Knitting xmas gifts: ideas and links pls

[Pruhoohooohoooooni]

(I feel like such a geek btw, knitting and xmas in one thread title... )

Sooo...I am skint and will most likely knit a lot of smallish things for Christmas stocking fillers etc.

Right now I am doing chenille washcloths (after seeing one for sale in the Body Shop for £6) in lovely rich colours. Dead easy. (My MIL loves this kind of thing.)

Would love an easy mitten pattern, stylish not chunky, or interesting hats to do etc. I'm not a beginner anymore but tbh won't do anything that takes a lot of time. One-skein things very attractive.

Look! You can knit pisscatchers!!

(Great links pollylogos, btw)

tamum fab site!

try these wrist warmers like they have in ness in edinburgh.
I have a pair and they're awesome (keeps your paws warma nd you can still wipe snotty noses!)

It's basically just a knitted square folded in half and sewn then a little bit sewn for the thumb. You can find some patterns on the web but they're more complicated.

GB do you mean you leave a hole in the seam for the thumb?
They look brilliant thanks.

In return I offer this for the man in your life this christmas.

Pruni - is that a fair trade? LOL!!

yeah sorry, i didn't describe them very well. i'll post a pic

this I like

am making one v slowly (for me, hence always on back burner...

this I like

am making one v slowly (for me, hence always on back burner...

(really like it as you can see)

want some denises. anyone got some? kind of fear plastic needles (am brittany birch/lantern moon snob.)

oh another idea for a kniteer-home made personalised needles from a decent wood. easy as wee to make.

picture here
of the wrist warmer

sorry should have made it clear a seeking denise reviews. you don't have to hand over the actual needles or anything.

Filyjonk, how does one make knitting needles? I mean, I don't actually own a lathe....

I have one pair of Brittany Birch needles and could be persuaded to replace my whole collection...I got most of my metal/plastic jobbies at a charity shop for 5p a pair.

DO they do circulars as well?

I have a set of Denise needles Fillyjonk, and like you otherwise use only Lantern Moon and Mrittany Birch (spooky ). They are plastic, there's no getting away from it, but are phenomenally useful for knitting lace and things knitted in the round, as you just change the cord length whenever it suits best. It's just nice to know you've got whatever combination you need at all times, pretty much. I take them on holiday in case I decide to do something new to save buying needles I'm already got at home, too. There's a good review of them on Knitty you may have seen (here ) which was what made me get them.

Nice wrist warmers here, too .

oh yes have half made those, tamum,

trouble is i don't like the cashmerino, tbh. it always looks a bit nylony to me. feels luverly tho. my lys (well...ish...30 mins drive away) has just massively expanded its stock so it has noro and colinette and adriafil...may treat myself i think.

hmmm... i just can't get over the idea of knitting with plastic. and i don't really go for lace, tbh, but do a lot of knitting in the round. Would you buy them just for knitting in the round?

WHY don't they make them in wood? I would happily and joyously pay £50-60 for a wooden set, but am balking at £30 for a plastic set.

right. to make wooden needles.

you need

this tutorial

they also have a yarn dying one, i notice. they use a slightly different technique to me, but I'm sure theirs also works...

dont think lantern moon do anything as common as cirulars, sadly

they do dpns. cos they're posh.

you can get bamboo circulars. i do like addis though.

Fillyjonk, I think the problem is the connections with the cords. I doubt if you could make them robust and smooth enough with wood to be honest, and that's the good thing about Denise really, the fact that the connections don't snag. I do use them for knitting in the round too, especially when you need different cord lengths for sleeves and body.

Have you seen the needles here ? Drool.

ooooouuuhh

those are fiiiine...

actually, of them all, I like the rosewood best

I do love nice needles

Oh I do desperately want to get to the show...my evil MIL has descended though, with her metal needles and proudly nylon-acrylic blend "yarn" ("warning: may spontaneously combust")

ok, i think you are knitting a dinosaur, nqc, from one of those links, can you tell me which, pls, as i have been trawling for 20 minutes now.

aptosaurus preferred.

Huh? What dinosaur? Where?

I did see an interesting piece in the Guardian or Observer about making a fruit bowl using an old lacey crochet/knitted throw - anyway, using resin? I think? to make the cloth "solid". I'd like to try this technique to make Xmas ornaments - make little flat knitted things, and then resinify them, so they hold their shape ... anyone know anything about this?

I've just started a hat for a very-nearly-here baby, and I'm trying to make the hat look like an ice-cream cone, as DS2 insists the pregnant friend in question has a belly full of ice cream, not baby ...

Then I must knit an MN badge ...