toys

Christmas Quick Knits

| eelliottknits

Well, my cunning plan for this year worked out. Having knit like a demon all spring and summer, by the first week in December I’d almost finished all the samples for this season and had no immediate deadlines reaching over my shoulder with their sharp, deadliney claws. I was feeling pretty damned pleased with myself. All that was left was the gifts for the niece and nephews–the special fun knitting I’d been saving until now–and I had plenty of time…oh, crap. Mailing times. To Canada. Why do they always sneak up on me? Gah. As it turned out, everything I’d chosen could be made quickly–the first two took a day each–so all was not completely lost. If you’re in a last minute panic, fellow knitter, maybe these ideas will help you, too. They’re not even child-specific, in my humble opinion. Continue reading →

Comfort and joy, indeed

| eelliottknits

I have, in the past, expressed my feelings about Christmas knitting, so I’ll summarize here: No. Well, mostly no. No with exceptions, those exceptions being very young (for now) and very dear to my heart. The niece and nephews still get Christmas knitting, because they’re still young enough that anything they might want will be quite small, and if I get it right, they’ll think it’s totally neat, and I’m hoping to be fondly remembered as the crazy aunt who knit them great stuff every Christmas. Last year’s gifts were pretty good—I still watch the video of the oldest nephew shouting “It’s Santa’s hat! It’s Santa’s hat!” as he unfolds and dons the hat-scarf thing. This year, though. This year, I think I hit it out of the park. Continue reading →

One for you, one for me, Part 1

| eelliottknits

Oh, look! It’s November. Or, as many knitters know it, the frantic season. Now, in the name of sanity and continuing familial affection I have pretty much stopped with the seasonal gift knitting, and am much happier for it. I do make exceptions for the niece and nephews, though, because they’re little, and fun to knit for, and did I mention the littleness? I’m also going to make an exception for myself, since all my knitting time lately has been devoted to work stuff and a cardigan for himself (which is sort of also work stuff), and I’m feeling very virtuous. And cold. And in need of a sweater.

I do, however, need help keeping on track. (Long time readers may remember that when it comes to non-work knitting, I excel at starting projects, not so much with the finishing.) Fortunately, there’s a group for that on Ravelry: the Indie Design Gift-A-Long. From now until the end of the year, the Gift-A-Long group has stitch-alongs for every kind of project in knitting and crochet, with a huge number of prizes (over 1,800, from patterns to needle sets) to keep us motivated. There’s also a giant pattern sale, with 3,822(!) patterns at 25% off until the 21st, using the code giftalong2014. Eighteen of those sale patterns are mine; you can see which ones in my handy Gift-A-Long bundle, and all of the sale patterns on the Giant Pinterest Boards of Shopping Doom.

Just a few of the patterns I've put on sale
Just a few of the patterns I’ve put on sale

Continue reading →