattern by Amy Gaines. CLICK HERE for the pattern. This would make a fabulous gift combined with small amounts of stash yarn wound into mini-skeins or wrapped on antique wooden clothes pegs.
Advent Calendar
In the years to come, I’m sure we’ll refer to 2016 as the “Year of the Advent Calendar”. There are advent calendars for absolutely everything including yarn. I believe Opal started the most recent incarnation, but many yarn producers and dyers have picked up the gauntlet and compiled these sweet treasure boxes. I’m fond of this one from Paintbox Yarns available at LoveKnitting. Included are four cute mix-and-match patterns to make you smile
Or try this! Make your own advent calendar from stash. Customize mini-skeins for knitter friends using shades or special yarns you know they’ll love. Throw in a pattern like this super popular pattern, The Coziest Memory by Kemper Wray, and pledge to make the project together
Knitting “Jewelry”
Another phenomenon of recent years has been the rise of the stitch marker. I have to say, I’m a huge fan of pretty markers and have my favorites for different situations; I like tiny, simple, snag-free loops for mid-work but love dangly charms to mark the beginning of a round or measure progress. Ever heard of Jill’s Beaded Knit Bits? Oh. MyGoodness! This lady, a knitter and jewelry maker, has combined her crafty gifts to create a website and Etsy shop catering specifically to knitters. Jill’s work is innovative wearable art for knitters that serves a purpose too.
Here are a couple of new ideas I hadn’t seen before…
The Gleener
I admit that the knitting world has been a-buzz about this cool tool recently. I’ve never found a de-fuzzer that satisfied me completely. I’ve tried the full range of “combs” and “shavers”. I have a battery operated one (meh). So my ears perked up when I heard about The Gleener.
This thing is great, I gotta say. I ran out to Canadian Tire last weekend, grabbed one off the shelf and haven’t stopped cleaning fabric since. It includes three cleaning heads, one each for fine, medium and heavy knits, plus a lint brush. Replacement edges are available separately and a smaller, travel size is also available. It’s very ergonomic which I think contributes to its effectiveness. It is easy to hold and stroke across the fabric. So this is it for me…I don’t anticipate buying another de-pilling product. Love it.
The Knitting Fork or Lucet
This popped up on some random feed (not sure which) recently and I was instantly intrigued. (Actually, I think someone was tweeting about making her own shoe laces in an airport somewhere.) Dating back to the days of the Vikings, the lucet makes cord that looks remarkably like I-cord but takes a fraction of the time.
A Lucet (also called a lucet fork) is an ancient tool dating back to the Viking era. It is used for making a looped cord that is strong, square, and a bit springy. Lucet cord can be used for draw-string (such as for bags or purses), decorative edging, ties for hats, and any other use where strong cord is needed.
It’s easy to procure a simple, mass-produced, garden variety lucet via Amazon, but I’ve set my sights on these gorgeous handcrafted knitting forks from Golding Fiber Tools in Vermont. For those who are interested in fiber crafts like drop spindling and spinning, you really should visit Golding Fiber Tools on line. This is a family business of artisan wood workers that makes things like spinning wheels, spindles and accessories in their deep-in-the-countryside wood shop. It’s idyllic!
All out of ideas? Need someone to help? Check these out…
The Knitting Gift Shop
Oh yeah. Someone’s been getting my emails. The Knitting Gift Shop, a website dedicated to gifts for knitters, actually exists! Amazing. And look how pretty…
This is one of their many lovely Christmas gift hampers curated especially for knitters containing a yarn bowl, a skein of luxury yarn, needles and a handwarmer kit. They stock a full range of interesting yarn holders from bowls to bags, natural fiber yarns and kits and tons of gift collections. This is luxury.
And finally, a little departure from knit-specific gifts. I had to include this, though, because it is just so darn clever.
The Mysterious Package Company
We are a members-only private club specializing in unannounced deliveries of a strange and otherworldly nature.
Right?!? Membership to The Mysterious Package Company is free. A carefully curated story is constructed. Correspondence is sent. The plot thickens. Suspense deepens. Packages are received and…denouement! It is virtually impossible to fully describe here so I thoroughly recommend that you check it out! Suffice to say, it is one of the most creative and imaginative gift ideas ever.
The rest I leave to you! Happy shopping 😉
Karen Jokinen
Where in the maze that is Canadian Tire do you find the gleaners?
Little Church Knits
Hey Karen! It’s with the laundry things 😉