Last Minute Christmas Knits

Hello Festive Crafters!

It's Kerry from Kestrel Finds and Makes. By now I'm sure that most of you have your handmade pressies wrapped up and ready to be gifted. I wanted to share my two Christmas knitting projects with you - one which has already been sent and opened and the other which is for my sister-in-law to open tomorrow.

First up, Owl & Pussycat Mittens for Sian Lile Makes as part of a Christmas Blog Swap which was to include handmade and thrifted items.

I used the pattern for Owl Mittens which can be on for free on Ravelry, and made one owl into a cat.

As Sian is vegan and was concerned about the potential of wool farming to be harmful, I used organic wool which had been dyed using natural dyes.

My Blue Leaves Scarf was made using the Saroyan pattern (also free - don't you love Ravelry?!) and Sirdar Sublime aran yarn which is a mix of cashmere, extra fine merino and silk. It is beautifully soft. My sister in law wanted a blue scarf and I loved the lace leaf edging and tapered ends of this scarf. It's a straightforward knit too, perfect for beginner lace knitters.

I hope you all managed to get your handmade gifts finished up this year. I didn't make as many as I had intended, but I bought some handmade things, which is nearly as good in my opinion, and definitely better than just buying something from Amazon! Maybe next year I'll be a bit more productive!

Now I just need to wrap the last of my presents. A very Merry Christmas everyone!

K x

Quick Knitted Gifts

Hello! Sarah O from Oh Sarah O! here. I'm still knitting away on my (ravelry link)Cambridge shawl and hoping to get it finished in time for Christmas. Knitting the same pattern over and over again can get a bit monotonous and boring, so over the weekend I decided to take a break from the shawl and whip up 2 quick knit Christmas presents for some other very special relatives this year.

First, I knit up a (ravelry link)Ribbed Watchman's Hat for a special soldier that I know who returned home from combat in one piece in 2010. I used about half of a skein of Lion Brand Wool-Ease Solids and Heathers in Navy and cranked this baby out in just over a day (with frequent breaks). I tried to take a picture of me modelling the hat, but I found it difficult to take a good photograph of me and the hat while it was on my head. I can testify that it is very warm and cosy.

Next, I knit the (ravelry link)Lyndhurst Cowl with 2 skeins of Lion Brand Amazing in Mesa for a "lady of the desert." This cowl only took me a day to make. The colors remind me of a desert sunset and the yarn is very soft and fluffy. I'm sure this lady will love it when the temperatures start to drop.