Friday, December 14, 2012

One and 0ne half weeks

Quick Christmas Gifts


One of the quickest gifts ever is a hand knit dishcloth. I often knit dishcloth patterns in quality cotton or linen and give them as face clothes. Ravelry has close to 8000 patterns for dishcloths .

The original design, one many of us have knit.
 

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/grandmothers-favorite

An interesting variation is a textured version called Eloomanator.



http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/eloomanators-diagonal-knit-dishcloth

My current favourite is the picot edged version from Churchmouse Designs.


http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/picot-edge-baby-blanket--washcloth

Knit up a couple either in craft cotton as dishcloth, or a better quality cotton or linen as a face cloth as a start to a gift basket.

With a face cloth, add a couple of bars of luxury soap, a good novel or magazine and you have a nice mini-spa.


If I might suggest, a local soap maker I have discovered at Aurora Farmers Market, has wonderful bath products - Kibo. The following link brings you to their website to view their selection and location.
http://www.kibo.ca/

Another nice gift package idea is to put together a little basket of kitchen based products; a couple of dish cloths, some hand cream and hand wash and maybe an aloe vera plant. My Mom always kept an aloe vera in the kitchen as first aid for burns or rough hands.
 
 If you receive a burn just clip off a piece of the plant, squeeze out some of the goeey sap inside and apply directly to the sore or burnt skin. It really does help take out the sting. This is a safe folk remedy that has been used for decades.
 
 

Gifts for Knitters

 
Elizabeth Zimmermann was a British-born knitter known for revolutionizing the modern practice of knitting through her books and instructional series on American public television. I find Elizabeth Zimmerman fascinating. Her designs are unique and timeless. Many are one piece with minimal seaming and fit together like origami puzzles. Early in her designing career, she became frustrated with all the changes magazine editors were making to her designs. She was ahead of her time and rather than appreciating that, editors were trying to hold her back. So she started publishing her designs herself and Schoolhouse Press was born. Her daughter Meg Swansen, also an accomplished designer, has continued the publishing company. Knitters continue to be fascinated by her designs today. Baby Surprise Jacket is the number one cardigan on Ravelry with over 18,000 posted projects. If you enjoy unusual or creative structure, you would love Elizabeth's designs and books.


 
The now famous Baby Surprise Jacket.
 
 
 A few of Elizabeth's many books.
 
 
Knit One Knit All is a recent Schoolhouse Press publication. Elizabeth's daughter,Meg has put together a collection of her mothers previously unpublished designs. Many have quite unusual structures.

 
 
I find this mitered cardigan very intriguing.
 

Pre-Christmas Specials

All books reduced 25%
 
 

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