Holiday Gifts for a Knitter

Knitters like me love creating knit gifts for Christmas and other gift giving occasions. I frequently get asked, what kind of gift would a knitter want? Like many hobbies, the gift you give has a lot to do with the personality of the recipient. However, you can give a personal gift without knowing much about knitting.

So what do you give a knitter? There are obvious items that make a perfect gift for a knitter, such as yarn and knitting needles. There are less obvious knitting accessories, like yarn swifts and chart holders that make gifts any knitter would enjoy. There are knitting gifts that cannot be used in the craft, like earrings, ornaments and more. And finally, knitting books make an excellent gifts for knitters. Don't know what the knitter likes to knit? There are some great novelty books that will make a fun read.

Let me help you select the perfect gift for the knitter in your life!

Every knitter always wants more yarn. You find some that you think feels great, and looks cool... but how much yarn should you give? You likely won't have a project in mind when you are selecting yarn as a gift. If you do have a project in mind (say a sweater), make sure that you check some patterns to get a sense of how much yarn is required.

There are many projects that require only one or two balls of yarn. Give a "One Skein Wonders" book along with the yarn to help inspire the project.

Handpainted colorways make a very special gift. No two skeins are ever identical, so each project you make will have its own unique character.

Handspun yarn has a similar unique quality to handpainted yarn. Frequently the wool has been hand painted before it is spun into yarn, which creates a very unique stranded look. When monochromatic, the yarn still contains a unique character that your knitter will love. Not only would you be supporting your knitter's craft, but you would be supporting the craft of another.

A desirable luxury fiber. Give your knitter something that they will be unable to stop touching.

When you buy yarn, it is either in the form of a wound ball, or an unwound skein (which is a circular loop of yarn that can become tangled easily). Yarn swifts are umbrella like structures which rotate to help you wind a ball (by hand or with a ball winder) without getting tangles.

There are times when you have a ball of yarn and then need a skein. A niddy noddy is a small object which helps you wind up a skein. (I do this frequently before I dye yarn in my kitchen)

The longer you knit, the more needles you accumulate. This means that you will continuously need new ways to organize and store them.

Needles and yarn are enough to get your started knitting, but there are many other items that can be helpful to a knitter. Your loved one may not think to pick up one of these themselves. Yarn needles are always getting lost and are valuable for finishing projects. A crochet hook can be used to help fix mistakes even if your knitter doesn't know how to crochet. Pompom makers are great for making whimsical finishing details. There are some other ideas below!

If you don't know what kind of patterns your knitter likes the most, give a stitch dictionary. These books give examples of many different patterns, including cables, lace and ribbing. Looking at these stitch books is great as a source of inspiration, and no knitter can have too many on the bookshelf.

Want something spicier than a reference book? The following books are an interesting read, even if you don't want to create the patterns. Receiving one of these will absolutely make your knitter smile.

Recycled silk yarn is spun from silk remnant scraps from weaving mills in India and Nepal. Each skein is unique and very beautiful.