A Handmade Christmas: Knitting

Knitting has consumed most of my spare time these days. If I can squeeze in a knit here or a purl there, progress is being made. In November I made a list of potential projects. Sweaters, socks, slippers, hats, those were the sort of things I had planned to be knitting. Then I came across some knitting books and my plans were drastically changed.

The first book that I obsessed about was 55 Christmas Balls to Knit. These knitted Christmas balls are so unique and precious. Once I got the hang of knitting a ball it would take me a couple hours to finish one. I used a nice study wool yarn and stuffed them with wool batting. These will be perfect little gifts.

Our library brought in Knitivity and that cause a whole other set of distractions. I started to knit Mary and Joseph and still want to knit baby Jesus and the donkey. So far I've completed two doll bodies; they look a little odd without clothes or hair.

In between knitting Christmas balls and small dolls for the Nativity scene, I was knitting up dishclothes. Knitted dishcloths are quick and easy. In fact, it was one of my first knitting projects back in the day. They also make nice gifts when paired with some handmade soap (I don't make my own soap... yet).

Then I remembered that I wanted to make some knitted things for my godchildren (three of them). Enter Knitted Toy Tales. I knitted the Frederick the frog prince for one godchild and Eddie the elephant for another. Monkey was quite please by the frog and gave me some tips for which colours I would use when I knit his. It appears there might be some other knit frogs in the near future and perhaps a knitted bear for Sweetpea. For my smallest godchild I turned to a favorite: the Milo vest.

There are so many things you could knit to give to others. Do you knit? What will you be knitting or making for others this Christmas?