Knit Some Simple Holiday Gift Card Holders

Over at Craftown they’re already thinking about Christmas (and I heard yesterday some stores are already selling Christmas stuff), so if you’re ready to start your holiday crafting you might want to take a look at these knit gift card holders from Melanie Smith, which are so cute you could hang them on the tree until it’s time to open them.

Of course, if you’re thinking this far ahead you probably aren’t buying anyone gift cards, but file this one away for your last-minute shopping. Or knit the holders now knowing your gift will look cuter than just a gift card when the time comes.

You could also use the basic envelope or tube shape to jazz up a gift card any time of year, just knit in different colors.

Are you thinking about Christmas already?

[Photo via Craftown.]

I am a big fan of gift cards, I know lots of people find them impersonal but being able to purchase what YOU need or what YOU want is far more logical than receiving random gifts and stocking fillers that you may not use. Especially with all these Netflix programs telling us to downsize, declutter and or course Konmarie everything.

The only disappointing thing with gift cards is not being able to shop for items, if you are like me and enjoying shopping for special gifts then maybe consider shopping for smaller stocking fillers or fun ways to wrap or gift the gift cards. You can present or gift a gift card in a fun and special way too.

One year I added the gift cards to some pretty wide mouthed water bottles that have been filled with little trinkets. We also featured this Giftcard Christmas tree idea on the blog here.

Next Pattern:

Blankets are a great blank slate project that you can change up in a million different ways. From color to stitch pattern to size, the possibilities are almost endless.

Jared Flood, the designer behind Brooklyn Tweed, was inspired by a log cabin quilt his mother made in 1995 to re-create that design in knitting, which led to more blankets and ultimate Brooklyn Tweed’s Knit and Crochet Blankets, which includes 25 patterns from an array of designers using different skills and techniques to make cozy, pretty blankets.

The patterns are divided into three aesthetic themes: traditions, minimalism and colorplay. The patterns are rated on a scale of one to five, with one being the easiest, and there aren’t any pieces rated five. Two blankets are rated one, 14 are two, eight are three and one is four.

In addition, three of the 25 patterns are crocheted, but they either use single crochet or granny stitch, so they are pretty easy even if you don’t do a lot of crochet. You can see all the patterns on Ravelry.

Some of my favorites include Rattan by Rastus Hsu, a chunky blanket worked in knits and purls with simple crossing stitches to make a raised woven look; Homewood by Seth Richardson, covers in dramatic, loopy cables; Ainur Berkimbayeva’s Tessellate, one of the beginner projects that doesn’t really look beginner but is totally worked in knit and purl stitches; Warp + Weft by Aist? Butkevi?ien?, which is mostly knits and purls but makes a fun woven look fabric that blew my mind a little bit; and the same designer’s Canyonland, a multicolored blanket with wavy stripes.

The patterns tell you how to resize them for different dimensions and include information on pattern repeats where it is possible to make a totally custom size.

Many different techniques are included here such as cables, lace, shadow knitting, intarsia and other colorwork techniques, as well as modular knitting and lots of sewing pieces together. The patterns are all presented with charts, but there are line by line written instructions available on the Brooklyn Tweed website if you need them.

The book ends with a deep dive into log cabin knitting, telling the story of the quilt Jared’s mom made and how he made it in knitting, as well as the multitude of variations you can make if you want your own log cabin style design.

The back of the book includes a little written information about some of the special techniques needed, but there are no photos.

This is a lovely book full of inspiration for knitting and crochet blankets for any skill level. If you like to make blankets as gifts or aspire to have a handmade blanket in every room of the house, these designs would be a great place to start.

About the book: 192 pages, paperback, 25 patterns. Published 2024 by Abrams Books, suggested retail price $24.99.

Next Pattern:

Have you read?

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