I was given an amazing Danish knitting book: Mere Feminin Strik by Lene Holme-Samsøe. The Ravelry photos do not do it justice – it is well-conceived, clever, and luscious. It is split into four sections: ‘plain’ knitting, textures, cabling, and lace. Each section has garments as well as accessories showcasing the theme. The attention to detail is evident on every page and I really like how wearable the designs are. I have a couple of must-knit garmentss such as the stunning Cecilia which is knitted top-down and Lily, a bottom-up garterstitch cardigan, but I’m pretty sure I’ll be knitting some of the smaller pieces too. So far Mere Feminin Strik is only available in Scandinavia, but seeing Holme-Samsøe’s first book was snapped up and translated by Interweave Press, I’d be surprised if this follow-up book wasn’t given the same treatment.

ETA: Interweave Press will be publishing a translated version in 2012 – thank you to Carol for the info – she’s the translator!

Overall, though, we did try to give presents that would not only please the recipient but also support people we know and love. This included presents from Gabrielle Reith’s Small Stories range and t-shirts from SevenHundred. I was also very humbled to see many people choosing to gift one of my patterns to friends over this festive period. Thank you!

Things are already in motion for a very lovely 2012 – I hope to catch with myself, you and everyone else before the clock ticks over, though.

And I ended up making some things that I well and truly love.

A Christmas pudding pin cushion for L.

The pattern is by Freddie Patmore, but I do not think it is available outside Rowan Christmas workshops? I used oddments of Rowan Pure Wool DK for this one. I used toy stuffing for the top and added a tiny bag filled with rice for a bit of added weight at the bottom.

The construction of the holly leaves is really clever, by the way.

I never thought I’d be one to knit novelty Christmas puddings, but we learn new things about ourselves all the time, don’t we? This was actually so much fun to make that I also made one for myself using Rowan Fine Tweed! I’ll try to get a photo of that later..

I made three Christmas baubles for P.

I used Balls Up! by General Hogbuffer (this may be a pseudonym!) as a template, but I did deviate quite a bit as the styrofoam balls I used were significantly smaller than the ones used in the pattern.

The yarn? Oddments of sheepy Shetland type 4ply. Needles? 2.5mm.

The first bauble took an evening to make as I had to figure out my own modifications rather than work straight from the pattern. The next two baubles took significantly less time, although I was still using colourful language towards the end when the styrofoam ball was inside the work-in-progress and I had to work decreases on tiny needles. Again, hands did suffer in the making of these objects!

I absolutely love these – I think they look amazing – and if I had had any more styrofoam baubles, everyone would have received these. I think this is something I’ll make again – possibly for my mother next year and definitely for myself.

(Of course taking these photographs was another eye-opener for any neighbours who had forgotten my quirky ways: “Look, dear, the lady from next door is off the rails again. She’s kneeling in the snow with her camera fixed at something knitted.” They will learn someday.)

I also made something for E. but she refused to open her gift before Christmas Day..

I have divided the guide into three sections: Gifts for New Knitters, Gifts for Experienced Knitters and Whimsical Things.

Gifts for New Knitters

• A nice pair of needles with some nice yarn is always welcome. I recommend buying a set 4mm (US6) bamboo needles such as these or these. These needles go with double-knitting yarn, a common yarn type in the UK. For a funky scarf, two balls of James C. Brett Marble DK would be plenty, a blingy version would take two balls of King Cole Galaxy DK and a really luxurious version would take three balls of Rowan Baby Alpaca DK.
• Why not give your New Knitter a class in a local craft shop to help her skill up and meet fellow knitters? Here in Glasgow, The Life Craft offers great introductory courses on how to knit among other things. You would have to check the directory for your area, but most UK cities have similar places.
• Books! You will want to find a book that has cool patterns which are not too daunting. Sarah Hatton’s “Ten Simple, Cosy Projects” is a great little book filled with totally achievable patterns. You could combine the book with yarn for one of the projects and suitable needles.
• Most knitters love gadgets no matter their skill level. A New Knitter will love finding anything from a knitting gauge or a sheepy measuring tape to fun little project bags or stitch markers (available in all shapes and sizes from fun ones to very stylish ones).

Gifts for Experienced Knitters:

• Speaking of gadgets, a ball winder is top of most Experienced Knitters’ lists. Gift it together with an umbrella swift and you would be the best gift buyer ever. Other Experienced Knitters’ gadgets include sock blockers (available as a cute keyring too!) and blocking wires. You might also consider fun little project bags or stitch markers (available in all shapes and sizes from fun ones to very stylish ones).
• Experienced Knitters will already own a lot of knitting needles, but they can never have too many – especially if they like to work on many different projects at any one time. KnitPro is currently the brand to be seen using and luckily KnitPro caters to all budgets. On a tight budget? KnitPro cable needles. Able to spend a bit more? The KnitPro Starter Set would be ideal. In the mood to spend? The KnitPro Deluxe set is your answer.
• Yarn! If you want to give your Experienced Knitter a real treat, consider buying her some handdyed yarn in her favourite colour. I love Old Maiden Aunt Yarns, but you should also take a look at Juno Fiber Arts, Nimu Yarns and EasyKnits. One hank of yarn is enough for a project, but consider buying two if your budget allows.
• A subscription to a popular knitting magazine is really a gift that keeps giving. One of the most popular UK knitting magazines is The Knitter whilst Interweave Knits is a very popular US magazine. UK yarn company Rowan also offers a subscription which includes two magazines, membership newsletters, and discount on UK workshops.
• And speaking of which, workshop vouchers are a great gift. Many yarn shops offer advanced classes on finishing techniques, sock knitting and a dozen other topics. Booking a class directly may involve some sleuthing, so go for a voucher if you are unsure.

Whimsical Things:

• How about jewellery made from knitting needles?
• Shawl pins will be welcomed by most knitters who have tried to wrap themselves up in a pashmina or shawl only to re-wrap themselves five minutes later.
• Fact: knitters love buttons. Textile Garden and Bedecked specialise in luxury buttons. Why not make a little bag with a selection of stunning buttons?
• You can get a lot of jewellery aimed at knitters such as earrings, brooches and necklaces.
• Tote bags. A godsend for a serious knitter on her way to knit night. Yarn Play Cafe has a huge selection of fun tote bags aimed at your own personal bag lady knitter.
• Finally, you could always succumb to getting a t-shirt made. There are many design out there so you are sure to find something suitable.

I hope you found this guide useful. And I also hope you will make a knitter very happy this Christmas.

All links work as of December 5, 2011. Please note any postal deadlines relevant to your location.

(and speaking of holiday specials..)

Then again, some Danish Christmas traditions do not translate at all:

Quite apart from that, I’m hoping to get the last of the Christmas baking under way this week: vanilla rings, shortbread, brown biscuits and pepper nuts. I have a hankering for klejner as well, but I’ve never been able to make any that taste half as nice as my Auntie Annie’s..

Any cross-cultural Christmas traditions in your home – or any unusual Christmas traditions for that matter?

PS. No Christmas knitting for me this year. I have too much on my plate as is!

This entry’s by request..

Starting on the fourth Sunday before Christmas, Danes will open so-called “advent presents” and light a candle in their advent krans (I have not made an advent krans since the year one caught fire in my Copenhagen flat and nearly burned down the house). The presents are usually small – I have been known to find novelty socks in my parcels.

However, my gran has obviously decided that a “small present” equals giving me 11 (ELEVEN) balls of yummy DK-weight superwash wool in a rather fetching shade of red. She’s included a pattern for a yoked cardigan too. I have three more parcels to go. I dread to think what she might have come up with. Incidentally David found a handknitted beanie in his advent present. I seem to spot a theme..

(Sorry about the ’80s feel about this photo – it was the best I could do in order to capture the colour)

The advent calendar is a variation upon a theme. When I was very young, I would get a julekalender instead, much like the one Linn is blogging about. Twenty-four tiny parcels, one for each day leading up to Christmas. The presents were tiny – maybe a pencil or a piece of chocolate – but they served their purpose. I got out of bed on time and I kept track of how many days I had to wait until Christmas.

Linn mentions something which I really miss here in Scotland: the calendar candle (not to be confused with the advent krans). One candle with numbers 1 to 24 clearly marked and each day you burn away one number. Just before December 1st, you make a “juledekoration” to really display the candle (I have fond memories of going to the woods with my family and finding materials for these things) and then each night as you are having dinner or tea, you light the candle. The trick is to get the right size candle so you do not burn away the numbers too quickly or slowly.

And the final way of counting the days? The televised yule calendar. Yup, twenty-four episodes of a special Christmas children’s show with one episode shown per day. It’s usually about how Christmas is in danger for one reason or another.. You’d get a royal version with princesses and Christmas gnomes,one taking place in Greenland, a puppet version, a 19th century version and, well, one for the grown-ups (all YouTube links and, yes, Danes are very fond of singing..)

Any particular Christmas traditions in your family or in your culture?

Until now.

Just look at those POTHOLDERS! Yes, fair isle potholders with traditional Scandinavian Christmas motifs (a Yule Pig! a Yule Buck!) with crocheted edgings! I’m terribly excited by these super-Scandinavian potholders and I have the urge to buy some Rowan Handiknit Cotton right this minute!! Exclamation Mark!

(Sanity? What sanity?)

My gran also sent me various craft kits for Christmas decorations. It’s a bit early for me to get crafty but I predict that next Saturday will be spent at the dining table with scissors and superglue. I’ll be making kræmmerhuse (stitching not included) and julehjerter whilst scoffing gran’s peppernuts and IKEA’s pepparkakor. And Dave will be somewhere else because he always bit nervous when I go into full Scandi-Christmas mode.

Unrelated: stay tuned for a finished object. My Byronic Percy Shawl is currently blocking and it’s very, very pretty (and very orange).

That’s me, Christmas 1980. I got a little bike for my doll and also an ace jigsaw, if I remember correctly.

This year I hope to find some wool and a few books under the tree. Mostly I hope to have a very peaceful and relaxing Yuletide with my loved ones. I hope the same for you (bar the wool unless you’re a knitter).

And the new stars will go straight into a certain little box.

Danes love doing these paper stars for Christmas. You can find a tutorial on how to fold the stars here. I will doing some Danish woven Christmas hearts later this month as well.

Thank-you for your well-wishes. My left arm is not doing well and I’m thinking of getting it X-rayed if it continues being this painful. And thank you to David who helped typing the last entry (and who has hovered over me tonight).