Gifts for Knitters: 15 Unique Ideas

Knitting "Merch"
Maybe you're a little nervous about getting your loved one anything TOO specific, because you don't know what his or her skill level is or what their collection already contains. An easy gift idea would be a shirt, blanket, mug, etc. that professes their love for knitting. Here are some excellent options.

Knitting Stress Relief Gloves
If your giftee is a ridiculously avid knitter, she probably complains about pains in her hands when knitting. An easy and inexpensive gift for someone like this would be a pair of stress relief gloves. You wear these while you knit, and they help to relieve knitting-related aches and pains. There are a few different kinds, so do your research before picking the best ones.

Blocking Devices
In knitting, 'blocking' is the process of shaping your finished project, and while it's something you can do with some floorspace and towels, it's made much easier for certain types of knits with special blockers. Sock blockers are the most common examples of these, so if your loved one knits a lot of socks, those could really come in handy. Also consider blocking mats and t-pins if your giftee doesn't already own them.

A Yarn Ball Winder
This one is on my personal wishlist this holiday season; whether your giftee knits or crochets, if he or she is working with yarn, they'll find one of these to be super handy. Winding a ball of yarn by hand is, as you could expect, a bit of a pain. I'd recommend a slightly bigger and sturdier one than the small plastic winders, since it will likely be able to hold more yarn.

A Drop Spindle Kit
If your giftee has never tried spinning her own yarn before, she absolutely HAS to. Not only might she find a new hobby, but she'll end up with a skein of yarn unlike any other in the world. It will also give her a newfound appreciation for how yarn is made. Just look for a beginner yarn spinning kit or a drop spindle kit, but try to make sure this isn't something she already owns.

A Yarn Dyeing Kit
Similarly, dyeing yarn for the first time is something a yarn lover is bound to enjoy. You could put a kit together with some white yarn of natural fibers and acid dyes, or you can buy a premade kit online. As it turns out, this is something that people love to do! Just don't be surprised if they get hooked on yarn dyeing after this gift.

A Monthly Yarn Subscription
That's right: you can pay for a skein (or three) of new and exciting yarn to show up right at your loved one's doorstep every single month. These subscriptions often include both knit and crochet patterns (or ask for your preference out of the two) and are cheaper when paid for in advance, so go ahead and spoil your giftee. If the yarn box sign-up asks you questions about her yarn preferences, take a look at the last four or five projects she's knitted to help guide your answers.

Wool Wash
While fibers arts are fun, the annoying part is that the nicer the fiber (particularly if it's made of some sort of wool), the harder the finished project is to care for. Find your giftee a nice wool wash, such as Eucalan or Soak. I'd recommend against the Woolite that you can find at your local superstore and suggest instead that you opt for something specifically for hand knitted and crocheted items so it's guaranteed to be gentle enough.

A DIY Knitting Project Kit
For this one, you'll want to find a cool knitting pattern online—something you think your recipient would like to knit—and read the "materials" section of the pattern. Purchase for them the yarn they'll need for the project, as well as any special notions (such as buttons, pins, etc.). It wouldn't be a bad idea to purchase them the knitting needles they need, too, just in case they don't own them already. Print out the pattern, package the yarn and notions neatly in a nice little decorated box, and watch your loved one beam with joy.
TIP: To save a bit of money, rather than buying a pattern, find a free pattern to print out for this kit. Use our search bar at the top of this page to look for anything you think your loved one would like to knit.

DIY Stitch Markers
In knitting, stitch markers help you keep track of where certain portions of your patterns start and end. They're almost essential, and they can be as simple as a piece of scrap yarn, or as pretty as a jewel at the end of a wire. Make it extra personal by using charms that the knitter would love, or a bead with the first letter of their name.

A Pattern Book You Made Yourself
A great option for the gifter who already has experience putting together scrapbooks or photo albums, all you need to do here is find a bunch of knitting patterns that you think your giftee would love, and creatively put them together in a binder decorated to your heart's content. We'd recommend a mix of free and paid knitting patterns in this case, both since you'll probably be making an investment in putting together the book and because paid patterns can get pricey!

A Subscription to a Knitting Magazine
One thing your knitterly friend or family member can't POSSIBLY have is 'every new pattern that ever releases.' That's where a subscription to a knitting magazine comes in handy. Not only is it the gift that keeps on giving, as they'll have something to look forward to throughout the year, but she's guaranteed to get patterns she's never seen before, since they'll (likely) be exclusive to certain editions of her magazine. We love electronic magazines to cut down on waste, so she can print out the specific patterns she wants to make, and recommend I Like Knitting magazine for incredible designer patterns.
TIP: If your giftee also crochets, I Like Crochet is the sister magazine to I Like Knitting that they're sure to love.

A Gift Card to the LYS
For the uninitiated, 'LYS' means 'local yarn store.' Your knitting loved one is probably used to making regular trips to their local Michael's, Hobby Lobby, or Jo-Ann for quality-yet-budget yarn, so spoil your knitting giftee a little bit by giving them money to spend only on nice, fancy yarn from the LYS. Plus, if she's already drowning in yarn and isn't looking to add more to her collection, she can find a neat gadget (or two, or three) or pattern book from here.

A Gift Card to an Online Knitting Store
If your giftee would rather take her time shopping from the comfort of her own home, or perhaps already has a long wishlist of yarn that she would like to purchase, you'll find she'll love a gift card to online knitting stores, such as Knit Picks, WEBS, LoveCrafts, or Jimmy Beans Wool.

The Interchangeable Needles of Their Choice
This option leaves little room for surprise, but you'll know exactly what your giftee is looking for. Ask your loved one if there's a set of interchangeable knitting needles (and wow her with your knowledge of the knitting universe) that she's been eyeing. After all, even though your knitter who has everything *probably* already has a set, it's always nice to upgrade. Just bear in mind that this gift idea can get pretty pricey.