Holiday crafting

[Imbri]

Now that September is here, I'm starting to think about holiday gifting for family and a few friends (fortunately, I've got a small list). I generally make things, so I need to start a few months ahead of time.

This year. I'm making a scarf for my sister and her husband, a cowl for my mother, and a pair of socks for my niece. My sister's scarf and Mom's cowl are knitted, I just have to block them. My BIL's scarf is similar to one I made for my step-father last year. He loved the pattern, but the yarn is discontinued, so I had to go hunting for a suitable substitution. Mom got a pair of socks last year and my niece begged for a some this year.

There are a couple of friends who will probably get some little things (small, not inconsequential) like fingerless mitts, headbands, or a hat.

And to make things more interesting, I participate in NaNoWriMo every year, so November is basically out of play for knitting.

Anyone else making stuff for the holidays?

 

[YunaMoon]

I did last year! I knitted cowls for my mom and sister with Berroco and Malabrigo yarns. Then I started a madelintosh Pashmina scarf for myself that I gotta get going on as it's getting colder. Plus I have a crochet c2c that I need to finish! So much work and so little time!

To learn list: socks, fingerless gloves, and amigurumi

 

[Capeet]

It's so nice that you take the time to make the gifts yourself! Self-made gifts are the best!

I'm planning on knitting a pair of woolen socks for my parents, and probably for my brother as well now that I think about it. It'd be a bit mean to exclude him. :_D

 

[Imbri]

YunaMoon - Madelinetosh is such a great line! I have a few skeins of Pashmina in my stash, but haven't figured out what to use them for yet.

Capeet - I think socks are my favorite thing to make. Are you a DPN or magic loop knitter? My yarn shop keeps trying to get me to do magic loop, but I just can't give up my DPNs.

 

[Capeet]

I like making socks too - I actually knit very little of anything else! This thread's inspired me to try something new though! Maybe a cowl? They look so nice! I def need to find a nice pattern and yarn for one.

And yep, I use DPNs as well! They're what I started with and it's actually never even occurred to me to try a magic loop. I think I do have one somewhere though...

 

[Buttonsy]

Quite the opposite for me is that this is actually the first year I'll probably be able to buy presents instead of make them because this is the first year I'll have my own income!

However, in the past, drawing things for other people was always my thing. I'd draw animals for my Mom or fandom-based fan art for my best friend of their favourite ships and stuff.

 

[Rizies]

This year my friends are getting crafts for gifts. So far I made 4 hats, a mermaid tail blanket and an amigurumi frog.

I have one more hat to make (only takes about 30-60 minutes) and in doing a pixel blanket for my husband - it will have his favorite hockey team logo on it.

 

[Imbri]

Capeet - If you're on Ravelry, they have some nice patterns. The cowl I made for my mother is called the dapper cowl, and it only took 1 skein and was very quick to knit up. You could always add more stitches to the round, if you wanted more drape, too.

Buttonsy - Your drawings sound like wonderful things! I've always been envious of people who can draw/paint. I'm lucky if I can make a stick figure recognizable.

Rizies - Oh, I want to learn amigurumi. There are some really cute patterns out there. I'll bet everything looks great!

 

[Rizies]

Rizies - Oh, I want to learn amigurumi. There are some really cute patterns out there. I'll bet everything looks great!

Thank you to be honest I taught myself to crochet this past year just to do amigurumi. All I can say is crocheting works up fast, but I find it so boring compared to knitting. I knew come the fall I wouldn't have a lot of motivation to make gifts so I crocheted a bunch of quick and easy projects

My goal is to knit myself a sweater, I started but when I picked it up again I noticed a stitch fell off my dpn's and I have to frog it. I hate doing a rib stitch. Hate it.

 

[Imbri]

Maybe I'll try teaching myself after the holidays. My work gets pretty quiet over the winter, so I could bring something small with me.

Oh, that's an awful feeling to have to frog and start over. I made myself a Hufflepuff school sweater (grey V-neck with House colors at the cuffs and neck), but the sleeves are waaaaaay too long. I haven't had the time to take it apart so I can redo them yet.

 

[Capeet]

Capeet - If you're on Ravelry, they have some nice patterns. The cowl I made for my mother is called the dapper cowl, and it only took 1 skein and was very quick to knit up. You could always add more stitches to the round, if you wanted more drape, too.

Ooooh, thanks so much for the tip! I've never heard of Ravelry before but I just signed up and will have to take a good look around! There are sooo many patterns to try out! I'll have to make something for my room as well.. I'll need a blanket and a couple rugs and something to hang on the walls and

Now you got me all excited! This is going to be so much fun! I hope I'll still remember to make the socks before the holidays!

 

[carp]

i've never "crafted", but i'll sometimes paint my christmas cards instead of buying them, or paint a specific character/person/thing someone likes for a birthday/christmas present. crafting seems more in depth than just a bit of watercolour (-:

 

[Imbri]

Capeet - I don't post too often on Ravelry. I mainly use it to grab a pattern or check on suggestions for what to make with a certain yarn, but if you want to add me, my username is Wrin.

carp - That sounds like the definition of crafting to me! It doesn't need to be a lot of supplies and whatnot; you're creating something unique for someone else, which is always a great thing.

 

[KaydeeKrunk]

I like making gifts for people but I don't always get the chance with my busy schedule. I usually make sculpted things or jewelry for people because that's what I am best at. I have already started a list of things I am planning on getting for my family though.

 

[visibleghost]

it is september, it's several months until christmas. i havent thought about it

 

[dizzy bone]

Yes!!!! And by holidays I'm talking about Halloween coming up. 2 years ago we transformed our studio at work into a haunted house by making paper mache guts and limbs and hung body bags everywhere, it was a lot of fun. We made a bunch of masks too and wore some on the day, the rest we hung around the shop. We're doing a more serious one this year since we couldn't do it last year. I'm very much looking forward to it.

erm in terms of Christmas, I have gotten into the habit of hand making the gifts but I haven't planned anything. I'll probably make something needle felted or embroidered for whoever my person is for secret santa (we do it so we don't have to buy gifts for everyone lol). Last year I made a handbound notebook for my room mate. If I have some extra paper I may make some more just for fun.