Hot Knits & Cool Crochet: Must-Make Gift Projects!

It's time to start gift knitting. It's never too early, right?  Whether you're staying home or cautiously spending some time outside of it, make sure to keep knitting and crocheting on your to-do list. Crafting is a great way to relieve stress.

Hair Accessories

Scrunchies are making a comeback, and there are tons of great free patterns to try, such as: Vickie Howell's Scrap Bin Scrunchies (knit & crochet options), Luxury Mohair Scrunchie [Ravelry Link] (knit), Back to School Scrunchie [Ravelry Link] (knit), Scrap Sock Yarn Hair Scrunchie [Ravelry Link] (crochet), or the Easy Crochet Scrunchie [Ravelry Link]. If scrunchies aren't your thing, a Knit Bow [Ravelry Link] can be attached to a bobby pin, barrette or hair tie to dress up your hairdo. Tame bad hair days with a Slip Stitch Headband [Ravelry Link] (knit) or Perfect Picnic Headband (crochet).

For the Home

Re-usable wash cloths and cleaning cloths are not just earth-friendly, they're also fun, instant-gratification projects that are great for gifting! Knit or crochet up a stash using your favorite stitch pattern, or one of these fabulous free patterns: Basketweave Scrubbie [Ravelry link] (crochet), Magnolia Springs Dishcloth [Ravelry Link] (crochet), Whispering Pines Wash Cloth [Ravelry Link] (crochet), Reusable Cotton Rounds [Ravelry Link] (crochet), Easy as Pie Dishcloth [Ravelry Link] (knit), Leafy Washcloth [Ravelry Link] or the Silver Sands Wash Cloth (knit) and Spa-Riffic Wash Cloth (knit) from our own blog archive!

Protect furniture with colorful coasters to knit or crochet! Use up leftover bits of yarn with the Brioche Fade Coaster [Ravelry Link] (knit), Linen Stitch Coasters [Ravelry Link] (knit), Aurora Coaster [Ravelry Link] (crochet) or  Fringy Boho Coasters [Ravelry Link] (crochet). If you want to add a whimsical touch to your decor, try the Cactus Coasters [Ravelry Link] (crochet), Sun's Out! Drink Coasters [Ravelry Link] (crochet), Egg or Avocado (knit), or Kitty Coasters [Ravelry Link] (knit).

Or, spruce up your walls with a trendy wall hanging! From funky to fun, these free patterns have you covered: Be Kind Mini C2C Wall Hanging [Ravelry Link] (crochet), Chase the Rainbow [Ravelry Link] (crochet), Brighton Wall Hanging [Ravelry Link] (crochet), Pineroot [Ravelry Link] (knit), Rainbows in the Windows [Ravelry Link] (knit),or Wall Hanging [Ravelry Link] (knit).

We hope you feel inspired to keep knitting and crocheting all season long—make sure to share what's on your Knitter's Pride needles and hooks by using #knitterspride in your posts!

Winners + Put a Pom On It

Congratulations to Ravelers goblinqween, bearybearco and indiechixor  - you have all won Rejoice Pom Pom Maker Sets in our giveaway this month! We'll be in touch with you shortly to arrange for the delivery of your prizes. Thanks to everyone who entered our contest - be sure to bookmark us for more great giveaways this fall!

In our last blog post, we shared a step-by-step tutorial for making this season's hottest accoutrement, pom poms, using our new Rejoice Pom Pom Maker Set. In this week's post, we've got plenty of ways for you to use your poms to make fashionable and fun projects to make, wear and give! 

First up, we have the tried-and-true pom pom hat, which is clearly a favorite fall trend - just look at all of these new fall designs from Knit Simple, Dull Roar, Knitscene and the My Mountain Series! 

L-R: #17 Striped Toque by Christina Behnke, Kotiya by Alexandra Tinsley, Kilimanjaro from the My Mountain Series, and Forester Hat by Ashley Rao.

Pom poms can add a flourish to everyday items such as scarves, handbags and blankets. They're also excellent for making cute little toys: there are plenty of pom pom animal tutorials on Pinterest, or you can sew on a pom pom tail as shown in Rebecca Danger's squirrel toy from her new book or Raveler Mercourier's Button Bunnies. 

L-R: Pom Pom Happiness Scarf by Mary Jane Mucklestone, Sherbet Dip Blanket by Nicki Trench, Animal Pom Poms, Small Squirrel by Rebecca Danger, and Pea Pod Purse by Anna Tirat-Gefen.

We've also spotted some creative uses for poms such as wall hangings, flowers, and even a chandelier! 

L-R: Pom Pom Chandelier, Ever Blooming Flowers by Gari Lynn, Pom Pom Wall Hanging, and Pom Pom Wreath by Mary Jean Daigneault. 

For more pom pom project ideas, check out our inspiration board on Pinterest. We hope you'll share your pom pom projects with us this fall in the Knitter's Pride Ravelry group! 

Winner + Felted Project Inspiration

Dreamz Chunky Interchangeable Set

Thanks to everyone who entered our blog giveaway this month! Our lucky winner is Shala K. who will have her wish to try US #17 fixed circular Basix! We've contacted Shala on Ravelry to arrange the shipment of her prize!

We received a tremendous response to our last post about quick, chunky knits using larger needles, so today we'll be sharing more pattern inspiration with you. Wool yarns and large needles are the perfect combination for your next felting project; we have several chunky interchangeable needle sets which contain needle pairs in US #13, #15 and #17 sizes - all you have to do is choose which type of needle tip you prefer! As we saw in our previous post, our Basix line is another great option for projects requiring larger-sized knitting needles. 

Clockwise from top left: Star Garland by Katie Startzman, Felted iPad Case by Marlene Sigel, Woodins by Anna Hrachovec, Celtica Cushion by Debbie Tomkies, Felted Oven Mitts by Purlbee, and French Press Felted Slippers by Melynda Bernardi.

If you have never intentionally felted a knitted or crocheted piece, here are a few helpful resources to get you started: 

Felting article - Knitty Archives

YouTube Video - How to Hand Felt Knitted Projects

Crochet Doctor Blog - How to Felt Crochet Pieces

If you're ready to give felting a try, click here for more inspiration on our Pinterest board! Feel free to share your favorite felting tips or resources on this blog post, too!