Knitting Projects to Make Now for Gifting Later

It is unbelievable to me that summer is almost over, but as soon as school starts, thinking about the holidays begins.

At least that’s the way it should be if you’re a knitter (or any other type of crafter, I suppose) who intends to make and gift anything for the holidays.

Because as much as we all have good intentions, it’s best to back those intentions up by starting early.

But don’t get cocky just because you’re starting your holiday knitting in August. It’s still a great plan to choose small, easy-to-complete projects, because things happen. And the people you’re gifting will probably be just as grateful for a knit hat as they would a knit sweater.

Maybe even more so.

To get you started, check out this list of projects from Lion Brand Yarn geared toward knitters and crocheters who are planners. You’ll find hats, mittens, scarves and cowls, all of which have a feminine look but a couple of which could be stitched up for guys as well. For instance, the Modern Garter Knit Hat, pictured above.

Are you thinking holiday knitting already? I’d love to know what your plans are!

[Photo: Lion Brand Yarn.]

I guess I must have had this pattern on my mind, because I had chosen this log cabin blanket recipe to write about, promptly forgot about it and a couple of weeks later started knitting a log cabin blanket using all my pink yarn.

It might stay pink if it makes it to baby blanket sized, or I might add in some pastel green and blue, too, to make a bigger blanket. We’ll see. I’m also holding several strands of yarn together to make a kind of bulky yarn, which means it’s deeply satisfying how much yarn is used even as the project is still relatively small.

In Kristen Finlay’s version, DK weight yarn scraps (or fingering/sock yarn held double) are used to make a simple scrappy log cabin blanket that’s lighter weight than my version. Log cabin is a great technique for knitters of any skill level because it’s worked in garter stitch. The only not completely basic technique you need for log cabin knitting is picking up stitches.

If you’ve never worked a log cabin knitting project before, this is a good introduction, and it is really nice to use all your yarn scraps in one big project you’ll use for years to come.

If you use a lot of DK weight yarn you can keep building on it whenever you finish a project, or if you use more worsted weight you can do the same thing with it, it will just be a little bigger starting out than the pattern calls for. How big it gets is totally up to you.

I have really been enjoying working on my log cabin project, and it’s my current sitting at my desk and need a break knit (do you have one of those or is it just me?).

Ready to start your own log cabin blanket knitting project? You can grab the free pattern from Kristen Finlay on Ravelry.

Need more log cabin inspiration? Check out more log cabin knitting patterns.

[Photo: Kristen Finlay]

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