New knitting and crochet books during the holidays are wonderful for two great reasons. First, you know that if you make something from them, the recipient won’t already have it. Second, new books make great gifts for the knitters on your list, for the very same reason!
Knit a Monster Nursery
I hope that you are sitting down, because the amount of cuteness in Knit a Monster Nursery is positively overwhelming. If you have any babies to knit for, you will want to pick this up immediately and knit everything in it! Our favorite is definitely the Monster Mobile! No nursery is complete without a mobile, and this one is cute enough to hang in an older child’s room even after they have outgrown their crib. It’s knit in fingering weight yarn, which makes your color options endless. Knit a bright version in NFC Rustic Fingering and little eyes will be able to stare at it for hours.
The Stack-O-Monsters toy is a must-knit also! The wonderful thing about knitted toys is that children don’t grow out of them as fast, and they are loved for several years. Stacking toys help little ones develop hand-eye coordination, so your adorable knit is educational too. These knit up quick in a worsted weight yarn. Spud and Chloe Sweater is an ideal choice, as the yarn is both durable and brightly colored.
If you haven’t been floored by the cuteness yet, check out the Monster Booties. As the book’s author, Rebecca Danger, says, “The only thing cuter than baby toes? Baby toes in monster booties.” You will never want to knit another pair of plain baby booties again. These are made in DK weight yarn, so check out the Berroco Vintage DK for a great baby-friendly option.
Sock Yarn Studio
It is considered a universal truth that sock yarn does not count against one’s stash. Therefore, we all have much more sock yarn than we care to admit to! It’s pretty; it’s easy to find a project with one skein; it travels well. There are hundreds of reasons to get more sock yarn, and somehow we are constantly
looking for new patterns for it! Sock Yarn Studio helps solve this for you, giving you over 25 new projects to bring excitement back to your stash, and to help make room for new colors! One of our favorites is the Habitude Lace scarf, which is a wonderful unisex scarf using 400 yards of fingering weight yarn. It’s simple, yet complex enough to keep you interested as you knit.
Sock yarn is also great for Fair Isle, so be sure to check out the Fair Isle Peacock hat by our very own Tanis Gray. Pair up a solid with a bright hand dye and you’ll have the perfect new winter accessory! You’ll only need one skein of each. If you love socks, but are looking for a new challenge, the Deux Violettes gloves might be just the thing for you. Also, the wonderful thing about handknit gloves is that you can make them the perfect fit for your (or your gift recipient’s) hands. Any superwash sock yarn would be great for these, but Miss Babs Yummy sock would be absolutely divine.
Crochet Boutique
Any crocheter will tell you that finding crochet patterns that don’t look like they were made in the 70s by someone’s grandmother is a challenge. For this reason, we are always on the lookout for new crochet books and patterns with a more modern twist on the craft. Crochet Boutique is exactly that! There are 30 new patterns that definitely have a modern crocheter in mind. We love the Bonnie Beret, which is not only cute, but will work up in minutes, as it uses bulky weight yarn. Grab a few skeins of Peruvia Quick and you’ll have presents for all of your friends in no time flat!
This time of year the stores are filled with fluffy, chunky infinity scarves, and so is this book! The Geraldine Circle scarf is bulky and beautiful, would be a hit in NFC Beltway Bulky. It’s so satisfying to be able to tell someone that you made your awesome scarf yourself. No one needs to know how little time it takes to crochet it.