Christmas Treats from DROPS

Yarn company Garn Studio and its DROPS Design patterns offer a ton of opportunities for Christmas crafting. Each year they do a Christmas calendar, sort of like an advent calendar in which one new pattern is revealed every day (as of this writing they were all crochet, but it’s usually a mix). Their Christmas Workshop pattern collection could keep you going for years, and they even have a whole section devoted to red knit socks and another devoted to holiday-themed hot pads.

With all that in mind I thought I’d highlight just a few of their projects that I really like, and I hope you’ll go explore and share what you find, too.

These “calendar socks” would be cute in a bunch as an advent calendar on a clothesline, but since we don’t have time for that this year you could also use them to present small gifts, as decoration on a package or just in your regular holiday decor. It’s a great odd-ball-using project, too.
And speaking of socks, these snowman socks are adorable. I’ll bet that colorwork section goes faster than you think and you could still knit these before Christmas.
Julius the elf is a super cute little guy who could also be worked from scraps. I love his tiny head and big, round body.
Need a hostess gift or a thank you for someone who’s been extra good this year? Why not knit up and felt a bottle cozy that could be used for wine, olive oil or whatever else you like.

[Photo by DROPS Design.]

It feels like it’s too early to be thinking about back to school, but as I write this my daughter has just a couple of weeks of summer left! So let’s get in that school and fall knitting spirit by looking at some apple knitting projects.

If you have a 22 needle circular knitting machine, knitting an apple is one of the easiest things you can do. I have an apple pattern over at Our Daily Craft that will take you just a few minutes to knit and they’re a great addition to your fall decor.

Apple hats are a classic, and whether you want to knit a hat that looks like an apple or one with apples on it, we’ve got you covered. For hats that look like apples check out the rolled brim version from Emma Crochet Design 4 U, which uses worsted weight yarn and comes in sizes for kids of all ages; and the ribbed brim version from Hand Knit Hugs. This one also calls for worsted weight yarn and comes in four kids sizes. Both include a stem and leaf.

If you’d rather have apples on your hat, try the Red Apple Hat from Little Red Window. This one is sized from newborn to 2T and calls for four colors of worsted weight yarn.

How about apple socks? You’ll find Ariel Chang’s Apple Picnic Socks as a free download on Ravelry. These use three colors of sock yarn and come in three sizes. Stone Knits also a pair of stripey apple socks that show the inside of the apple. These also have three sizes but they use six colors total, with the main color being a self-striping yarn.

If you want a little apple accessory for the house, the apple potholder from Nifty Knitter Designs is cute and a great way to practice double knitting. It uses two colors and you’ll find the colors in the reverse on the other side. The pattern only uses about 50 yards of each color of worsted weight yarn, so it’s a great use for odd balls, too.

Once you’ve got your double knitting skills sorted you can also try the double knit apple scarf from Crow and Chai Shop. The Winter Apples scarf is shown in red and gold, but you can use whatever colors you like. There are apples, stars and random stitches in the design, which calls for DK weight yarn. There’s also a matching fingerless glove pattern.

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