I think I’ve overextended myself with my plans for Christmas gift knitting. This is what I’ve either told the recipient I will make, or have planned to make:
- 2 pairs of socks
- 1 pair of fingerless gloves
- 1 beret (in photos)
- 1 Knitted Babe, plus accessories
- 1 sunglasses case
- 1 scarf
The thing is, I know that all the people I plan to make these things before will really love to receive them. When I mentioned to Will (son no.1) last night, that I was thinking of not making socks this Christmas he said ‘Oh no! Christmas bed socks are a tradition! We’ve normally worn out the pair from last year so it’s a really good time to get them!’
But that list of seven items, each of which probably represents two weeks’ worth of available knitting time, will take me fourteen weeks to make! If I started now, and only knitted gifts, that means I would finish these items half way through December.
Umm, no. It’s not going to happen.
I mean, I love my family, all of them, but fourteen weeks of knitting? Are you kidding me? There’s a reason I’m a member of the wonderful Selfish Knitters group on Ravelry, and that is that I like knitting for myself! This is my hobby, and I knit for my pleasure!
On reflection I have decided drastically to reduce this list. There are only two people who know that I am making something for them – these are the people for whom I am making the beret and the Knitted Babe. I think I will make these two items, and then if I have time, and if I feel like it, then I might make something else from the list. But only might, mind you. I am, after all, a card (well, badge) carrying Selfish Knitter.
So tell me, how much Christmas knitting are you planning to do? How do you manage to balance knitting for yourself and knitting for others at this time of year?
Oh Anna – I’m right there with you kiddo! Here’s my Christmas Knitting List: Step-Son & Daughter In Law: Hemlock blanket and a hat for each one, Step-Daughter – shawl, Dad – vest, Dad’s girlfriend – shawl, and I keep thinking of a sweater for my husband. I’ve decided to make the items for those who live farthest away first to give time for sending to Scotland & New York, then I will go on to the items for those closer to home. But the selfish knitter in me really wants the Wisteria sweater and the February Lady and the Hayworth! And I just looked at the calendar and there IS only a little over 14 weeks to go – yikes! I guess I should have started in January š Michelle
What a lovely blog!! You make beautiful things… and you now have a new reader:)
Good night!
//Pelin
I’ve been thinking about this today too! I’m not sure if I’m going to do any gift knitting at all. I’d like to knit Joel and Lily some snuggly socks for Christmas Eve, but I’m just not convinced that anyone else I know would appreciate or care for handknits the way I’d like them to. Sigh.
I think I’m going to CROCHET booties for many of my friends. Really, crocheting is much faster than knitting. I made a pair for my friend, Ana a few weeks ago (on my blog) and they came out great.
I’ve also been thinking ahead. I sent sock yarn to Fernwood Woolworks. They have a 1920’s sock knitting machine. Lynette at F.W. whips up pairs of socks with your yarn. It’s very reasonable. I’m having about 6 pairs in various sizes made.
Everyone else will get some homemade cookies!
Well I’m making my Christmas knits just little things this year (for kiddies) hats and a teddy bear! I didn’t do any knitting last year for Christmas, so this is a first for me so I’m starting early! Good luck with yours.
omg! i know what you mean! i dont do knitted/crochet gifts for festive days- i am not a nice person ;)! i did a babyblanket for a friend last year and now i got all these request and expectations for blankies and i just decided i’d rather do a neckscarf for myself š so enjoy your selfish knitting- since i will be watching with pleasure whatever you do
see this is why you NEVER tell anyone your intentions, that way you always have an out!!!!
doll & beret seem like reasonable expectations, and it sounds like you’re not going to get away with skipping the bedsocks!
I’m not knitting anything this Christmas – it’s sewing all the way this year. Quicker, cheaper (!) and less stressful. I’ll leave my knitting to occupy the “relax and take time for yourself” niche I have set up recently!
Now, off to join that selfish knitters club on Ravelry!
ok now you’ve got me thinking. I hvae had some vague ideas but I think already it’s too big and I will scale it back. No, I will not give everyone in my family a pair of socks or a lace scarf. I just can’t.
Thank you for that. I feel better.
Oh these thoughts have been plaguing me lately too. I don’t have a fixed list but really must plan it out. I would like to finish a shawl for my mum that I’ve been knitting for over a year now (well, mostly not knitting I guess!). And a beret for a friend that I promised last year. But that’s really it I think, although I’m sure I’ll think of a few other things that I should make. Will see…
And also think I must join Selfish Knitters group too!
Gah! You are not meant to be talking about Xmas knitting already.
I am out of here right now and back to DENIAL!!
I am rubbish with this – I fail to admit to myself my capabilities and come up with lists like yours, only more unrealistic and then start a bazillion things and end up gifting half of them in January or for their birthday later in the year. This year I decided just socks for people and then promptly listed about 15 recipients, and there are scarves I want to make for my Mum. Oh if only I could take the last three months of the year off work :o) I guess I’ll start with the gifts I most want to make and will enjoy knitting most and then see how I get on…
Well I am feeling a little smug. I have a pair of socks and a hat knit….I started in January. I think you should knit the bed socks for the kids and do i.o.u for all the rest. hand them out at birthdays.
I’m still making my dad’s jumper from last year (his birthday, in August). Until that’s finished I have an “excuse” not to make christmas presents for people.
But I do make socks/hats/scarves “just because” rather than for a purpose for people.
I do watch in awe and sometimes disbelief as the christmas knitting mounts up and the time starts to really run away…
I’ve spent many years making myself crazy with the Christmas knitting. I have three pairs of socks done and I plan to make Christmas ornaments (it’s a tradition) and that may be it. But I no longer feel guilty about whether or not it gets done anymore. PS I’ve nominated you for a Brilliant Blog award, details on my blog.
hat for son and possibly one other small item for a friend. Other than that, the people in my life that would understand and appreciate the time & effort, knit themselves so they can have yarn *grin*
I am planning on knitting a hat for my husband for Christmas. I don’t really have any other plans for gifts this year. I love the color combination for the Beret you are making for your mom.
Wow, you are a far less selfish knitter than I! I’m terrible at knitting gifts for others, although if I know someone will actually really appreciate it I will. (Right now I’m working on 2 hats, that’s it).
My Christmas knitting is to put it off til next year, unless it’s something I really, really want to knit but not keep. Otherwise, it’s heaping pans of homemade fudge and English Toffee.
Perhaps I am just as selfish, but I plan to do not one iota of Christmas knitting. I made one scarf two months ago and that will go to my cousin. That’s all I plan to do.
I think you should make yourself a pair of socks – just to keep the tradition alive. =)
Christmas crafting has been on my mind also. I have grandiose plans for the many things I’d like to make for loved ones – sweaters, socks, scarves, felted clogs… It’s unlikely that more than a couple will come to fruition. But I figure starting now that at least there’s a chance, right?
I never plan to christmas knit but sometimes I give away things that I have made but not used!
I am a *very* selfish knitter! Aside from a couple small items I made for folks right after I started knitting, I had not knit for anyone else again until this year. I’ve made a couple things for gifts this year, but prefer to do this as a gift which is not necessarily tied to a date or occasion (though one WAS technically a birthday present – I digress!). So, Christmas knitting? I harbored an ill-conceived notion of scarves for everyone that first knitting year, which quickly petered out after I got an inch or two into one and realized it was an impossible task. Since then I don’t even make the attempt – too much stress, too much pressure. Very bah humbug of me! š
I mentioned to The Fella’s sister at dinner one day that I’d found a pattern for some slippers she would like and was promptly inundated with requests for knitted goods…ok, that’s an exaggeration. But I do seem to have agreed to knit two scarves and a pair of slippers. And The Fella is badgering me about a pair of gloves to replace the ones he left on the train last year.
Last year I knitted quite a lot of Christmas gifts, but this year the above list is all I’m doing – and only then if the recipients are lucky!
I love that you are even planning gifts, I gave up on that long ago. How’s that for selfish!!
The knitted babes are so cute but the tradition of new socks for the kiddos is priceless.
Good luck.