Whatcha knitting/crocheting for Christmas? Thread

[TheFurryMenace]

Here's my first FO:

Scarf in super soft (but super shreddy!) Debbie bliss Roma, for my lovley SIL. Hope she likes it, and can live with the shredding! Planning to do another scarf with this yarn in Teal, as already had the yarn, no recipient as yet. Making a wrap, and may make a little something for DD time permitting.

What's on your needles/hook?

I only started knitting the beginning of this year so I have spent the whole year trying to knit the Jean greenhowe nativity. It's going pretty well I only have two wise men to do plus all the extras like sheep but I might save them till next year. I like it as I don't have the patience and speed to knit great big things

I have three pairs of socks for my mother to give to my aunt and a pair of socks for my husband from me. My usual rule is to have any Christmas knitting done by October because there's no point adding more stress to what is already a busy time of year. I didn't feel like explaining that to my mother, it was easier just to say "yes".

I only have a sock and a half left to do.

Nothing this year I don't think as I am not convinced the crocheted gifts were appreciated last year.

That's my worry soup I'm making baby blankets for OH's niece/nephew but I'm not sure their mum will appreciate them. She's a bit fussy about things being new and branded etc and also everything being neutral colours. I've not gone for neutral so expecting them to be shoved in the back of a cupboard or charity bag!

For my tribe I'm just making little reindeer/Christmas pudding chocolate orange cosies and a hat for the baby. I usually have grand plans but never get the time to finish anything so am thinking small this year.

I'll make things for the Woolly Hugs sale instead. I sent a shawl and a baby hat in already and I plan on making some covered notebooks (admittedly not crocheted or knitted ones!)

I'm brand new to crochet so had a go at a minion hat as a warm up for DS. Now after that success I'm making a few little hats for his Christmas fair as it's good practice and they work up pretty quickly. I'm fast learning the sizing differences by website and the very slight difference in wool thickness is a killer but at least for the fair I'm not making them to any size in particular! [santa]

If anyone has advice on what people like to buy at school fairs that could be crocheted, I'm all ears!

Socks are popular here, so have just ordered some lovely self-patterning yarn. But how many pairs I'll actually get done by Christmas, well... may be some IOUs.

Currently on my needles is a red tam o'shanter style hat, for me! Because I hardly ever seem to knit for myself.

Currently doing blanket squares for the Woolly Hugs refugees project. Am lacking in inspiration for gifts. Would love to do a sweater or something for one of my nephews but my mum is in the middle of one and am not sure my sis is keen on handmade clothes for the boys anyway, sadly.
So will plug away with blanket squares. They'll go to people who need them, that's a cheering thought

I'm about to attempt some knitted scandi-style fair isle baubles. The pattern I've got is using double-pointed needles though, which I've only used once before and found a bit fiddly. Might have to look for a worked flat pattern if it turns out to be too hard!

I'm not making any presents this year - I can't think of anything people really, really need or want, and I can't face a half hearted response after all that work.

However I'm making lots of little things for my baby boy, due in March. A present to myself maybe.

Argh! Having frogged and re-started my bauble 6 times on the dpns, I have given up and decided to knit it flat and sew it up!

After my last post - had a change of mind. Started a pair of cosy socks for myself, using up a couple of balls of blue Patons aran that I picked up on a whim at Hobbycraft ages ago .... an Xmas pressie to me

Lovley hats Oddity, can't believe you're a beginner! It's a shame that some people don't appreciate the time, effort and money a hand made item has taken to complete, I totally understand - most of my family wouldn't appreciate knitted or crocheted gifts either, but SIL has actually asked me to make her something which is nice.

Hope the Christmas balls workout Merci, I hate DPNs too!

Nice to hear about all the other projects, especially knitting for your own baby, I couldn't knit then, and really missed my mum making things for my baby as she did my sister (she died shortly before my DD was born), but a lovely neighbour did her some cardigans which was so kind.

I just made my first felted bag for DD out of a frogged horrible cowl I made. It shrank so much in the wash I couldn't believe it! Went from large shopper to tiny handbag for a 6'year old! Turned out quite sweet though, and she loves it. Photos to follow.

Here's a photo of the finished 'cherry' bag

Lovely bag Furry

I'm about to make one of my great nephews a Minecraft blanket and then the plan is to make a Spider-Man blanket for his brother - both crocheted. I've got two sets of doll clothes to make too but I'll probably knit those.

I'm in the middle of crocheting bunting at the moment. It's loosely based on the attic24 blog. attic24.typepad.com/weblog/2012/01/jolly-festive-bunting-ta-dah.html

Going for noel noel for Christmas symmetry. I wanted happy Christmas but I think it would have been too long and because it would hang in uneven loops it would drive me insane

I don't have any berry type buttons for the holly so I'm trying to crochet little Christmas trees but they always work out too big.

I'm going to buy some embroidery thread today to see if that helps.

Thank you Woolly. I'd be interested to see the Minecraft blanket, all the kids round here cant enough of it, great idea!

Juggling, great bunting, make sure you come back and post an update and photos when its finished!

I've made a few little stockings - might use them for putting money / gift cards in for the nieces and nephew.

I am crocheting a blanket for a close friend, the photo makes it look a much more lurid purple than it is!

Joining as I go as I hate havving to put all the squares together at the end!

Furry I am adapting a hama beads pattern I found on Pinterest - it seems logical that they can be turned into granny square blankets. I will be using join-as-you-go as I hate sewing up.

I'll post a picture when I've finished

that is such a clever idea wooly!

That's beautiful woolly

Posted too soon. I might steel your scok idea playmobil. It would use up the rest of my green red and white wool

I've made a pair of socks for my sister and have started another pair for MIL. I did the sockalong with winwick mum on Facebook so learned to knit socks this year. I bought a load of sock yarn planning to make pairs for several people but if I only manage two pairs I'll be happy. I'm going to follow the trend and package them with printed labels with 'made just for you by Heres' type label.

I'm also going to crochet exfoliating cloths and make sugar scrub (Pinterest) and give those as gifts. I'm fast at crochet so that will be easy and I bought jars at the weekend. That's my fail safe.

I am also meant to knitting a scarf or wrap for my sister but I have no idea where I'll fit that in.

If things don't get done I'm not going to worry, my hands are full enough with two little ones anyway.

We only do token gifts as a family and they tend to appreciate effort so it's worth it....hopefully....

Wow, hats off to you Heres! Care to share some photos when you've finished?

Talking of photos, I meant to ask Tringtocatchthewind, please post some photos of your nativity I'd love to see them. My neighbour did them last year and put the set in her kitchen window for passers by to see, they were fantastic. I'm not sure I've got the stamina to knit a set like that, but I would love to have some.