Running short on time to knit up a holiday gift? Here are some of my tried-and-true favorite gift knitting projects.
Fingerless gloves
Fingerless gloves are surprisingly useful. They keep your hands warm, but you can still turn the page of a book, use a smartphone, and type. For those who wear fingerless gloves, you can never have too many. You're always losing a pair, or wanting an extra pair for a different location (home, car, office, bedroom, etc).
My vote for the best simple fingerless glove pattern is the Maine Morning Mitts by Clara Parkes. If you want something a little more elaborate, check out Dashing, Fetching, and Vancouver Fog.
Basic hats
Here's a tip that will save you a lot of heartache as a knitter: never knit a hat for someone who doesn't wear hats. Don't fall into the trap of thinking that "they don't wear hats because they don't have one."
That being said, Jared Flood's Turn A Square is my #1 favorite basic knit hat pattern. It knits up quickly, the four-point decreases mean that you can fold the hat up and tuck it into your pocket, and it's easy to adjust the gauge to a different yarn. (Not to state the obvious, but you don't have to do stripes.)
Small gifts
If you just need a quick hostess gift or something for the office gift exchange, I recommend making Christmas ornaments and other small holiday decorations. Not only are these quick, but they use up all those leftover bits of yarn you have accumulated during the year.
You can find free patterns for tiny sweaters, socks, mittens, and other ornaments on Ravelry.
Want something that's not Christmas-y? How about a wine bottle cozy, some felted coasters, or dishcloths. Small gifts for the home are another fun way to use up the leftover yarn in your stash.
Image courtesy Flickr/TraceyNicole
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