Knitting for Christmas

One of the pleasures of Christmas is creating items for the season. Whether you keep these knit items for yourself or give them to others, making them will surely bring a smile to your face.

One of the first Christmas knits that I am crazy about is the “Jolly Wee Elf” from Churchmouse Yarns and Teas.The pattern is available on Ravelry.  http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/jolly-wee-elf

Initially, I made a couple of these elves.

I added eyes and a nose with embroidery floss because I felt they
deserved a face. After a couple of them, I became slightly obsessed. I made more and more and posted the pictures to Ravelry.

Someone on Ravelry commented that they looked like an Elf Choir, and I had to oblige. I made tiny choir folders for each of them with the music for “Stille Nacht.”

The elves seemed to enjoy their German heritage and of course “Stille Nacht” by German composer Hans Xaver Gruber and lyricist Joseph Mohr in 1818 is the carol they would sing.

I applied a toothpick between the music and the black folder so the elves can “hold” their choir folders.

This bit of fussing over some knit elves wasn’t finished. Unless I placed them in a huge semicircle or lined them up, you couldn’t see all of them. What to do? Why, make them choir risers, of course! I hunted down a couple of empty boxes of the appropriate size and arranged them nicely. They are lacking a choir director right now, I will think of them more as a Madrigal group until I have knit a conductor out of dark charcoal grey sock yarn. See? I still have ongoing plans for them!

Next, we have an easy project for anyone. Do you have “extra” yarn that you would like to “use up”? Make loads of pom poms and attach them with floral pins to a conical green Styrofoam base. What could be more fun for a side table or mantel? Add a knit star at the top for extra flair.

The topper is “Stars” by Squibbly Bups on Ravelry.

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/stars-16

Finally, a favorite pattern I have designed is the “Tiny Yarn Basket.”

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/tiny-yarn-basket-2

This item is not limited to Christmas, but can be worked up any time you need a little fun item to knit. I have a crochet ornament on my Christmas tree like this that I have had for years and I have no idea where it came from. I looked for a pattern that I liked, but none of the easy knit patterns was for a round shaped basket. So… I made one up!

The basket can be used as an ornament, or a resting decorative piece. Give them to your friends or attach them to a gift.

All of these Christmas knits are fairly quick and look just too sweet for words. I hope you like these as much as I do!

This video will help you see how to pick up stitches around the base of the Tiny Yarn Basket.