You’ve got a long list of knit-worthy friends and family – now what?

First things first. It’s time for some nice, slow deep breaths. Perhaps a cup of tea. Or whiskey. We don’t judge. You’ve got this. Gifts are about showing your love and appreciation, not working yourself into a stupor. Sometimes a hug or a nice note will do the trick. And yes, it feels good to be able to hand over those handmade gifts on time, but that’s not the point. Not to get all zen on you, but it’s about the journey, right? So let’s explore some knits that are fun for both you and the giftee.

Here are five fun knits to help you get down to some holiday gift knitting:

1. Beach Hair Don’t Care
   This fun headband makes a great gift and is free on Ravelry in both adult and child sizes. Use up some stash yarn and make one for everyone on your list!
2. Herrington Hat
   A beautiful cabled hat designed by Jodi Brown (you may recognize her from Grocery Girls Knit😉) that knits up fairly quickly in DK weight yarn. Top it with a beautiful faux fur pom pom!
3. Beautifully Basic Hat
   This freebie from issue two : new york lets you choose from any yarn in your stash to make any size hat you like. It’s the perfect go-to pattern for when you suddenly remember that you promised little Jimmy from next door a hat for digging your car out of a snowbank. It looks great with or without a pom pom.
4. Party of Five Hat
   An elegantly simple hat that uses punches of color to make it pop. Great for stash-busting! These would make perfect coordinating hats for an entire family. If you REALLY love someone, you could make them the matching Party of Five Sweater.
5. Cooma Cowl 
   This addictive knit is perfect for throwing in your bag and knitting a few rounds when you’re socializing or waiting in lines. The color combinations are endless!

For when you’re really down to crunch time:

1. Put A Pom On It!
   Grab some Super Bulky yarn and size 13’s and whip out a hat in an evening. Be sure to put a pom pom on it to make it pop!
2. Anthro-tastic Headband
   Another Super Bulky quickie that knits up in an evening. Made in a gorgeously squishy yarn, this would make a luxurious gift on a tight-on-time budget.
3. Why Wait?
   One last Super Bulky gift knit – this triangle cowl knits up in just a few hours. Check out the Ravelry listing for some wonderful examples of variations that can be made by switching up the colors!

We hope that you found something in here to help you out with your holiday knitting! And we’d like to formally invite you to join us for our post-holiday MKAL, the #twelvedaysofknitmas 🎁 We’ll be kicking off the festivities on December 26th, and it’s sure to be a fun, low-key KAL to help us all unwind from the holidays. You can sign up by opting-in to the mailing list here. You’re also invited to join the Facebook group here.

PS: Be sure to check out our latest issue, Michigan or pick out a beautiful pom pom for your next hat!