So, you have a knitter in your life and you want to spoil them. Maybe it's a Secret Santa gift you are looking for - maybe it is the love of your life you are hoping to impress. But what to buy them? What would make a great present? Fear not, I have some really great ideas for you.
The Yarnistry shop on Etsy has some fabulous wooden laser cut badges that let people proudly declare their love for spinning, knitting, crochet or yarn. Continuing with the theme, Marissa Thereze has fair-isle button sets that I think look really cool.
Stitch markers are great stocking fillers or Secret Santa gifts. If you search on Etsy for "knitting + stitch markers" you will find themed sets on everything from Alice in Wonderland to zombies. Personally I quite like this set of Green Man themed markers and these markers that will not get tangled up in your knitter's project.
In the whimsical section, you can buy knitting-themed tea, a cute sheep print, or a car sticker warning off potential yarn thieves.
You can buy yarn for well under £5, but you rarely get enough to make anything substantial or the yarn isn't the nicest. However, one ball of Drops Kidsilk is enough to knit a scarf (my Florence pattern is free to download from Ravelry) and it is quite, quite lovely. West Yorkshire Spinners Aire Valley DK is a great yarn and Woolly Wormhead's Rainbowret pattern (free on Ravelry) would look fabulous in one of the variegated shades.
Knitters love small project bags in which they can store & transport whatever they are working on. I really like this Woodland bag from QuincePie and this contemporary project bag from The Stitch Society, but search on Etsy for "knitting + project + bag" for a spectacular range of project bags. Tote bags are also a huge hit: try Knit Long And Prosper for geek chic, Every Week is Wool Week for Shetland knitting enthusiasts, or Cake Lovin' Yarn Rubbin' Tea Gluggin' for the giggles.
Namolio does seriously stylish accessories & notions. This fabulous linen needle book (which stores sewing needles) also comes in a version with hedgehog buttons. I also adore her linen/crochet badges and stunning pincushions.
Does your knitter like to read? Clara Parkes' Knitlandia is a beautiful and funny love letter to the international knitting community. How about something else for the home? TillyFlopDesigns has this gorgeous Oh! How I'd Rather Be Knitting! tea towel, Debbie Bliss has some rather splendid knitting-themed mugs and Skein Queen sells cute lavender satchels that help ward off yarn-munching moths. Finally, knitters use SOAK to wash and finish their knits.
Yarn and pattern-wise, you have a wider choice. My Lindgren mitts (Ravelry download; not free) take 4 balls of Drops Lima. A skein of Malabrigo Worsted will make a Fuego hat by Justyna Lorkowska (Ravelry download; not free). You can buy a ball of self-patterning sockyarn (always make sure to buy 100g!) or some handdyed Pokemon-inspired yarn for the geek in your life. Sock designer Rachel Coopley has launched her own sock yarn: check out Socks Yeah!
Knitting jewellery can make for an incredibly thoughtful gift and comes in a variety of styles. Knitting jewellery can be anything from this knitting basket brooch to this laser-cut necklace. YellowBearWares make pieces from recycled knitting needles - this red bracelet is pretty and leaves room in the budget for other things. You can also buy knitting jewellery kits. I like this striking green beaded necklace kit by Mahliqa. The independent dyer Kettle Yarn Co sells this shawl pin on her site. If you'd rather decorate the tree, Gabi Reith offers a really nice "knitted mitten" decoration which she will personalise for your knitter.
Beautiful kits (pattern and yarn packaged together) include a traditional Fair Isle hat from a Shetland yarn company and a contemporary colourwork hat from Scotland-based designer Kate Davies. Ella Austin designs quirky toys with a retro flavour: her Tawny Owl kit is really cute but explore the rest of her shop.
Speaking of yarn, the world is your oyster. Yarn is one of the best presents a knitter can get. There are a truly dazzling array of yarns and it can be difficult to figure out what to buy (and how much!) if you are not a knitter yourself.
Independent dyers and small yarn companies produce some of the nicest, unique yarns around. You often only need one 100g hank from them to make a pair of socks or a small shawl. For subtle and delicate shades, try Eden Cottage Yarns' Harewood 4ply, Skein Queen's Lustrous. For deep jewel-like shades, I really like the silk blends from Travelknitter and DyeNinja. Cool and contemporary design? Explore EasyKnits' Dusted Dreams series, Scotland-based dyer Rusty Ferret and London dyer The Wool Kitchen. Should your yarn be single origin-esque with proven provenance? Kettle Yarn Co makes the exquisite Baskerville 4ply, designer Ysolda Teague has launched her first yarn with the beautiful Blend no. 1 (pair it with her Newhaven hat pattern), Tamar DK from Blacker Yarns is just lovely, and Daughter of a Shepherd is yarn that can be traced to one single clip.
And if you'd rather gift something that can be worn immediately, witty t-shirts abound: The World's Okayest Knitter, Francis the Alpaca, Knitted Spaghetti and around 32,000 other tshirts.
Gifts over £25 for the knitter in your life? Apart from combining some of the items mentioned previously (and what a special treat that would be!), one of the best ideas would be to get a gift certificate from a local yarn shop. Not only does your knitter get to go on a shopping spree but it also supports the local knitting community. You can also look into gifting a space on a workshop - a day out learning new skills and meeting fellow crafters is a great experience. Check your local yarn shop for more details.
Needle sets can be pricey but they are a fabulous gift to give an intermediate or advanced knitter. KnitPro Zings are great everyday needles while the KnitPro Rosewood interchangeables set makes for a really luxurious gift. I'm personally a big fan of ChiaoGoo Red Lace needles. Sock knitters will love the Hiya Hiya Bamboo DPN set.
Kits range from intricate colourwork garments from Alice Starmore, a classic yoke jumper from Marie Wallin to a vintage-style jumper from Shetland.
Finally, I'd suggest giving your knitter the gift of time. If you are feeling extremely generous, you could look into knitting holidays (France, Scotland, or Iceland), but a cheaper - and equally nice option - would be a weekend without anybody to disturb them (and throw in a selection of awesome teas/coffees, food items, and knitterly goodness as mentioned above).
I hope this inspires you to give a lovely present to the knitter in your life - whether it is a cheerful Secret Santa gift or a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Happy holidays.