2025 Christmas Gift Knits

Happy Holidays! We are in the home stretch of the Christmas season. The stockings have been hung, the cards have been mailed, and it's time to weave in the ends on all our gift knits.

This year, I started my gift knitting early. I knew my budget was smaller this year than in years before, so I wanted to give myself ample time to make gifts that felt like little luxuries, even if they didn't break the bank.

For my sister, I made the "How Cold Is It?" mittens by Drunk Girl Designs. I've had these on my wish list for years upon years, but I never felt confident in my colorwork skills to tackle a traditional-style mitt.

I'm happy to report that these turned out absolutely fantastic, and they weren't as challenging as I had anticipated. All the floats were manageable and it was fun to watch the pattern reveal itself row by row.

Pattern: How Cold Is It by Drunk Girl Designs
Yarn: Patons Kroy Socks in Saltwater and Muslin
Needles: US 1 / 2.25mm
Modifications: I-cord cast on at cuffs
Total Cost: $5.50 pattern + $10.50 yarn = $16.00

Since I was feeling slightly inappropriate this year, I decided to make my sister's husband an equally offensive knit. Enter the "Fornicating Deer Chart" by Anne Rutten.

This project proved to be more challenging, as the doinking deer chart is only 21 stitches across and I wanted the colorwork to fill the entire hat and feel like a full scene. After much experimentation, I ended up using the trees and deer from the Baby Norgi pattern around the back of the hat.

Pattern: Fornicating Deer Chart by Anne Rutten + Baby Norgi by Wendy D. Johnson
Yarn: Knit Picks Brava Sport in Cobblestone Heather and Almond
Needles: US 4 / 3.5mm
Total Cost: $7.98

My third gift knit happened on a whim. I decided fairly last minute (December 8th) that I wanted to make my roommate a sweater vest. He's never worn a sweater vest before, but he's always cold, so I thought this might be the ideal introduction to cozy season knitwear.

Initially, I thought I would make the Humphrey vest by Astrid Kauffman. Unfortunately, the gauge on that sweater is massive and I couldn't make it work with anything in my stash, so I did some math and continued on my merry way. A few inches in, I decided I wasn't enjoying the broken rib pattern, and I doubted my ability to finish the sweater on time with so many knits and purls in each row. I decided to rip back to the garter ridges and rework the body with a stockinette-and-slip-stitch pattern instead. 

It's at this point that I think it becomes unfair to say I made the Humphrey. Instead, we'll call this a self-drafted project inspired by the Humphrey.

I improvised a breast pocket flap (not a true pocket, just a way to access the pocket on the shirt worn underneath), gave the vest a short v-neck, and finished the shoulder seams with a 3-needle bind off. For the ribbing around the armholes, I worked a couple of short rows so that there was more ribbing under the arm than there was over the shoulder.

This project took exactly two weeks to make and was finished with two days to spare. I machine washed it on a cold, gentle cycle and ran in through the dryer on low heat until it was 75% dry, then I let it air dry the rest of the way. The yarn really relaxes when washed; it becomes supple and drapey in a way you wouldn't expect from a cheap acrylic yarn. I'm off to wrap it as soon as I'm done here.

Pattern: Self-Drafted, notes available on Ravelry
Yarn: 3 skeins of Lion Brand Heartland in Great Smokey Mountains
Needles: US 7 / 4.5mm
Total Cost: $13.47

I'd love to hear about your gift knits. Leave me a comment and let me know what you've been working on during the festive season.