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There are some many options for knit gift ideas to make for friends and family, but I wanted to collect some of my favorite knitting patterns from the blog to give you some ideas of things that are pretty fast and easy to knit but also useful for the recipient.
Knit Scarves and Cowls
Probably the most common knit gift ideas out there revolve around scarves and cowls. And with good reason: these wooly neck warmers are something just about anyone can use, and they don’t really have to be a particular size to be effective.
Here are a few of my favorite scarf and cowl knitting patterns that make great gifts.
Fisherman’s Rib Scarf
This easy to make fisherman’s rib scarf knitting pattern is one of the most popular patterns on the blog with good reason.
Fisherman’s rib looks like brioche knitting (which we’ll get to shortly) but is a lot easier to grasp the basics of. It makes a wonderfully thick, squishy and warm fabric that’s great for all kinds of projects.
I gave this one to my daughter’s teach who had car line duty and I definitely need to make one for myself, too.
Want an even bigger, squishier version? Check out the Fisherman’s Rib Super Scarf I made for CraftBits.
Garter Stitch Bow Cowl
The Garter Stitch Bow Cowl is a great project for beginners who want to show off that they learned to knit this year.
It’s not any more difficult than knitting a scarf, and if your sewing is ugly you can cover it with the little knit band that turns it into a bow.
Or you can make a garter stitch scarf if you want; that’s great, too!
Mosaic Knit Cowl
A step up in complexity for our knit gift ideas list is this Mosaic Knit Cowl. Mosaic knitting is a great first colorwork knitting style to learn, and if you can knit in the round, know how to read a simple colorwork chart and can slip stitches you have all the skills you need to make this one.
I love the multicolored yarn that I used for one of the colors on this one because it makes it look so much more complicated than it is and gives the project great depth. I used Lion Brand Ferris Wheel, which has great color progressions that make any project look more sophisticated.
Candle Flame Cowl
If you want to play with lace and make a knit gift that looks really fancy but is actually pretty easy to knit, try the Candle Flame Cowl.
You only need to know how to make yarn overs and knit two together decreases for this one, and it’s knit flat so it’s pretty easy to do. Careful finishing of the seam helps to keep the pattern lined up all the way around, but that isn’t too difficult on this fabric. And the large yarn used makes this a quick project for last-minute gift needs.
Little Bag Knit Gift Ideas
Everyone needs more bags to hold little things. Whether you’re knitting for a fellow crafter who needs a place to stash small supplies, a teen who needs a place for makeup, a little kid who wants to carry a stash of small toys around…everyone can use a little bag!
Lie-Flat Drawstring Bag
This lie-flat drawstring bag is an easy project that you can make as big or as small as you like, and with any weight of yarn that you like.
A small one is perfect for travel, so you can easily see everything you stowed in it. But you can also make it big enough to be a play mat for a kiddo and their Legos.
This project does require rather a lot of I-cord for the drawstring, having a crank I-cord maker is super helpful, but not essential.
Easy Zipper Bag
I’m still kind of impressed with myself over this stash-busting zip bag. It’s worked from the zipper down, and I used both an old zipper and some yarn that was long lingering in my stash.
Because it’s worked from the open side, you can make it as long as you like (or until you’re about to run out of yarn) and then just do a quick three-needle bind off to finish the project.
It’s so cute and you can use it to hold craft supplies or any little things that need corralling.
Water Bottle Cozy
Here’s one of those knit gift ideas that might be good for the teen or tween in your life, or anyone else who is always carrying a water bottle.
This water bottle cozy uses an easy lace pattern and has a strap so they can carry it like a bag. Or make it without the strap and they still have a way to distinguish their water bottle from all the other ones out there.
More Easy Knit Gift Ideas
Headbands, fingerless gloves and coffee cup cozies are also great quick gift knitting ideas you can make for just about anyone on your list. Let’s explore the options.
Brioche Stitch Headband
If you’re ready to learn how to knit the brioche stitch, or you already know how to do it, this little brioche knit headband is a great learning project.
It’s pretty quick and easy, and super stretchy and cozy to wear. It can even double as an earwarmer when it’s cold outside.
Faux Fur Headband
Speaking of keeping ears warm, this faux-fur headband is even better for that purpose, and even faster to knit.
If you want to make it even warmer you could line it with fleece or fabric for the perfect gift for folks who live in really cold places.
Simple Fingerless Gloves
These little fingerless gloves are just about as easy as fingerless gloves can get. They have a little bit of ribbing at the top and bottom, but are mostly worked in stockinette stitch in the round.
They’re made to fit an average sized woman, and there’s lots of room for embellishment, whether you want to add stripes, surface embroidery, buttons or anything else that delights you.
Christmas Tree Coffee Cup Cozy
This Christmas tree coffee cup cozy pattern is another great one to embellish, and it gives you a chance to practice intarsia knitting, which is another great way to add color to a project.
This is one of those knit gift ideas that the person you’re gifting to might use every day in the season. Or if you want to make a cozy they can use throughout the year, just use the same stitch count but make it striped or plain.
