Dove Knits

Monday, December 03, 2007

A solution for the frazzled holiday knitter

Silly knitters. Every year, we race against the clock as we knit gift after gift. As the result, our loved ones are flooded in dish cloths, and we have ulcers.

It's quite simple, really. Even the fastest, smallest knitted gift, like a hat, dishcloth, or bookmark, takes, what, at least three? five? hours. It's hard to accept, but sometimes, there just isn't enough time to knit a gift for everyone you love.

That's often my problem. I love giving handmade gifts, and most people I know love getting them. However, most people I know have no use for small knitted projects. For some reason, everyone I know has conspired against me to never wear hats, use knitted dishcloths, or like mittens. It's all about the more time-consuming gifts for them -- which I'm happy to provide, but not last-minute.

Here's where I brag. Last week, I went home, pulled out my beading box, and in the matter of three hours or so, I made gifts for 7 people.

Earrings for coworkers:


(Left: green jade and Bali sterling silver. Right: porcelain, Bali silver and Swarovski crystal. Both with sterling hooks and wires.)


(The best shot I could get of these Swarovski crystal beauties. See how they swing.)

Bookmarks for friends:


(Sterling, Swarovski, fluorite, and green jade, from left to right.)

And a pearl and crystal necklace for a great little girl. However, I've already given her her necklace, and the only pictures I had of it were awful, so you'll just have to imagine.

So, the moral: next time I'll remember about my beading supplies sooner. Plus, this saved me quite a bit of money, since I already had all the supplies, and they were quite inexpensive then, too. I think each pair of earrings, made in high-quality materials, cost as much as a ball of Sugar'n'Cream cotton.

ETA: That's not to say I'm not knitting gifts this year. I'm making a nativity set for my in-laws (remember that project? Still haven't finished. They're just getting the Holy Family, and I'm gifting them the rest of the characters over the next couple of years.), a shrug for a dear friend's beautiful baby girl, and a sweater for my husband. On a whim, I decided to try and publish the sweater, so I'm not showing it here, but he's SO excited about it. He got to design it -- he picked the color, style, and stitch pattern. He goes over and pets it, and gets a nice dreamy look on his face when he's thinking about it. It's the cutest thing.

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7 Comments:

At 1:33 PM, Blogger Heather said...

I'm right there with you on the whole knitted gift thing. Knitting takes too much time, yarn, etc. for the FO to be unappreciated. (I'm knitting ONE gift this season - a scarf for the husband. He may or may not ever wear it!)Your beading, however, is beautiful, and I'm sure will be very much appreciated!

 
At 3:33 PM, Blogger Sarah said...

I agree too - I've never knitted a Christmas gift, since I know it will be worn/used only a few times, whereas I know if I knit something for myself, I'll love it and use it forever, just because I know the time that went into it. Good idea with the beads - you have very lucky co-workers! Mine are probably getting cookies...

 
At 8:14 PM, Blogger Family W said...

you're right. I get overwhelmed at the thought of how many people I want to make something for. Love your beads ideas.... too bad I'm not a co-worker. :)

 
At 12:14 AM, Blogger Dipsy Doodle said...

What a wonderful idea - and these are among the most beautiful gifts I've seen for long! Your bead ideas are awesome and I'm absolutely sure everyone will love them! But now I'm sitting here, scratching my head and wondering, how in all the world could I produce something just half as great in such a short time? It's so true, "bigger" knitted items just take way too long to be probably not really appreciated by the recipient - your idea is the perfect solution!

 
At 11:04 AM, Blogger Sourire11 said...

Great idea! I may have to get out my bead stuff, too... I swore I wasn't going to knit much for anyone this year and for once I"m sticking by that.

 
At 2:29 PM, Blogger The A.D.D. Knitter said...

You are such a crafty one, nice move with the earrings, they are lovely!

 
At 8:03 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

How pretty! I'm only making one knit gift this year, but we're Jewish and Hannukah has already started and I don't have a chance in the world to actually get it done in time.

Lovely earrings and bookmarks.

hmmm... Comments have changed. I'm not sure how it's going to look since I don't use blogger.

 

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