Gift Knits You Still Have Time for

December 13, 2014 by Sarah White

We are coming down to the wire on Hanukkah and Christmas, but there’s still time to do some gift knitting if you want to. It’s not ideal, but there are a lot of quick knitting projects out there that can be great gifts, or part of a gift, and we’ll talk about a bunch of them over the next few days.

Yarnspirations suggests that you can get a lot of gifts done in the little time that’s left by using your arms as needles. They say you can arm knit a blanket (plain or in holiday colors) in three hours or less, while a scarf or cowl can be made even more quickly. (If you don’t know how to arm knit yet, I just published an arm knitting tutorial over at About, as well as a pattern for a super-simple cowl you can knit in about 10 minutes.)

Love Knitting has a great roundup of quick knit gifts on its website; some of my favorites are the Scrunchy, Slouchy Slipper Socks from Lion Brand Yarn and the Eco Ewe from Rowan, which would be perfect for the fellow knitter in your life.

Speaking of gifts for knitters, be sure to check out the yarn basket ornament knitting project from Red Heart. This cute little knit basket designed by Scarlet Taylor includes tiny balls of yarn and little needles sticking out. Too cute! (I actually have one that was given to me and I keep in my office all year.)

Also check out my collection of quick knitting patterns over at About. Some of my favorites include the simple Roll Brim Hat, which doesn’t look so simple in a multicolored yarn; and the Drop Stitch Soap Sack, which is a great gift to mass produce and give along with a really nice bar of soap and other spa goodies.

Are you still knitting holiday gifts? I think I have one more cowl and a scarf to do, plus little knit things for my daughter’s teachers. I’d love to hear what you’re working on!

Looking for more Christmas themed Knitting patterns? Check out some of our favorite Knitting patterns on Etsy and

These Christmas Knitting Pattern Books on Amazon

Have you read?

Knit a Classic Aran Cardigan with this Free Knitting Pattern

Not too long ago I did a test knit for another designer that was for a cabled cardigan. It’s really cozy and nice but it just about broke me in a ton of different ways. I couldn’t get gauge, which I suppose is my own problem, but mainly I was somehow both bored and forced to pay attention at the same time.

Because it used the same cable all over, I always had to know what row I was on, but nine out of ten of those rows, nothing in particular was going on. So I couldn’t stop paying attention, but what I needed to attend to was boring.

It may have ruined me for knitting cabled sweaters, but maybe I just need something that’s more engaging. Like this Modern Aran Cardigan pattern from Lion Brand Yarn.

This is a reworking of an old pattern from their archives, and you can tell that form the classic look of the cables and the oversized feel (nothing cropped about this one!). It has allover cables, but like a classic Aran sweater it’s not the same cable, so you’ll have to pay attention to what row you’re on and what cable turns happen for which cables on that row.

Because of this, it’s considered an intermediate knitting pattern, but if you’re comfortable working from multiple charts at once it shouldn’t be a problem for you. There are three different charts and seven different cable moves.

Also because the pattern is so big and boxy there are only two sizes available, with a finished chest measurement of either 49 or 63 inches (that’s 124.5 or 160 cm). It’s up to you to decide how much ease you would like and whether that will work for your body.

The pattern uses worsted weight yarn (and calls for another classic, Lion Brand Fisherman’s Wool). It calls for six buttons and includes pockets to make it extra cozy.

This one looks like a great winter project to make and to wear if you’re up for a bit of a challenge. You can grab the free pattern or buy a kit with the yarn needed direct from Lion Brand Yarn.

[Photo: Lion Brand Yarn]