It doesn’t have to be large, intensive or expensive…

I think every Christmas I slam myself for not being on top of things.  How I wanted to work up lots of smaller crochet items to give away at a moment’s notice, or wished I’d gotten other things finished on time.  I bet many of you feel the same way too. 

When I think of the real reason behind Christmas I feel we need to be a bit more lenient on ourselves.  It’s really not about the gift-giving.

But it doesn’t mean we need to stop and forget it either.  Often it’s the small token gifts that bring great pleasure not only to the recipient, but us as well.  And it’s the meaning behind the gift that says; “I’m thinking about you and wanted to give this to you simply because…” 

This is where planning ahead can really benefit for next year.  Make a small list – don’t get carried away, maybe you don’t even know your mail carrier and the newspaper boy probably is no longer a boy on a bike anyway, but an adult in their pick-up driving by at 4:00 A.M.  And the owners of the storage place where you keep your Christmas boxes; you pay the bill online every month and outside of a quick wave as you pass the gate, that’s, that. 

Instead, list the people you truly would like to gift.  Now that the number is reasonable, plan what to crochet for each.  Remember, it doesn’t have to be large, intensive or expensive.  Pairing a crochet bookmark with a book is a wonderful gift.  Crochet potholders for someone you know who loves to cook – maybe your hair dresser or pet groomer who takes the extra time with your fur babies. 

Think quick projects such as:

•             bookmarks (paired with a book)
•             potholders/hot pads (paired with a favorite recipe)
•             small doilies
•             wine bottle covers (they’re great for covering bubble baths or gourmet oils)
•             sachets
•             candle covers (paired with candles)
•             tissue covers (paired with a romantic comedy movie on DVD)
•             teapot cozy (paired with a variety pack of tea)
•             casserole cover (paired with an Italian dinner to include the pasta and pasta sauce & bread sticks)

Now decide on a time table, picking months where there are no big holidays or special occasions so you have the extra time to work up several gifts. Don’t try to work everything all at once, but find different dates that work best for you.  Place your goals on the calendar with the name of the item you’ll crochet and the intended recipient. 

 You’re set to go!  You can find many patterns on CrochetMemories.com for each of the items listed above with a variety of designs to choose from! 

You may not have noticed, but its raining pattern packs and pattern booklets! There are a variety of pattern packages available to choose from. I think my favorite are the gift sets like:

Sparkling Diamond or

Pineapple Treasures for the Home.

Now if you’re looking for Christmas projects, my favorite are:

Teddy Bear Winter Collection

and Pineapple Lace Christmas.

But there are plenty of others to choose from! Where can you find these little hidden treasures? Check the left menu tab and look under “Other Categories” and select: “Crochet Booklets/Packs” and start browsing!

Happy Holidays!