More Gift Knitting
What’s Happening?
After writing last week’s journal entry, I realized there were a whole bunch more types of patterns I could have included in a list of quick and free gift knitting ideas. Did you think of a bunch of your own?
Here are just a few more in case you could use some more inspiration:
You can download my free bookmark patterns here.
I found lots of examples of the others on Ravelry but wanted to highlight the earbud case because I think it’s so clever and because it’s sometimes more challenging to find things to knit for the men on our lists:
I’ve been working on a few of the patterns I listed last week and I’m pretty pleased with the progress!
This is another of the World’s Second Easiest Dishcloth Pattern with the extra scrubbie yarn held with the cotton and two of the Amina Earwarmers, both patterns from last week’s journal entry.
I really love the earwarmers, and I’m enjoying using the herringbone stitch significantly for the first time. Fair warning, though, it does give your hands a good workout, especially when working the wrong side. For another project (a scarf, maybe?) I’d like to try it on smaller needles and lighter yarn and see if I find it a bit easier to do. This pattern calls for bulky yarn and size 17 needles. I tend to spend most of my time knitting with fingering weight yarn for socks on size 1 needles so this is a bit out of the normal range for me!
What am I Working On?
The other big project of the week was finishing a skein of yarn on the spinning wheel!
I think it’s the first time I’ve done any real spinning in about 15 years, and boy, did it feel GREAT to get back to it. I’d forgotten the soothing sounds the wheel makes as it whirs around, the gentle clacking of the wood, the slipping of the fibers from the roving, and the slide of the new yarn through my fingers.
My audience, Zoey and Maewyn, were not terribly impressed with the finished product, but for a little while they were pretty interested in the whirling wheel in the middle of their floor and the strange-smelling stuff that I was playing with. Zoey mostly wants to know if it’s for eating, and Maewyn is curious if it needs to be barked at. I told them it’s a demonstration piece for the Beast to Blanket class, but I don’t think that answered their questions.
What Else?
I follow this account on Instagram because I often find it so inspiring to see other artists at work. As soon as I saw this image, I knew I had to save it to share it with you all.
It’s hilarious, for one thing. And I find it gorgeous, too. The colors and all those textures, created with the fiber arts I love, and the idea of being utterly surrounded, cushioned, and embraced by it all is wonderful in a fiber fantasy sort of way.
On the other hand, especially at a time of year when we might be feeling a bit overwhelmed by holidays, end-of-year expectations, and all the pressures and griefs that seem unique and especially heavy during these last weeks of the year, this image reflects something of the burdens we carry, too.
When you’re a maker, sometimes you can feel pressure that you must produce the absolutely perfect gift for each of the people you care about. And when, inevitably, you cannot, you can sometimes feel like you’ve let them down. And sometimes that leads to a situation where this healthy, stress-relieving, joy-filled craft becomes a vehicle of guilt or disappointment.
Let me encourage you, friend, to be gentle with yourself this season. Whether you produce a hand made something for everyone you wish to or can’t manage even one, it’s okay. One of the lovely aspects of knitting (and spinning, as I was reminded this week!), is that it can be set down and picked back up again.
And whatever your holiday traditions are, I am willing to bet that the ones who care about you would rather see you continue to love the act of making than receive a gift that bruised your joy in making.
In the U.S., we’re coming up on Thanksgiving this week, and one of the many things I’m thankful for this year is the renewed joy I’ve found in exploring and doing the creative things I love. I hope you’re finding that, too.
In other news, I have to share this recipe I made last night. I’m not a big recipe sharer, but when you find one that’s pure gold, you gotta share, right?
This Easy Apple Cranberry Crisp recipe by Baker by Nature is Out. Of. This. World.
I’ll tell you a secret. I’m not a big fruit fan. I really appreciate the help of ice cream or whipped cream when I’m dealing with fruit in an unpulverized form (I like smoothies). I ate this straight (well, there was ice cream, but I didn’t need it and parts were ice cream free!). I wanted seconds. I’m counting the hours until dinner is over so I can have more. It’s REALLY good. Here’s what it looks like before the topping goes on.
If you need another holiday dessert, this might be one to consider. Honestly, I’ve almost got myself convinced it’s a fancy form of oatmeal to justify eating it in the morning.
What’s Up With Mr. Darcy the Sheep?
Mr. Darcy has a new pasture mate. His name is Wellington, and there is no photographic perspective trickery going on in that picture. He really is that size. He’s been brought to the farm for a particular purpose, and if all goes well, they’ll be comparing child-rearing stories someday. I’m hoping to get a letter from him soon!
What are you working on today?
Happy knitting!
Kiersten J
