Christmas is two weeks away, it’s practically here. If you have a knitter on your shopping list (or you’re a knitter yourself and want to provide unsubtle hints to your loved ones), fear not! For I have compiled a handy gift guide catered explicitly to the uninitiated:
Think beyond Michael’s: Supporting local is important now more than ever. While big box craft stores like Michael’s have some knitting stuff, a local yarn store (LYS) would be a much more valuable resource in terms of quality, variety, and keeping your dollars in the local economy. Check out this LYS locator to find one near you!
Just walk in, and the staff will shepherd you through the process like the lost little sheep you are. If you can’t physically visit a local shop, lots of yarn stores have online retail as well. Pretty much everything that follows in this guide can be found at a local yarn store, but if you still don’t know what to buy, you can never go wrong with a gift card.
Stitch Stoppers: These little rubber doodads are as useful as they are cute and collectible. It does what it says on the tin, stitch stoppers are for sticking on the end of your knitting needles, to stop your stitches from sliding off when you’re not working on it. I have a pair with every project. Etsy has tons of options!
Stitch Markers: Loops of metal, plastic, wood, or other materials that sit between stitches (or are clipped onto a project) to mark the knitter’s place on the needle. One can never have too many of these, especially since couches tend to gobble them up. Tip: get multiple sizes to suit a wide range of needles.
Pattern Books: From bound books to magazines, physical patterns are available in several formats. If the knitter in your life is a pop culture nerd, designer Tanis Gray has penned several pattern books inspired by the likes of Disney, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings and more. I’m personally a big fan of Louise Crowther‘s doll pattern books, and have made several dolls for myself and loved ones.
Books About Knitting: As one can surmise from my blog, there are a lot of stories to tell with knitting at the forefront. From tips and tricks by veteran knitting instructors (Patty Lyons’ Knitting Bag of Tricks) to the historical impact of knitting and the textile industry (Unraveling: What I Learned About Life While Shearing Sheep, Dyeing Wool, and Making the World’s Ugliest Sweater by Peggy Orenstein), the range is as broad as it is fascinating.
Craft Kits: If the knitter in your life is a serial hobbyist who bounces from one craft to another, kits are a great way to introduce them to something they may have always wanted to try but never got around to doing — such as crochet, needle felting, cross-stitch, embroidery, and punch-needle rugs.
Yarny Apparel & Accessories: From cheeky t-shirts and mugs to earrings made of actual yarn, to practical tools like tension rings, row counters, stitch marker-holders, and of course tote/project bags, there is no shortage of creative expressions of fibre artistry!
At the end of the day, it’s the thought that counts. And this guide will help you show the crafty person in your life that you truly thought of them.