Gift Ideas for Knitters

Every year about this time I get asked, "What is a good gift for the knitter in my life?" In addition to any random yarn purchase (which may or may not be a hit), here are some other ideas to consider. Share this info with your non-knitting friends--trust me, they want to know this stuff!

Knitting Lessons:  Sign your knitter up for a fun class to increase their knitting knowledge. Or pay for private lessons so they can improve their techniques and ask all those knitting questions they've been afraid to ask.  Here’s how to gift a knitting lesson from me: 2020 HOLIDAY

Books:  I’ll be honest—I haven’t added to my stack of knitting books in a while. Thank goodness for this handy list I found on the interwebs: The 8 Best Knitting Books for Beginners of 2020

Stitch Markers:  You literally can NOT have too many stitch markers. Go to Etsy and look around at some of the wonderful things folks have made.

Knitting Gadgets:  Who wouldn't want a tape measure shaped like a sheep? Or a cute little project bag? Or tiny sharp scissors? Like stitch markers, these are things that are a blessing when available in abundance, and somehow scissors tend to walk away from my own knitting bag when my back is turned.  A back-up pair is a must. There are some amazing, one of a kind tape measures and button/knitting/fun-related items over at All About the Buttons. I love the Dachshund one she made for me!

Gift Certificates:  Best scenario: you live in the same city as your knitter and you acquire a gift certificate from your knitter's favorite local yarn shop.  Next best scenario: KnitPicks has yarn, needles, gadgets, books and more, plus you can print the gift certificates yourself last minute if necessary.

No matter what you decide to get, the fact that you have taken an interest in their interest will make the gift special. You might even find yourself on the receiving end of some hand-knitted goodness!

Simple Knitting Tip: Read your knitting

Here’s a little something I made up one day while teaching a Beginning Knit Class:

Knit stitches wear a Knifty neck scarf.

Purl stitches wear a Posh turtleneck.

Beginning knitters sometimes struggle with "reading" the fabric. I try to teach my students how to recognize what a knit or purl stitch looks like. Being able to "read" the knitting can prevent mistakes and make knitting more fun.

The knit stitch, when you’re looking at it on your needle, (and you squint) looks like a person wearing a scarf draped around its neck. I like to think it’s a Knifty neck scarf, since Knifty (not a real word, I realize) and Knit both start with the letter K.

Behold the Knit stitch. See how he is wearing a Knifty neck scarf?

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The purl stitch, when you’re looking at it on your needle, (still squinting) looks a little like a person wearing a turtleneck sweater—a Posh one, since Posh and Purl both start with the letter P. 

Behold the Purl stitch. The Purl stitch is modeling the latest in Posh turtlenecks.

The back of the knit stitch is the purl stitch. And, you guessed it, the back of a purl stitch is a knit stitch.

When you pick up your knititng and you're not sure if the next stitch is a knit or a purl, try reading it--ask about its clothing choices.

In Which I Attempt Yarn Stash Control

I have friends who are using this time of quarantine to clean, paint, repair, repurpose, and improve all the things. I also have friends who are accomplishing as little as possible, going from pj’s to sweats only on days they feel fancy, elevating hibernation to an Olympic sport.

Me? I think I fall somewhere in the middle of the spectrum of coping with all this. I’m still doing a lot of my Normal Life things, even though life ain’t; and I’ve added in a few Pandemic Projects™ to keep my mind and body occupied, while trying to remember to laugh everyday.

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I can’t really judge myself nor my friends harshly in all our varied responses to life right now. So if you’re reading this and you feel like you’re not doing enough or doing it right or whatever, promise me you’ll take a deep breath, smile, and know that I believe in you, you’ve got this, and we’ll get through it. (Seriously, hang in there!)

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When I talk about my Pandemic Projects™, I have to add the disclaimer that in between them I’m binge watching things on TV like it’s my one job in life (balance!). The biggest project has been my attempts to “organize” the yarn, projects, and accessories from 15 years of heavy knitting. It’s been tough, I’m not gonna lie. After several hours spent sorting all the leftover bits of yarns (and wondering why I kept them this long!) in the craft room, I walk into my bedroom and find MORE yarn. It’s overwhelming.

Before: I just can’t even…

Here are a few tips I can offer if you, too, are attempting this sort of task:

1. Take it slow. You didn’t build this mountain of yarn overnight, so bite off small pieces to sort or you will be tempted to give up the first day.

2. Make mistakes. I tried a few different configurations before I was happy, but I’m a visual learner and had to see if it would work (and it didn't always).

3. Be fearless. Don't be afraid to unravel something that you KNOW you’re never going to finish, or to throw away yarn that truly is crap, or fill a huge giveaway box of excellent yarn that you realize you will never ever use.

4. 80’s tunes. Or whatever works for you. My cable company has given us free Sirius XM radio through the end of May and I basically live to hear Richard Blade’s afternoon show on 1st Wave.

5. Get help. While you can’t really have a friend over to pitch in right now, you can FaceTime your disaster for outside opinions and motivation. And perhaps wine drinking, if that’s your thing. Also, see below for other ways to get input.

After: This one is all just cotton. Remind me not to buy cotton. Please.

When you take a break from actually working on it, here are some other resources with ideas to make your yarn stash something you delight in.

LionBrand Yarn Blog: 12 Tips on How to Organize Yarn Yarn Stash

Marie Kondo (because if anything should “spark joy” shouldn’t it be your hobby??")

Studio Knit: My Yarn Monsters (I untangled some and tossed others, depending on the size)

Yarn Room Makeover (her “after” pic = Goals)

I hope this gives you some encouragement and maybe inspiration to take control of your yarn stash. There is something exciting about the fact that I now know where ALL my sock yarn is!

If you attempt this sort of Pandemic Project™, send me a pic of your “after” (and your “before” if you dare)!

Cabin Fever

Anyone else getting Cabin Fever lately? Well the best cure I know for such a thing is more cabins—LOG CABINS, that is! Join us this Thursday as we learn the tricks you’ll need to make your own log cabin-y things: blankets, dishcloths, pillows, hats…the sky’s the limit.

You can use your stash yarn for this (and you’ll need to match the needle size to the yarn) so it’s an easy quick fix for yet another night at home.

Zoom codes will be sent out midday on Thursday for that night’s class. Can’t wait to see you online!