15 Xmas Teacher Gifts: Homemade Teacher Appreciation Gifts

By: Caitlin Eaton, Editor of AllFreeKnitting

If you take a moment to reflect, I guarantee that every single one of you can recall a specific teacher who made an impression on you. That person did more than just help you understand Algebra, Biology and English; they taught you life lessons. For me that person was my band director; from a very young age he taught me the importance of self-discipline, hard work and how essential it was to be able to work together as part of a team. If you have a friend who is a teacher, or if you have a special teacher you'd like to thank, this collection of homemade teacher appreciation gifts is full of ideas to show that extraordinary person how much you appreciate what they do.

NEW! - If you love this article, make sure you dont miss our new back to school guide. We've got easy knitting patterns for teachers and students alike. Check out Back to School Knitting: 9 Easy Knit Patterns for even more inspiration.

15 Xmas Teacher Gifts: Homemade Teacher Appreciation Gifts

Homemade Teacher Appreciation Gifts: Pincushions

Xmas Gifts for Teachers: Easy Wearables

Easy Knitting Patterns

Last Minute Knitted Gifts

Homemade Teacher Appreciation Gifts: Pincushions

Knitted gifts are a fabulous way of showing that special teacher just how important they are to you. If you're looking for a nice project that's not too involved, any one of these knit pincushions would make exceptional gifts. The apple pincushion (pictured) is my absolute favorite. Thanks to this free knitting pattern, you can give your teacher the classic apple present, but this time that apple will last forever and doubles as cute desk décor.

Xmas Gifts for Teachers: Easy Wearables

Everyone appreciates a homemade knit scarf or pair of gloves. In this collection of easy wearables, you'll find a gender-neutral pair of fingerless mitts along with two classic scarf patterns. The Eloquence Fingerless Gloves pattern (pictured) is particularly special. Designer Mary Keenan created these gloves for one of her writing teachers based off of his latest book, Not Yet: A Memoir of Living and Almost Dying. Embroidered on the inside of these ribbed gloves are two Chinese symbols. The one on the left means "mouth" and the other "sprouting plant." When they're put together, they translate into one word: eloquence. Do you know a person who is truly inspirational? Make them a pair of these mitts to let them know that you appreciate their influence in your life.

Easy Knitting Patterns

If you want to give handmade gifts, no one ever said they had to be complicated. These easy knitting patterns are a piece of cake to complete. From simple coffee cozies for the teacher who appreciates a daily dose of caffeine, to iPod cozies for teachers in tune with technology, this collection has varied gift ideas for all types of instructors.

Are you still worrying about gifts? Stop worrying and start knitting! We've got plenty of gift ideas for you in our free eBook, A Knitter's Gift Guide: 8 Homemade Gift Ideas.

Last Minute Knitted Gifts

If you're short on time and scrambling for a simple gift idea, this collection of last minute knitted gifts has you covered. Does your favorite teacher like to read? Then knit them up one or all of the bookmarks featured in the Bookmark Trio. Customize this pattern by using you school's official colors. If you knit them up fast enough, you might even have time to craft a matching book jacket.