Interweave Knits Holiday Gifts 2008

It’s a knitting magazine. I must buy it. I didn’t even look inside, I just grabbed it out of the magazine rack and it was mine. Along with another $85-some-odd in yarn that I either needed or just had to come home with me and live in my stash.

Am I thrilled with the magazine? At first I would have said no, but after writing the review and now typing it out, I have to say yes, I’m very glad I picked it up, it’s going to help me out a lot in the next few weeks.

There are some great patterns in it that were completely worth it for me. Most notably is the Frost Flowers Stole by Charlene Schurch. The lace is so delicate and looks just like a frosted window pane, I’d have bought the magazine even if this was the only pattern I liked. It seems serendipitous that I picked up two skeins of Fleece Artist silk “seconds”. They’re called “seconds” because they’re a test colour that may not be continued. These particular skeins are a beautiful Easter-y yellow-and-pink, perfect for the stole pattern. :::Sigh::: add them to my growing queue.

Another pattern I’m happy to have found was the Aran Isle Slippers by Jennifer Lang. A traditional loafer-style, these slippers are knit in aran-weight/10-ply yarn with a cable-paneled upper vamp, seed-stitched surround, and stockinette soles. In sizes for the whole family, these just might be the solution to the dilemma of my Dad’s Christmas gift!

Need another quick-knit project that looks great? There are two armwarmer/fingerless glove patterns with different looks to satisfy your recipient. The first pair comes from one of my favourite designers, Veronik Avery with her Arrowhead Arm Warmers. I love the look, the lacy pattern, and especially their elbow-length. They’d also be an easy pattern to turn into fingerless gloves, which I just might do.

Have someone who likes slightly different designs or details? Caroline Bautista offers her cable-trimmed Helix Gauntlets with buttons at the cuffs and around the knuckles. Great details, I’d never thought of cuffs on gloves before.

Something else I’d never thought of? Knitted lace curtains. Annie Modesitt’s Sheer Bathroom Set is lacy and delicate, and I don’t know if I like the curtain set better or the lace insert idea in the shower curtain. But I do know that the next bathroom I decorate - hopefully mine! - will use at least the curtain pair, I have glass shower doors around my tub.

Don’t think there’s enough to entice you to pay the cover price? Sign up or log in to IK’s Knitting Daily website and you can download their Staff Project feature with four ornaments and a mini gift bag which could doulbe as an ornament itself in Ozark Handspun, or your own favourite handspun yarn.

There’s also sweaters, hats, scarves, blankets, embroidery & embellishment tips, and a gorgeous Delft Pillow from Eunny Jang, but I was looking for quick gifts to finish up my Christmas knitting list. Thanks to the Aran Isle slippers, I may yet get my Saskatchewan parcel mailed in time without having to pay priority shipping! So it was worth it for me. Now to wind up that Easter-egg silk…