Holiday Gifts

I have a few more knitted gifts to make this year besides the ones for the kids - mainly for this party Jim and I attend each year at a close friend and co-worker's house on Christmas Eve. On Christmas Day, we see Vicki and Frank, the cousins (our age) and the kids, but on Christmas Eve we really didn't have much of a tradition. My friend Mary at work started inviting us to her Christmas Eve dinner party, which is comprised of a small group of couples. It's a great time and a nice holiday tradition for us, so I'm glad we started attending.

Anyway, for the guys I will be giving bottles of wine from our Michigan trip, but for the women, I will be making gifts. I figured out that I would make a felted bucket hat (Bonne Marie pattern) for one older lady who loves hats, and a pair of Fetching gloves for one of the other ladies. I checked my stash as I thought I had a skein of Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran in just the right color (she likes pinks and wine colors) and the skein I had was DB Cashmerino Chunky instead, which I checked the yardage on and it is significantly less than the Aran. A trap for the unwary....

So rather than screwing around trying to find two skeins of the right color of yarn in a LYS (as I went just over one skein on my first pair) I decided to just buy it on Ebay just now. Here's the picture from the auction:

Bad picture, but isn't it a pretty color? I think it will make very pretty Fetching gloves.

As far as other gifts, I am debating whether to make my admin anything this year. I think she would like a pair of Fetchings too, and maybe I can squeeze them out of the light blue skein I have in stash by making them a little shorter. For the other guy in my department, I think I'll do a Morton's gift card - last year we got him a gift card for one of those Brazilian steakhouse restaurants and he and his wife really liked it.

For the exchange at Vicki's and Frank's - we always buy both of them gifts and buy the kids gifts - the three you saw on my blog are the only ones as cousin Tracy is the only one who has kids- but then draw names for the cousins. This year Jim and I got his cousin Michael and his partner Tommy. They are both 30 and live in St. Louis. Michael is pretty fashion forward and is a regional manager for a national clothing store chain and Tommy is more domestic and works as an event planner. Damned if I know what to get them. I don't have the inclination to make sweaters, and I have no ideas on home decor as I haven't seen their house. Any ideas? Maybe a pair of Dashing fingerless gloves for one of them, some other small knitted gift for the other, and a restaurant gift card? Anyone know of good St. Louis restaurants? I think Tommy doesn't eat meat, so no steak. Any and all suggestions would be appreciated!

Comments

[Sarah Beckman]

What about the Brooklyn Tweed Hemlock Ring Blanket for your cousin?
http://brooklyntweed.blogspot.com/2007/08/hemlock-ring-blanket.html

Though I haven't made it yet, I'm in love with the pattern and have a friend making it. At only 600 yds of wool, maybe it is not a huge time investment. The Yahoo KAL looks helpful too.

[Amy Artisan]

Your Christmas Eve dinner party sounds like fun. I'll be gifting some MI wine again this year as well. :) That is a beautiful color for the Fetching mitts. I'm gifting a couple of pairs this year.

For the cousins exchange, Dashing sounds great. Also, Jared's Koolhaus hat would be a great item.

For your admin - what about a beret? A quick knit & a great way to show off a beautiful yarn.

[Monica]

The dinner party sounds like lots of fun! Dashing would be a great idea. On the gift cards, have you tried Restaurant.com? They have great deals on them - like a $20 gift card for only $5. Just put in the city and up pops lots of restaurants.

[maureen]

Love the color of the yarn.
Your dinner party sounds like it will be great fun.

[Maryanne]

Sheesh - I'm terrible with gifts for guys. Sorry! Your new yarn is yummy though and it's nice to know I'm not the only one making Fetchings this year for Christmas :) Sounds like you've got some fun celebrations ahead!!

[Jenny]

Oh, I suck at picking out gifts for guys, especially if they dress better than I do. I like the dashing idea. Fingerless gloves are hot right now. You could make one a grey pair and one a black pair, then do the restaurant g.c. as a couple gift--or a REALLY nice bottle of wine instead if you can't find a good restaurant idea.

[Adrienne]

Sounds like fun, I think Fetching would be nice also. Good luck with your decision! Your yarn is PRETTY! I am so in love with purples right now!

[stefaneener]

Sounds like fun. You are such a power knitter, making gifts at the end of November.

[LizKnits]

The yarn looks great.. fetching will look super in it. Kudos to you for all the gift knitting... that takes dedication.

[Robyn]

Very pretty color. I love fetching, made a pair for myself last year out of noro. Wonder where those ended up during the move, hmph!

[marjorie]

Scarves are always good for "men" presents, if you have the time. If you can find a really special heavy yarn, it might not take long. Brooklyn Tweed knit a scarf from two skeins of Noro Silk Garden not long ago that still sticks in my brain because it is so gorgeous, and any guy would be delighted with it.

There are a few yarns that have the same names for different weights, and I hate it. Debbie Bliss's Alpaca Silk is like that. The color you picked for the cashmerino is beautiful.

[kuka]

ooooooooooh the hemlock blanket would be gorgeous!!!
Otherwise i think a restaurant voucher, or maybe if they're foodies a gourmet hamper ?(with some sauces/preserves/marinades etc)
good luck and let us know what you decide =D

[Stacey_CrimsonPurl]

My goodness you have a long Christmas gift list! I am sure whatever you get them they will appreciate it!

[lisa]

do the St. Louis guys like to cook? and what's the price limit?

[Carol]

Hmmmm. Movie tickets and drinks at a nearby place? Theater tickets?

[Katie J]

Perhaps a bit cheesy, but what about skull caps in two colors that go well together? Michael could have a gray one with a blue stripe and Tommy could have a blue one with a gray stripe?

I don't know St. Louis well enough to offer suggestions for restaurants, but you could try either Zagat.com or a Zagat guide to decide on a gift cert.

[Bobbi]

I really like that color!

Hmmm, sorry no suggestions for gifts, I feel bad.

[Dorothy]

That's way the bsetset answer so far!