More Gift Knits for Christmas 2013

In a recent post, I wrote about "A Couple of (Process) Gift Knits".  Before Christmas day arrived, I actually came up with one more of these.

FO Photo "Ruby Beret", November 2009

I created my "Ruby Beret" back in 2009.  On Christmas day 2013, I gifted it to our niece C.  I like to give knitted gifts whenever I am able.  I know that not everyone needs or expects one every year.  And (please forgive me) there are some people who really do not understand the value of a hand-knit gift, who also really do not ever deserve one.  But regardless, I do like to give knitted gifts to a slightly wider audience, every now and then.  So, for example, one year I gave each of my two sisters and my brother's wife a cowl.  And one year I gifted all of my (five) nieces with a hat or scarf.  This year, because one of my husband's brothers asked for a knitted gift...  in my own head it became only fair to give both of the others on my husband's much smaller side of the family (niece C and another brother-in-law) a knitted gift.

Shifting back to the point of that "Process Knit Gifts" thing, how about that tubular cast on?  It was my first.

I wrote about the cast on and included this photo in an older blog post, "A Book I Recommend".  The beret pattern is "Vine and Leaf Beret" by Angela Hahn.  It appeared on the cover of Vogue Knitting Fall 2009.  I enjoyed the process of knitting this hat, and I was happy to experience my first tubular cast on.

There also were two very quick knits this Christmas.  I would call them both "product" knits in that the knitting was all about producing quick gifts, and not about experiencing a new technique or a unique yarn.  Each of these knits took only two days.  The first is a simple cap for the younger of my husband's brothers.  No pattern.  I just made it up.

 
The yarn used is Bartlettyarns Fisherman's-3 ply that I had on hand, knit at a gauge of 13 stitches in 4 inches.  I got the idea to go bulky from the following project which also took only two days to knit, at a gauge of 10 stitches in 4 inches.

My very knit-worthy daughter loved this gift.  The pattern is "Cullen Cowl" by Pam Allen, the yarn Quince & Co. Puffin in the color 'clay'.  It was fun to knit, so easy and quick!

There are actually two more gifts that linger on in an IOU kind of way... But it's OK...  One is for my son, and he knows about it, and he can't really use it until the spring...  The other, well, I still owe my husband a pair of socks (Remember this sad thing?)...  But I'm thinking that he can wait...  How long do I have until Father's Day?