Quick & Easy Christmas Knits!

I don’t know about you all, but I find that during the Christmas Season, knitting time comes at a high premium, making efficiency even more important.

All of my dear friends and family know that if I could, I would knit something fabulous, exciting, and huge for each and every one of them for Christmas!

But alas, in this imperfect world, reality sets in and I discover (and re-discover) that this is not likely to be possible for me…

So in the spirit of both efficient and reasonable Christmas knitting, I’d like to share with you all some lovely knitting  & crochet patterns I’ve spotted recently that are quick, relatively easy, and make great gifts!

The Pony Tail Hat – a delightful and practical current trend …

The Messy Mom Bun Beanie, by Ashlea Konecny, is very popular, very cute, and super easy to crochet! All you need is a size H (5mm) hook, some worsted weight yarn, and few hours!

This Frilly Ponytail Hat, by Cheryl Mercer is a slightly different variation on the same theme. It’s knitted, and it has a cute little frill around the edges of the ponytail hole! It’s knit in Lion Brand’s Wool Ease; a worsted weight yarn, so it would knit up quickly.

The By My Side Ribbed Ponytail Hat, by Michelle Moore is an absolutely adorable crocheted cap version with a cute brim and the perfect spot for a gorgeous statement button or pin. SO chic! You can just see the ponytail hole near the bottom edge in the back view pic…

Here are a couple of really unique options! The Cardiff Bay Ponytail Hat, by Beth Ann Beck has a enchanting touch of simple lace and cable. Knit up in a bulky weight yarn, it would be a quick knit with lots of interest, and would make an exciting gift!

The Child’s Ponytail Hat, by Gail Tanquary, is a riot of color and texture! It would knit up very quickly in aran weight yarn. Plus, the pattern is a free download on Ravelry! The bonnet type styling, the highly textured accent yarn, and the use of the yarn ends as fringe are all so creative!

The Headband/Ear Warmer – perfect for keeping ears warm while rocking fabulous hair! A few that caught my eye…

The Headband with Cable, by Elaine Phillips is a lovely and practical version of this handy accessory; AND it’s a free pattern on Ravelry. I especially love the way that it’s knit wider than normal so that it’s double-layered for extra warmth!

The Cable Knit Headband, Initiative Headband, and Resilience Headband; all by Brome Fields are gorgeous, and practical. Worked in Lion Brand’s Wool Ease Thick & Quick (a super bulky weight yarn) they would knit up quickly and make great gifts!

And the Nordic Viking Headband, by Randi Hjelm Debes, is knit in a bulky weight yarn. The pattern comes in several different sizes for both children and adults and incorporates a fascinating herringbone stitch pattern.

The Fingerless/Half Finger Mitt – a classic necessity…

These Fast & Easy Fingerless Mitts by Lisa M. Beamer make a perfect gift knit! Available as a free Ravelry download, you can choose between the knit flat version or the circular version. They’re perfect for using up odd bits of yarn leftover from other projects since they only need about 50 grams in worsted weight yarn.

The Muckle Mitts, by Mary Jane Mucklestone are so charming! The perfect knit for one who loves color work and/or fair isle knitting, they’d make a wonderful gift for a loved one!

And for someone who wants a bit more of a challenge, the Urban Necessity Gloves, by Colleen Michele Meagher. Knit in worsted weight yarn, these sweet little mitts are half-finger gloves with a button down flip-top! I know many who would absolutely love to have a pair!

What about you? Are you knitting gifts for loved ones this Christmas? Do you have a favorite go-to item or pattern that you turn to for gift knitting? Feel free to share in the comments!

Wishing each and every one of you peace and joy and wellbeing in this Blessed Season, and throughout the New Year!