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| Fleur-de-Lis and Cearnog Pincushions by Tammy Eigeman Thompson
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Houndstooth Mittens by Lauren Osbourne
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I-Cord Headband by Hana Jason with Short-Row Flowers by Katya Frankel
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| Fruit Basket Hats by Jennifer Samsell |
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Lady
Tea Towel by Courtney Kelley |
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A note from Kathleen: Every year I look forward to Interweave Knits Gifts. I actually use it to plan my gift-giving, and this year's issue has so many great ideas that I think I have more gift ideas than people to give them to!
There are so many beautiful patterns in this year's Gifts; I can't stop thinking about the darling pincushions (at left) and the beautiful lace cotton hand towel (at right). I love the idea of the towels in a guest bathroom; so decorative and useful! And the pincushions are so fabulous—I have several sewist friends who will absolutely love them.
Gifts has both small, quick-to-knit designs and larger, more complex designs—whatever your level of expertise and time available allows, you'll find something that suits the people on your list.
Interweave Knits Gifts is actually a gift itself; one you can give to yourself (and with so many patterns, it's truly the gift that keeps on giving). Here's Eunny Jang to preview the issue for you. Enjoy!
Interweave Knits Gifts 2010
This was the year of labors of love.
Rather, this was the year I did
everything the hard way. I handquilted every inch of a quilt for some
just-married friends. I canned a bushel each of tomatoes, peaches, and pears,
and made all our own jams and jellies for the winter. I sewed dress shirts for
my partner. We made croissants by hand—more than once. We built new beds for
the garden and took out hundreds of square feet of sod with shovels and
trowels.
I briefly entertained the idea of making sheets. That's when
we knew I'd officially gone round the bend. Living a wholly handmade life is
philosophically pleasing, I suppose, but doing it without perspective doesn't work
very well with anything resembling normal human priorities.
I'm back to living
life reasonably, making things once in a while with thought and care, rather
than all the time just because.
I think every knitter understands the desire intimately, though—the idea that a
thing is worth making by hand. The reasons are never simple; sure, it might be
cheaper or easier to get exactly what you want if you make it yourself, but there
are also complex overlapping layers to being a maker. You're enjoying the process;
you're learning something; you're rejecting disposable consumer culture; you're
communing with generations of knitters before you; you're adding beauty to the
world with your own two hands.
Everyone's reasons are different. But we all
know that pure, elemental drive; the idea that something made with love has value
and meaning.
In this fifth issue of Interweave Knits Holiday Gifts, we've
collected over sixty ideas for things to knit for and give to friends, family,
and yourself. We've stocked the pages with everything from quick, simple
bagatelles to intricate treasures for special folks—bright pops of color ("Many
Hued"), knits for cozy spaces ("Handmade Home") lovely
vintage lace ("The Lacemaker") superwarm accessories ("Cozy 101"), fast knits in big yarns ("The Elements of Knitting"),
mix-and-match projects to customize ("Metamorphoknit"), pretty toys
("Child's Play"), and clever takes on classics ("Free-form Warm"). We've got ideas for crafting with yarn ("Knitspirations") and
our annual gift roundup ("Gifts for Knitters"). Grab your needles and a
special yarn and get inspired to knit, give, and get.
As for me and my year of
inconvenient living? It's going out in one final bang—I'm making a cycling
sweater for my partner, he of the 42-inch chest and extra-long torso.
Jumperweight Shetland wool, size 3 needles, dark gray ribbing all over. It's
the least interesting knitting imaginable. I'm very glad to be doing it.
A labor of love.
Check out the preview, get your copy of Interweave Knits Gifts, and get started on your own hand-crafted gifts for the ones you love.
Happy
knitting and giving,
