It’s just about six months — 21 weeks — until Christmas, and it might seem crazy to start thinking about holiday knitting just because yarn companies (like Red Heart and Yarnspirations) are putting out Christmas in July knitting patterns.
But they’ve got a point.
Whether you’re knitting to decorate your home with a stack of new stockings or you want to knit gifts for a bunch of people on your list, the time to start planning is now.
Here’s what to do to get your holiday knitting on the right track from the beginning.
Make a list of everyone you might want to knit something for.
Think about what you might like to knit for them. You might find it easier if you choose to knit the same thing (literally the same pattern, like I did one year when I made four pairs of the same fingerless mitts) or the same genre (such as all scarves) for everyone. Or maybe your significant other or BFF gets something bigger, more involved or nicer, while your coworkers get something that takes less time and effort.
Be realistic about how much time each project might take. It’s hard to guess how long it will take to knit a project, but if you have any knitting experience you know it will take longer than you think. This far out it might be better to think about how much time you have available rather than how much time you think they will take. For example, if you want to knit five things and there are six months until Christmas, you have a month to knit each one with a month to panic because you haven’t gotten them done yet. A month sounds like a long time, but if you want to knit lace shawls or sweaters, you might want to rethink your plan.
Be willing to let some people go. Some people don’t deserve handknit things, and even this early in the game it pays to be ruthless. Who do you really want to knit for? Focus on those people and those things you really want to make for them. You’ll be happier and less rushed, and, lets face it, your friends would do better with a gift card to Starbucks than they would with a scarf full of resentment.
Once you have a list of people and an idea of what you want to knit, find patterns and hash out a timeline. You might want to start with the things that will take the longest, or the shortest, depending on your temperament. Use stash if you can, or order yarn when needed and do get started right away. The holidays will be here before you know it.
How do you decide who to knit for each year? Do you knit for anyone? I don’t usually do much, but we’ll have to see how my fall goes. I’d love to hear what you’re planning if you know yet.
Looking for more Christmas themed Knitting patterns? Check out some of our favorite Knitting patterns on Etsy and
These Christmas Knitting Pattern Book
s on Amazon
