the Ghost of ChicKnits Christmas Past!
this list first seen in 2002…
If you are a Professional Procrastinator like me, chances are a couple of people slipped between the lines of your Christmas List…
There is still hope – that is, if your friend is a knitter/wannabee knitter,
like YOU!
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ChicKnits
Top 10 List
of Last Minute Gifts
10. Make a pretty *Coupon for Knitting Lessons* from you…
9. Make a *How-to-Knit Kit* out of 2 – double pt needles (wrap a rubber band around one end so stitches don’t popoff) and a small ball of yarn and a little homemade coupon *Knit Lesson* (from you!) One set of Double Pts. will make 2 Kits!
8. Dig in your stash and find enough yarn (combine more than one if you need to) and make a *Scarf Kit* with the yarn needles. OR, call it a *Hat Kit* and felt a hat together…
7. Get a Spray Bottle, Heavy-Duty Straight Pins and a couple of nice cotton towels, include directions, wrap and call it a *How to Block Kit*.
6. Get an inexpensive 4’x6′ Indian Type Rug and label it *the Ultimate Blocking Rug* including directions.
5. Make a coupon for *Learn Finishing Techniques* if you know how to Mattress Stitch, Three-Needle Bind-off, and Chain Stitch. Three lessons at your pleasure…
4. Make coupon good for *Seam the Newbie’s Sweater* because this is a daunting thing for most people to do and that’s what friends are for.
3. Really suck it up and Make a LARGE coupon good for *Total Finishing of the Sweater of Your Choice* which would include blocking, seaming, banding, buttons, etc. Of course, this is worth millions and lifetime devotion so be very very careful…
2. Get a wonderful *Steamer* like this if you don’t have one get one for yourself as well) for finishing – it is a million times better than an iron and will send your finishing into orbit!
1. Break the bank($35.00) and make a person a coupon for *Membership in the Fiber Art Shop’s Online Video Knitting Classes* – you register, pay and pass the password on the coupon. These are very cool…
oh my, what GREAT ideas!
i may just have get that steamer for myself, hehe.
Have a knitting friend who keeps complaining about misplacing her dp needles? My cure for that problem was to get a real heavy-duty (mine is made out of the same stuff that backpacks are) pencil-case-that-will-go-into-the-three-ring-notebook. I throw everything into that baby — knitting gauge, measuring-tape-that-zips-back-into-itself, cable needles all coiled up (and in the original plastic cases they came in, if I’m lucky and feeling organized), little case with the stitch markers in it, little pair of scissors in their sheath so that the point doesn’t get messed up, etc., etc. The thing weighs a ton. BUT, it’s fairly big, a bright yellow and doesn’t seem to get lost, fits into whatever knitting bag I’m schlepping around at the moment, and I’ve gotten into the habit of throwing the needles in there when I’m done with them, when I happen to find the odd one when I’m cleaning around, etc. Best tool I’ve ever found for this. I found mine in the stationery section of my local CVS, but I’ll bet they are around in other places as well. Best investment I’ve ever made to prevent buying multiples of the same size needle.
Great minds think alike!
I just put together a How-To kit for my friend for a Christmas gift. It’s been so hard for us to get together lately, and now we’re gonna have to make time so she can take her lessons from me.
I love your other ideas, too. Of course, I used #2 for myself when I bought that steamer when you originally mentioned it. I love it!
Happy Holidays!
Great ideas. I’ve been teaching a few people at work to knit and have loaned a learn to knit type book with the kit. They don’t get to keep the book, but they get to look at it and decide whether they want to buy that or another before they spend money on it.
Last year I gave someone special on my list a homemade catalog with color copies of several sweaters I was willing to knit,an “order form” and a self-addressed stamped envelope to return the form (which even included a schematic of a sweater with instructions on how to measure a current sweater and fill in the blanks). The cover said, “Your Christmas Gift… A handknit sweater… some assembly required… allow 4-6 weeks for delivery”.
Great last-minute gift ideas (they’re even thoughtful!), but before anyone shells out for the Fiber Arts Shop’s online classes, they might want to check out all the great free videos at http://www.knittinghelp.com. Merry Christmas!