Knitting Christmas Gifts

Have you started or indeed even finished your knitted Christmas gifts yet? It's rather like when you pile your plate with Christmas dinner - the mound of food on your plate seems eatable until you get half way through and start struggling. A list of knitted gifts to complete seems a great challenge in August, but by November when there's a load still to be knitted that's when the panic sets in!

Delilah by Louisa Harding

I have a guest column piece published in this month's The Knitter magazine, issue number 78, talking about the highs and lows of the year I decided to eschew bought presents and knit something for my family and friends instead. You'll have to read the magazine for the full story, but needless to say that some gifts were more appreciated that others, and my dad had to wait until January for his tank top ...

This year I'm knitting a few choice gifts for people I know who will appreciate them. Top of my favourite list is Louisa Harding's Delilah - a cowl that can be knitted in short or long sizes.

Little Miss Moss by Sublime

I finished this two nights ago and it's going to my best friend who gave birth to her baby daughter Delilah a few months ago. Louisa Harding always produces feminine designs and I am in love with her Noema yarn. It's a swirl of colour and shine. Knitted up in the lacy Delilah pattern the yarn looks a million dollars, but thankfully only costs £5.95 a ball.

The short cowl takes two balls and the long cowl, pictured above, four.

For Delilah herself I'm knitting Little Miss Moss, a gorgeous pattern from Sublime knitted in Baby Cashmere Merino Silk 4ply. It's a beautifully soft yarn that's perfect for little ones.

For a male relative I've knitted a charcoal colour chunky jumper and am hoping that I can't go wrong with that. A friend's little daughter, who is a huge fan of Peppa Pig, will be unwrapping a jumper with Peppa's face on, that is if I finish the intarsia in time.  Finally my husband will be receiving at some point his annual knitted jumper, but when depends on whether I finish the second glove of a pair and Susan Crawford's Christmas jumper for myself first!

What are you knitting for a Christmas gift? Let me know in the comments section below.