3 Best Last-Minute Gifts from Quick + Easy Knits

✓Let the Interweave Knits Winter 2024 issue transport you to a winter wonderland of cozy knits! This remarkable edition features 14 extraordinary projects to immerse yourself in the uniqueness of specially crafted yarns.

If you’re planning to knit gifts and finish them by the end of the year, it’s crunch time! Time to wrap up your WIPs as soon as possible. If you haven’t even started knitting yet, it’s time to reassess your gifting plans. (I recommend a nice gift card.) But should you have your heart set of giving handmade gifts this year, despite only having 10 days left in this year, it’s time to check out these three quick and easy knits.

Agate Hat by Krista Ann

Woman wearing a handmade knit hat — The Agate Hat is super fast and a great way to use leftover yarn.

Everyone needs another hat, right? When the weather is cold, it keeps your noggin warm. If you’re in a warmer climate, it’s a cute accessory. The stripey Agate Hat is both a fun, fast knit and a great way to use up worsted-weight leftover yarn. You probably have odds and ends from other projects in your stash; you don’t even need to go out and buy yarn for this handmade gift!

Rubellite Mitts by Krista Ann

Handmade knit fingerless mitts — The Rubellite Mitts are a perfect last-minute, one-skein project.

Fingerless mitts are a fabulous handmade gift no matter the time of year. As Our Lady of Perpetually Cold Hands, both “energy-efficient” heating and overzealous air conditioning make my hands cold. I often wear fingerless mitts to keep me warm while typing or reading. The Rubellite Mitts are a great one-skein project that you can knock out in no time. And again, no shopping needed—you probably have a lonely skein of worsted-weight yarn in your stash that would work beautifully to make these.

Calcite Pillow by Hannah Rose

Pillow lying on its side on a chair — Worked in a bulky yarn with no shaping, the Calcite Pillow works up in a jiffy.

This homebound holiday, make a handmade gift that your loved ones will see and use every day: a decorative pillow! The Calcite Pillow is worked in bulky yarn, so it’s a speedy project. (If you don’t have bulky yarn on hand, try holding two strands of worsted-weight yarn together.) The color blocking makes this an easy-to-customize project. Go for a bold palette to add a pop of color to their living space, or go for a gentle, soothing neutral for a calming vibe.

You still have time to make a handmade gift — cast on one of these projects today!

Happy Knitting,
Laura

Originally published December 21, 2020. Updated December 10, 2021.