The Season Of Giving

Chances are, if you read this blog, it is because you love to knit or crochet.  So we thought that it might be a good idea to write a post not only with some gift ideas for you to give to those you love, but also with a few suggestions for you to pass along to your family members, for them to buy for you. That way, you can possibly avoid yet another pair of Christmas themed pyjama pants or cheap perfume that makes you break out into a rash.

Simply copy and paste this link into an email, and hit “SEND” to all of the loved ones on your list. Because if you love them, they most certainly love you. And everyone likes to see their loved ones happy on Christmas morning!

First off- the most obvious. A swift and ball winder. Every knitter wants these in their ‘knitters tool kit’, and while they may not know it just yet, every knitter also needs these. Once they have them, they will wonder how they managed all these years without. Less time winding, more time knitting. Enough said.

Should buying both the swift and winder be out of the question for this year, may we suggest starting out with a swift first. It holds the yarn in such a way that tangles are simply just not going to happen. Place the skein around the swift and then wind the ball by hand. You will wonder how you dealt with winding off the back of a chair/ your knees/your husband’s arms for all of these years. (Hint- husbands love giving this as a gift. Not only is it a gadget- they LOVE gadgets!- they no longer have to stand there with their arms outstretched as you wind as fast as you can, which ultimately ends in an argument because his arms are tired and you can’t wind any faster than you already are).

Hear that husbands? Swift and ball winder.

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                         Wooden Swift
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                               Ball Winder

For those of you who love working with yarn, but are open to new ways of using it, why not ask for a loom? Easy to use, and always a fun way to ‘bust through some stash’, you should definitely give it a try!

Be sure to let the person who is kind enough to give you this loom a heads up that they are in for a VERY nice set of new placemats next Christmas!

weaving loom
Large Weaving Loom

And speaking of other ways to play with wool… what about spinning? There is something so meditative about making yarn with your own two hands, and then going ahead and knitting with it. So if you have been toying with the idea of spinning, why not ask for a drop spindle for Christmas, along with some luxurious fibre?

May we suggest this gorgeous merino roving from Manos???

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Merino Roving by Manos Del Uruguay

Stocking stuffers are always fun, and here is one that every knitter/crocheter could use- an adorable tape measure! Us crafters can never have too many of these little guys (I have one in every corner of my house- I swear), so ask for one in every colour!

sheep tape measures
                  Sheep Tape Measures

It is always fun when a young one expresses an interest in knitting/crocheting, so how about a little “Knitting Doll” to get their hands used to working with yarn? Not only do these sweet little guys come in a variety of adorable little characters, giving one to someone means that you get to spend some quality time with them teaching them how to ‘cork’! Don’t forget to tuck in a ball of yarn with the knitting doll!

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                 Knitting Dolls by Rico

And while we are on the topic of yarn… every knitter/crocheter loves the gift of yarn. One can never go wrong with sock yarn- even if you don’t knit socks! Why not try out our Library Shawlette pattern? It’s free! And only uses one 100 gram skein of sock yarn.

Gift giving is all about giving (or getting!) something a little bit more luxurious than one would tend to buy for themselves. So next time you’re at your local yarn shop, see if you can get your hands on some Manos Del Uruguay Alegria. It certainly is a cut above your average skein of sock yarn!

If there are any of you knitters who are hoping to influence a non-knitting friend into your wild, wild world of wool, then why not start subtle? This adorable “Kitten and Yarn” salt and pepper shaker is sure to make the knitting itch irresistably hard to scratch once you have these sweet little kitchen essentials perched on your kitchen table.

S&P shaker

Last but not least- a gift certificate of course! To you or your favorite knitter’s local yarn shop. If you are unsure of who might be your closest shop, click here to see a list of yarn shops across Canada, listed by province. Find the nearest one, and get in there to pick up a gift card. While many of us might consider a gift card to be a tad uncreative, bordering on thoughtless, just TRUST us. The yarn lover in your life will thank you up and down.

Happy knitting/crocheting/Christmas shopping everyone!

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