Crocheted and Embroidered Gifts to Start Now for the Holidays

After posting a story about knitted and sewn gifts to start for the holidays last week, we got a lot of requests to compile a list of our favorite crocheted gift projects and we were happy to oblige! While we were at it, we included our favorite embroidered gift projects since both crocheting and embroidering tend to be a bit quicker than knitting, but create just as special and handmade looking gifts.

Taking the time to hand make gifts makes them all the more special and can create wonderful holiday memories!

Crocheted Gifts

Joelle's Giant Granny Square Blanket is probably our all time favorite crochet project. It's so simple to make yet the result is breathtakingly beautiful.  If you start now you could definitely get it done in time to present it as a a show stopping holiday gift.  Joelle originally designed it using the incomparable colors of Koigu Premium Merino, but you could get great results with the following yarns as well:

• Cascade Heritage is a washable merino blend. It would make an affordable, colorful, and washable blanket.
• Blue Sky Royal Alpaca has a luxurious hand and comes in a beautiful and sophisticated palette of colors. It would make a splendidly warm and drapey blanket, perfect to curl up with on a cold winter night.
• Alchemy Juniper is a washable merino that comes in a vibrant array of hand dyed colors. It would make a soft, squishy, 100% machine washable blanket.

One our most versatile Purl Bee crochet projects is Whitney's Icarus Scarf. It is both pretty and practical and best of all it's simple to make. Whitney originally crocheted it in a breezy silk yarn, Alchemy Silken Straw. This yarn is luminous and smooth and comes in incredible colors. It would make a great gift for someone who lives in a warmer climate. Or for your friends and family in colder places you could crochet it in any of these great yarns as well:

• Koigu Mori is a lovely hand dyed wool silk blend that would make a warmer but still lustrous scarf.   Plus it's on sale!
• Blue Sky Silk Alpaca is a gorgeous silk alpaca blend. It has a wonderful drape and because it's 50% alpaca it would make a very warm scarf.

The Granny Square Slippers would make fabulous holiday gifts for the whole family. They are both whimsical and practical and make an especially cute accessory to holiday pajamas. Whitney originally designed them using Manos Del Uruguay Handspun Semi-Solids, one of our favorite 100% wool yarns, but you could get great results using these alternative yarns as well:

• Blue Sky Cotton is an amazingly soft cotton yarn that comes in the best colors. This yarn is a great option for anyone who lives in a warmer climate or who is allergic to wool.
• Cascade Superwash 128 is 100% Superwash wool so it would make a lovely washable set of slippers!

These Wren Handmade Crocheted Bracelets, designed by the very talented Laura Normandin, are stunning gifts because they are so delicate and beautiful. This is the kind of special little gift that people will treasure forever, and since they are wearable the gift getter will be reminded of the you every time they look at their wrist! They were originally crocheted in Valdani Pearl Cotton Embroidery Thread but would be equally lovely in any of the following threads:

• Trebizond Silk Embroidery Thread would make a stunning silky bracelet and it comes in a rainbow of incredible colors!
• Gumnut Tulips Thread is 100% mohair and would make the most fun and colorful little bracelet.
• Londonderry Linen Thread is 100% linen. It would make a stiffer and more sturdy bracelet with a rustic, matte feel.

Whitney's Fruity Trivets and Pot Holders  would make a a great gift for all the cooks in your life. They are unique and fun and will add a burst of color in any season. They might seem a bit summery but we actually think the orange version would make a wonderful hostess gift for a Christmas Party as oranges are traditional at Christmas time.

Margaret Oomen's Adorable Crocheted Rocks would make such a sweet little gift. They are so unique and original that the gift getter is sure to be blown away!  Margaret used Valdani Pearl Cotton Embroidery Thread, but you could also use any of the alternative suggestions given for the crocheted bracelets above.

Embroidered Gifts

Molly's Mother's Day Scarves are simple and fun to make and would make such a beautiful yet practical gift. These can be made with very little embroidery and sewing experience but the final result looks finished and lovely. Molly originally sewed them using Sheer Linen but if you'd like to make a warmer version you could try the following fabrics:

• Liberty of London Lantana Wool would make a warm and drapey scarf and it comes in the fine detailed prints that Liberty is known for.
• Michael Miller Organic Herringbone is 100% organic cotton woven into a soft and lofty fabric, perfect for a warmer scarf for someone who is sensitive to wool.

These Simple Embroidered Stockings are heirlooms in the making! The free pattern includes an entire embroidery alphabet so you can customize them for any name.  They are very simple to make so if you start now you could have one for every member of the family by Christmas Eve!

Hanukkah is very early this year, it starts on December 1st, so if you want to make a handmade gift, now is the time! These embroidered Hanukkah Coasters or these Embroidered Dreidel Game Pouches are perfect host or hostess gifts and they can be used for years to come to celebrate the festival of lights!

Last but not least, with only a tiny bit of time and embroidery necessary, make a lucky girl's day with these adorable Rose Barrettes made from 100% wool felt from Holland.  We used the felt bundle in Spice, but there are are endless rich colors to choose from.

Whatever you chose to make we hope you have a fun and productive gift making season!

-- The Purl Bee

Comments

[Kirsten]

Those crochet rocks rock!!! (pun intended...hehe!) I've never really seen anything like that - reminds me of the drive up to Big Sur for some odd reason!

xo Kirsten
http://triplemaxtons.blogspot.com/

[Carrie]

Wish I could figure out how to crochet.... those are some beautiful crocheted projects. The embroidery projects give me a few great last minute Christmas gift ideas.

[Becky]

Right with ya Carrie on the crochet skills! But I can embroider and knit and sew.

Thanks for the inspirations

[kristin]

if only i knew how to crochet! [i will - not today - but one day!] until then - i think i will forward these lovelies to my friends who can. i would love a crocheted bracelet for myself!

[Paula]

I've knitted for 40 years, and with one lesson, lovingly imparted by my sister, the mystery of crochet unraveled itself. If I can encourage the non-crocheters to give it a whirl, it's worth the time!

[Emily S]

Thanks for sharing some love for us crocheters!

[vanessa van dusen]

I think all of these will make wonderful gifts. and so quick to do too...
who can't love that! I will be making the scarfs. In vintage wool fabric that I have been collecting lately ! It is so awesome. I knew there was a reason I bought it!!!
Thanks for all the great ideas!!!

[cleo]

I love the bracelets but i don't crochet!!!! do you think you could make a knitted verion of those bracelets? i really like the idea/look of the linen thread. it would open up the color possibilities at such a more reasonable cost!

[Elisha]

Hello! I wanted to leave a quick note and let you know that your patterns and ideas truly inspire me! I also wanted to let you know that I have featured your dreidel coasters on my new blog, jCraft! Cheers!