Gift Ideas for Handmakers: Knitting Edition
As I’ve been gathering gifts for people in my life this holiday season I’ve found myself mentally putting together a few list ideas for handmakers and I thought I’d lay them out nicely and share them here. First up is knitting, I’ve been posting a lot of knitting progress on my Instagram lately due to the fact that what I’m working on sewing wise is either not ready to be seen or is end-of-the-year-finance-type-computer-work and isn’t what anyone wants to see (myself included). Hope you find something you like below!
1. Kelbourne Woolens Knit Check: I first saw this little device on the Kellbourne Woolens Instagram and thought not only is it super useful, it’s also beautiful. Now that I’m a swatcher (still not sure how that happened) I love the idea of using this to calculate my gauge since it has both the x and y axis in one place. Bonus points for the needle gauge down the side, I love a tool with a dual purpose!
2. The Fibre Company Acadia: Okay so this yarn is 60% merino, 20% alpaca, and 20% silk, it’s basically all of the dreamiest fibers combined into one tweedy bundle – definitely a yarn I want to know more about! I’m imagining it made into a super warm cowl or a totally deluxe sweater since it somehow manages to look both polished and rustic at the same time. Fancy tweed guys! Yes!
3. Baggu Small Pouch: I know, this isn’t technically a knitting item but hear me out. I have a little leather pouch I made that I keep all my knitting essentials in, tape measure, needles, mini-scissors, stitch markers, etc. and I think this would be a nice deluxe pouch to fill with fancy knitting tools. If you’re looking for fancy tools keep reading down to number six below…
4. Soak Wash in Scentless: After you spend so much time knitting up a beautiful sweater, hat, scarf, whatever, it’s not a bad idea to wash it with a delicate soap. I haven’t heard a bad thing said about the Soak line, it just seems ideal. There are a few good sounding fragrances but the fact that there’s an unscented version makes this fragrance allergic girl excited. This would be a great gift for any knitter and there’s an excellent tips page for cleansing your knits as well.
5. Purl Soho Line Weight: Another yarn I’m dying to try, this one is 100% merino wool and comes in some amazing colors. I’m not much of a fingering weight knitter but two of those dreamy colors held together for a nice marl effect is right up my alley. The Purl Bee has a great free hat pattern that uses two skeins, it’s kind of a splurge for a hat which is exactly why it’s an excellent gift!
6. Fringe Supply Co. Bone & Ebony Repair Hooks: Remember when I said to look below for fancy knitting tools? This is the place. I’m currently obsessed with these repair hooks to replace the metal crochet hook that is too long for my knitting pouch. If your knitter is anything like me they bought tools when they learned how to knit and while not beautiful, they still work and as such, are still being used. Upgrading a knitters tools to something beautiful to look at and hold is such a nice gesture, especially since they’re spending so much time turning this ball of string into a sweater…maybe for you!
