Love this! I am always met with the amazed look when more yarn/fibre enters the house..."But, you already have some!?!"

The cards are fantastic!

Too funny! I read it to my non-knitter boyfriend and, having loved a crazy yarn lady for long enough to know, he found it really funny. If one of your suggestions is something I like I'll be sure to direct him back in this direction, though I suspect my Christmas gift this year is probably a ticket to Las Vegas.

Good suggestions all, Steph! But I must add that paper gifts for knitters should include gift cards to yarn shops. Non-knitters, look at the labels on all the yarnshop bags stashed around your knitter's house. That's how you'll know where to buy the card.

Yarn accident! Love it.

Finally someone has summed it up perfectly! Forwarding this to my knit-receiving husband right now! Also looking forward to 24 posts in a row :) Happy knitting!

You = Amazing.

Oooh, pretty yarn! Now I'm curious - is it all for the same project? And if so, where can I find the pattern?

(Thank you, by the way, for the link to the "Oh, Deer!" mittens. I am into colorwork this season, apparently, and that pattern is now on my computer, waiting for the right yarn to present itself.)

I agree about the gift cards to a lys. My family doesn't get it, although I do enjoy the scented candles they buy me as well.

For years I have been giving this advice: Go to a yarn shop, touch and feel everything. Then pick something YOU like, in a color you like. You may then receive it back in gift form! It's a win-win!

I am, as usual, forwarding a link to this blog to my husband. Over 15 years of marriage, he has come to a closer understanding of what yarn means to me. He even has his own account at Halcyon Yarn so he can order things secretly. My swift and ball winder came from him as well as my niddy-noddy and a really exquisite skein of lace weight cashmere. But he still doesn't understand exactly how high "high stash" can mean. She who dies with the most yarn wins, right? xo

Shoot. You posted too soon. Rams and I were trying to figure out in yesterday's comments how exactly you were committing all seven of the Deadly Sins in the Fernfrost post. With Fr. Mark's help, we had it almost figured out -- but I was hoping for a little more time this morning.

For the record, Rams, Steph had all seven, because she was mad about giving the scarf away. That's Wrath, and that's a sweep.

Nice post, I really liked it and will be forwarding it to DH.

As for the yarn accident, it wouldn't be more clogs would it?

#1 on my list this year is a new knitting chair. Thanks for this list though; I'll post this on the fridge.

My favorite Kniterella is "Yes, I did make it and no, you can't return it." I just haven't had the nerve to actually attach it to a gift.

This is so brilliant, I just forwarded it to my husband!

How happy am I that I know my hubby reads your blog? Do you think he'll take the hint? Yay me!

Excellent post. My brother is always astounded that I could possibly want more yarn...maybe this can help him understand. I also especially like the part about looking at the top of the stash for advice on what kinds of things to buy. Great and witty advice.

This. Is. Classic.

Perfect summation! This is the year, by golly, that I print out the post and hang it on my fridge. Hubby already bought me a yarn club membership (I may or may not have arranged and paid for it myself and informed him after the fact) but there are still two sons who may wish to read your helpful hints!

Merry Christmas, Stephanie! (psssst: and try to stick to your plan!)

To add extra insanity, plan to spin your own yarn for the projects needed by Dec. 25. Love the blog. I look forward to every post.

I was thinking it's a clog thing, but that yarn doesn't look bulky enough to be something that big, esp. if you are knitting it for you-know-who-mas.

Is it a mitten thing?

Thank you for this! I have forwarded this to the appropriate members of my family. And I am grateful that this came out early enough to prevent any serious damage to our familial relationships ...

I had to comment! I read your blog regularly, and love it, and love the laughs (which is a wonderful gift you give to us, btw) Any way. I want to forward this to so many people. Who knew there were tags about how "yes,your gift is handmade and it is not cheap." I needed this last time I made my mother something, and she complained about it (felted slippers).(yes, I still love her and no, I don't knit things for her anymore). Great blog post!
Laurie

Thank you for helping me realize that my sudden urge to knit my brother an afghan for the holidays is not insanity but knitterly affection!

And I am going to send this to my husband right away as he's been asking for gift ideas. He's feeling especially fond of you at the moment thanks to the lovely big bowl of veggie soup he had for dinner last night...

Just made my non-knitting DH listen attentively (under pain of no dinner) to your words of wisdom ...
He didn't fidget, he didn't yawn and I swear I saw a small twitch at the corner of his mouth which may have been signifying pleasure or amusement - both are good things.

He has promised to be in attendance same time tomorrow and will be sitting comfortably
x

Classic post that is going up on my fridge!
Thank you so much!

However, I do feel the need to correct one tiny thing... That isn't an "accident." According to a friend who also happens to be an Emergency Department nurse tells me an "accident" is something that is "unexpected and a complete surprise." An "incident" is an occurrence of something that is bound to happen... For instance.. put a drunk driver behind a wheel and you would expect that there would be a crash.. It's an "incident", someone skiing down a mountain on two planks of wood crashes.. it's an incident

you (or me) going into a yarn store.. and coming out with some yarn.. expected.. incident...

Thank you, this was just the pick-me-up I needed for my day. So funny and so true! Can't wait to see what your plan is. Love the yarn!

This is going to be forwarded so many times.... Pitch perfect.

This made me laugh so much. It's so spot on! Instead of yelling about movies though, I've yelled if people expected me to drive somewhere instead of letting me be the knitting passenger.

Love that you're doing gift ideas. Can't wait to read them all and forward to the appropriate people.

You really do crack me up! Can't wait to share this with my husband.

Yay! I love these posts for Christmas, they're some of my favorite posts, Stephanie! Thank you!

I always forward them to anyone who may be thinking about giving me a Christmas gift. :)

Are you going to ask Lene for a schedule this year?

I am forwarding this to a lot of people. One question. Is it ok to throw a ball a yarn at someone when they say "Don't you have enough yarn?" or "Why do you need anymore yarn?"

Oh, pooh. Papersheep is out of that card. Plead with them to make more - soon. Love Fernfrost although in photos it's gone from pinkish, to golden to white. And the antlers in the mittens - to die for!!

I'm sorry Stephanie, but we need Knitting Stationery (not stationary, although generally we are not moving a lot while knitting. Some of us walk or may be in a moving vehicle, of course.), and "really unique" is .... well, too much. Unique is unique. Unique doesn't get a modifier.

But yeah, excellent suggestions. I'm sending this to my husband and children.

Oh, you are so great, the top section of your post made me tear up, as I sit here in my office (where I work full time writing and typing all day) icing my hands and wrists from trying to get socks done for all my special Guys this Christmas- knitting like crazy at night in between dinner and laundry. Like all of us this time of year! So much love to express in wool... so little room in our wrists for swollen tendons. :) Thank you for the support for our non-knitting loved ones, who are trying to feel the love as the twitches develop over our eyes!

Oooo! Look at all that pretty Cascade! I'm wondering if your plan is colorwork? Or lots of hats for your loved ones....

My knitting daughter needs to include this post with every knitty gift she gives this year!

I spy with my little eye some yarn for a Jayne hat? :D

love it all... You are so right.. more is not just more.. more is great! look forward to the next 24.

LOL Besides what is a definition of too much yarn.

I needed this post years ago: third-person verification for when a certain in-law told me that if she'd known I already had yarn she might not have bought me that other. Her husband roared with laughter: "I bet you don't know the half of it, dear."

Yes but. When I knitted with what she bought me (at my request after she asked for suggestions) I felt love and gratitude for her as well as the person I was knitting for. So there.

Last Christmas my husband put three skeins of sock yarn in my stocking. We've only been married 37 years and he's trained already!

LOL...yarn accident! Last night I had a swift and ball winder accident. Came home, handed them to my hubby and said, that is exactly what I wanted for Christmas, wrap it up! LOL...that is how I get it done here otherwise I end up with crazy arse gifts. ;-)

This just made my day. I, a knitter, am so going to send this to my husband who never knows what to get me :) thank you!

Perfectly explains the gift knitter to the muggles. Excellent. Looking forward to the rest of the days' suggestions. If anyone knows a physicist who can bend time and space, I think a perfect gift for a knitter would be a TARDIS. Or even just a portal from the living room into the LYS.

I edit/copy edit pasted this into an email for my family..... all of them including the 3 children...

thank you.. very helpful....

Sara

i am amazed that after 3 years reading your blog, you can still crack me the fuck up. thanks for so many smiles ms. mcphee.

When u start the support group, let me know. i am married to a gift knitter

Dear Stephanie,
You did not have a 'yarn accident' last night. You had a 'yarn orgy' - or if we would wish to be a bit more ladylike a 'yarn celebration'. Carry on! Post pictures of what you do with it.

this is an excellent public service. thank you

A double knitted rainbow? Can't wait to see new project.

Oooh pretty yarns! Can't wait to see what they become!

I may be one of the few knitters who doesn't like receiving gift yarn from Muggles. It tends to be a fiber or weight I'm not terribly keen on, and then I feel guilty not knitting it, or knit it and don't enjoy it and feel like I'm wasting my time. But I'm not quite as clever as you are--you can probably come up with something brilliant no matter what yarn you start with!

LOVE the knitting stationery. The "yo" card from tillyflop is so clever!

My husband and I hunt together (economic and relationship reasons. Please don't flame me. :o) ) and deer season started this week. Anyway, here's his response: "Yep...that's you, alright. But if you feel conflicted between deer hunting and knitting, just remember that I have several good venison recipes but none so far for fricassee of mitten."

Also a thing (well, two) to think about when it comes to yarn.

1. If your knitter is doing a "stash diet" that means that she is actually desperate for more yarn, but she cannot buy it herself because she is on a diet. Gift yarn is even more appreciated than normal.

2. Know where your knitter shops. Chances are they will know what items your knitter has been petting and then regretfully putting away. Those are wonderful gifts whether they are books, magazines, yarn, or accessories.

Julie McC at 11:43 - I think my response would be "Yes, you can return it to me but don't expect to get anything else (ever again)".

The "yarn accident/incident" looks like Fairisle and a hap shawl to me.

Yes! more yarn! The optimist in my celebrates with you!

Love, love, love this post! I am printing it out and sticking it on my fridge for some serious hinting to my family.
I laughed hard at "the top or 'canopy' of the stash".
Thank you for helping our friends and family choose gifts that knitters will love!

It would behoove the blog reader to PRINT OUT the Harlot this month and, you know, leave it lying around for the non-knitter who might be having breakfast or lounging near the coffee table. Some deft highlighting will draw the eye (Hmm, what's this important document?) of the non-knitting will-be gifter.

And hey, where's your pics of the finished Gwendolyn? I'm making one too and need to see that it can be done. When you've got a sec. ;)

LOVE the new yarn. No wonder you had an accident. And your comment about hitting the 80's, almost made me spit up my tea! Too funny.

Having been the recipient of a well-intentioned (but total miss) gift of yarn and pattern (more than once), thank you for this post. I've already instructed my favorited knitting recipient to read it and take notes.

So I copied a link to your blog, and then sent this to my husband, who has been bugging me about (a) my most recent LYS debacle and (b) christmas present ideas:

Honey -

This may help you understand me a little bit more. Every little bit helps, as you know.
http://www.yarnharlot.ca/blog/\

And if you find a guy that blogs about expensive watch cases & driving fast, I’d be interested in reading that in an attempt to understand YOU better, too.

Ooh fun! I will say that the best present I ever got from my brother was a whole heap of alpaca yarn with the accompanying threat that he would beat me up if I made something for someone else out of it. It is now the Kimono Shawl from the Folk Shawls book. He rocks, that brother, even though I know he really may have done some damage if I hadn't followed his directive!

Gillian

ps You can let folks know about the woven "knitted by ___" I have a heap and love them. They help folks tell the back from the front of a sweater...

Except for the brown, that yarn looks suspiciously like the colors I've been amassing (so far Kalamazoo and Manhattan have contributed -- and I'd still like a lavender.) Would I be right in believing you've done a test run of a matching hat lately?

Thanks for this! Like so many others, I've sent this to my husband and my dad (mom's also a knitter). They're both hopeless, but maybe this year they'll get it right. When's your post about cashmere??!?

Great colors!

If I send you my number, would you mind telling my honey that I really NEED a drum carder?

I laughed so hard at "some assembly required." I think every pattern should include those words!

It amazes me when people say I am hard to buy for. Avid knitters always have lots of gift options! Your ideas are great, and I am looking forward to the other 24!

Could we get the license plate of the yarn bus that hit you? It looked seriously and beautifully loaded!

Just love it! I'd like some of those knitting quotes as fridge magnets. Off to google, I think....

THANK YOU for the gifts for knitters countdown! What a brilliant idea! I am glad I am not the only one that has knitting incidents...also, I love getting yarn, but hate getting one skein, because inevitably, that one skein will be the only one in the universe w/ like, 40 yards on it! Uhm thanks for thinking of me, what the heck do I do with the smallest amount of yarn EVER! I already have like 400 coasters...

Holy Sheep! That's not a "small" yarn accident! That's not all for Christmas knitting, I hope?? Please tell us it's for something to unwind with once the Christmas knitting is done.

Don't take this wrong, but...I love you Stephanie Pearl-McPhee.

Oh My! i LOVED this post. The biggest grin in days!
What a wonderful idea.

Unique can too have a modifier! Even if people disagree, jeez. Not a big deal.

I looove how you ended this post. You're hilarious!

Thanks for this list! I love this and all of your posts, but I have a random question that I meant to ask you on random Monday. I was just re-reading 'Free-Range Knitter' because I had finished your latest book and came across the story describing the reverse-engineering fiasco of the baby bonnet. Would you mind posting or emailing the name of the book that the baby bonnet pattern is in. The bonnet sounds adorable and I have some new friends' babies coming into my life. Thanks.

this is great, but your description of the stash layers & the "canopy" was especially spot-on. i read it in a pointed way to my boyfriend just now... we'll see what results.

Is it wrong that I want to subscribe every so in my life to this blog for the next 24 days?

THANK YOU. For all your writing and especially for today. I thought I was ahead. I picked out the patterns, I bought the yarn during NYC's yarn crawl. As the end was in sight for my holiday knitting, my dear beloved godson evidently asked Santa for a scarf. A child in CALIFORNIA ask for a scarf at the end of November. After the hats for his mom and dad were finished and his fish hat was cast on and short rows being conquered... I love him so much there is a scarf in progress now being cursed at daily on the subway.

I just read my husband your letter. His response was, "I wouldn't even know where to start." I told him that you would guide him. No pressure by the way....

Brilliant post! :)

I am indeed knitting like crazy for the holidays. Two pairs of socks are complete, two more on the needles, and a possible fifth pair waiting in the wings which is currently a potential, planned pair of socks rather than existing in any real sense.

I had an idea for Christmas this year that I thought I'd share, as you are also a knitter and thus might also think that this is cute and fun. I am knitting socks for my Mum, Dad and sister, because they are my three favourite people in the world and because they are all knitworthy and like getting socks. (The other pair on the needles is for the husband, and is a surprise. The potential fifth pair is for the sister's girlfriend, who I haven't met yet but want to welcome into the family properly, with socks.)

About halfway through the second pair (my Mum's pair) I had a brainwave. I am going to turn my handknit socks into tiny, handknit stockings! I'll take one of the socks and roll it up, and stuff it in the other. Then I will fill the sock up with tiny, hand-picked goodies that the recipient will enjoy, so that it is like a little stocking. And then on Christmas Eve I will sneak down in the night and leave each tiny stocking next to the Christmas tree, with a little label stating who it is for. A stocking that, once you've finished emptying it of all the fun goodies, magically turns into a pair of warm, handknit socks you can wear!

I am faintly proud of myself and think maybe I am a genius. :)

Bravo, Sheila!

I've had a couple of yarn "Incidents" lately with cashmere-ish yarns for the baby I'm expecting in February! Tiny baby garment knitting interspersed with hats, gloves, and socks for the Christmas gifts for non tiny people!

Stellar community service, my dear.

Brillant! Classic! Spot on! I love this post and can't wait for the rest of them. "Some assembly required" is perfect. I am also a quilter, sewer, needlepointer (? sounds like a kind of dog),...basicaly any kind of fiber artist/craftsperso, so this applies to me on many levels. Thank you.

Ahhh, you hit the nail on the head, as always. When those around me hear that I am knitting 12 teacher gifts, they either laugh or wonder why I bother. Hell, I posted on a Ravelry forum asking for ideas and pretty much was told it wasn't worth knitting for teachers.

But it isn't about the reaction I get, because like you say, I am knitting in gratitude. I expect that the teachers, para educators, and bus drivers keep my kids safe. But more than that, when they nurture my child, know them by name, sidle up to me and say "Wow, E. is so amazing, I adore that kid". Well, they need knitted goods. They just do.

Being a knitter married to a gun enthusiast, I have a suggestion directly from the source of all things sneaky when needing to import more fiber into the house. Put items for a project into several bags from different stores. Keep project items in trunk of car. Bring pieces in one at a time over a period of days or weeks depending on observation level of others in household. When asked if you are starting something new, is that more of, now what is it...your standard response should be, "Oh this? I just needed this to finish up a project. Nothing new here." Worked on me for 20 years...

The best present my family can give me is to NOT wait until Dec. 23rd to tell me what they'd like me to knit/crochet them for Christmas. That might just lead to homicide.

Sooo true. We can never get enough yarn for sure. Loved the story.

I'm posting links to this post all over my social network. This is brilliant.

ps: That doesn't look like an accident; it looks like a welcome happenstance.

pps: Actually; you're a saint for rescuing those poor lost and lonely skeins from sitting on a shelf. Now they can be loved and petted and join a stash-family and eventually become something wonderful.

I had a stroke last year, and it REALLY put the brakes on my knitting. It takes me 5 x longer! So knit while you can, and nonknitters, you need to sound delighted!

This is wonderful!
I laughed, I cried (yarn accidents are awful) and being a knitting smartarse I forwarded this post to both parents, and multiple aunts and uncles - all of whom have made special requests for knitted gifts this year!

Love this! Forwarding this to my family and friends :-)

And really there can never be enough yarn... ever!

I heart you!

Just forwarded this to my inlaws and my husband. He at least likes my knitted socks, so there is hope. A few more posts and maybe I get the right christmas gift? Anyway I love him....

I absolutely LOVE this post! I forwarded to all of my loved ones so that they better understand (and see why I get a kick out of reading your blog posts). Since I am knitting a few almost a half dozen gifts this Christmas, it would do well for those people to read this.

Thank you! After I stopped laughing I printed this out and left it on my husband's chair for him to find when he comes home tonight.

So let me get this right. . . in the midst of aforementioned holiday knitting frenzy, you have now committed to us - your faithful readers - that you will be blogging every day for the next 24 days?

Wonderful post!!! Laughed til I cried.

I am a lucky person--my lys keeps a file box at the check out with all of our "wish lists" in it by name. So I just send the various shoppers there and say, "Consult the list. If it is on the list, you are safe". They sometimes mess up and get creative on me (I cannot for love or money wear pale yellow anything) but mostly just meekly go in and see what weird thing I am wanting this year. Of course, cashmere has been on the list since the store opened...not crossed off yet. Maybe creating a wish list for the special shoppers and pinning it to Steph's blog on the frig would help?

There is nothing I like more than spending someone else's money (read:GiftCertificate) at a yarn shop. Non-knitters should know that this can be a circular economy...as most times someone gives me this present, I go on to spend it on yarn to knit FOR person who bought the GC in the first place!

Love this - hubby will be clued in to watch for the next few weeks. I especially like the tag "just because it's hand made, doesn't mean it's cheap."
Thank you!

Thank you for understanding me. I think I'll be giving this link to everyone who might be buying me Christmas presents.

{nodding head whilst holding sides}
Trying to figure out how to get everyone I know to read this...especially certain in-laws who routinely gift horrid, cheap, mass-produced sweaters--always in size 3X -- especially annoying since I wear M or L. Grrrrrrrr

Just a minute. About hitting the 1980s layer in the pursuit of archaeology. Aren't we frequently talking to male persons here? Who has ever known a male non-knitter who understood "bulky" or "mohair". Many men I know would quiver at "mint green". Mint is a candy; green is not blue, right?

New version: if you find fuzzy green fat string, back up at least two layers.

It's exactly what your whole post says: know your audience.

Thanks for the laugh. (And Hilary, you're right: unique cannot be qualified. Neither can perfect.)

I am soooo going to post a link to this on my fb page and tag everyone of my kids! :D

Passing along your blog address to my Mom - who is a non knitter, but may need to shop for her favorite knitter (me)!

you crack me up!

You are performing a priceless public service. All knitters salute you.

Spot on! I'm sending this to my husband as an affirmation of what he already knows (but seems to forget at gift time). Case in point: A few weeks ago I told him I needed the car to take some baby hats to my LYS for a charity event. When I got back he asked, "So, what did you buy?" My reply: "I was just dropping off those baby hats!" "And what's in your bag now?" he responded. Ooh, just two skeins of the most beautiful yarn ever, of course!

And if the knitter is also a kindergarten teacher . . . feel sorry for the husband!

I love you. Seriously, I love you:)

Great ideas. I'm looking forward to the rest.
Don't forget the spinners. I wonder if I dare ask for hand carders. I'll have to research exactly which ones I should ask for.

I got myself a gift today. Yup. Cortisone, right shoulder. So I can finish the Aran sweater I'm knitting for a Christmas gift.

You won't think it's weird.

I knit beautifully (if I do say so myself) but I am sometimes disappointed with my blocking. I use wires but my edges don't look as great as yours do on the Fernfrost. If you ever have time, would you mind telling us about blocking?

I am a non-knitter who loves a knitter. From all of us to you, madam, let me say thank you for these wonderful (and highly practical) gift ideas (and the ones to come). I also promise to work the phrase, "Holy mittens!" into conversation with my wife at least once a day from here on out.

My older son, many years ago, spent his allowance buying me a large skein of bright red Christmas yarn with silver sparkles in it because he knew that I loved to knit. I think he may have been about eight years old at the time. I made myself a Christmas hat of the style favoured, we are told, by elves; and wore it every winter. His little face lit up every time I wore it, and in winter in rural Manitoba who cares a hoot about style? It was warm, and given to me with love and thoughtfulness, and who could want a better present than that?

Oh, you are so right! I work in a yarn shop, and at present, business is booming! The scarf knitters are out in droves, clamoring for the very latest ( and fastest ) in scarf knitting. Quick knits like Link and Flounce are flying off the shelves; I have customers who come in with lists! My own knitting is suffering, however. I can barely manage a few rows of my Grandaughter's Christmas stocking!

Thank you for making me feel so very not alone as I knit my 3rd Lopi tote this week. There's been some weeping and my hands are feeling funny. Of course that may be from the scarf and the socks. I don't know. It's all a blur.

Many thanks for doing a great public service.

It took years to convince my children that a small gift certificate to the LYS was the best idea for a gift, and when two children purchased the exact same colorway of sock yarn one year, they couldn't understand my elation. Odd ducks, muggles.

In contrast, another knitting/gifting memory: when my youngest niece was about five years old I made her a red sweater and matching hat in the Aran idiom. Not ever so complex, but pretty and warm. I gave it as a Christmas present with pride. She ripped open the package and declared "I hate woolly things!", threw the sweater and hat on the floor, and walked away.

Thank you for buying your yarn at the end of my shift so I didn't have time to wind it.

Hate to disagree with Carol @ 1:37 pm, but. . .that's not an accident or a calamity. That seems to be more like The Harlot's weekly grocery list, translated to yarn!

Steph, you forgot this part of yarn archeology: If the muggle's hand hits the floor, the layer directly resting on the floor is crapcrylic from an age before the muggle was born. The muggle should leave it alone, as that crapcrylic is slowly returning to the crude oil from which it came. Hopefully to be reborn as a better grade of synthetic fiber a few thousand millenia from now.

I laughed through the whole post! Really good! I have the Kniterella cards. I think that they are brilliant! You know what we knitters from the Great Montreal Area would love for Christmas? A visit from Yarn Harlot in 2012! ;-) No kidding ;-)

Amen and thank you. I've linked your letter to my blog. Couldn't have said it better myself!

Thank you Thank you.
I am sharing this with all I will get gifts from so they'll understand my mantra " All I want for Christmas is YARN, YARN,YARN"

Yarn is never more beautiful than when it is still in the skein. Got to buy lots more skeins!

Oh I foresee a colour gamp of some sort, on that floor loom... At least, that's what I'd be doing with that lovely yarn.

Great intro to this series. I am sure I will discover a few things I never even knew I wanted. If I'm lucky, my boyfriend will find them, too.

Hmmm the yarn "accident" looks a lot like the colours we used in your colour knitting class...did you get a brain worm at Port Ludlow? I think I did.

Arghh, stupid iPad...sorry for the multiple comments

Surely one of the 24 coming days you will suggest this: a nice pen with a cord attached so you can fasten it to your knitting bag or chair or basket, whatever and only with some difficulty removable. Writing pads are nice, but every time I change a pattern according to my specific size while I am knitting I have to hunt for a pen, somebody (leprechaun maybe, well, that somebody who makes things get lost) took of with my pen and I give up writing down the change and well, I forget what I changed and how and next time I have to do the figuring out all over again. Or maybe there are writing pens with a "whistle and I will answer" app;-) like keychains.

I'm wondering if Hilary is an english teacher or an editor??

I SO love this blog post! Hilarious!

Forgot to mention: the same goes for cardmakers, people who spent at least fifteen minutes( up to more then an hour) to make a nice Christmas/birthday/anniversarycard, searching for the right theme for that particular person, putting all their love into that card. There are also people, I am told, who buy 50 cards for five dollars in less then two minutes, just writing adresses whitout even looking at the pictures. Cardmakers love new stash too, maybe an advertisement paper of the particular shop you bought a gift card for them would make that present just a little bit more particular or add the webbadress if it is not on the card.

I'd like to translate this post into Russian for my blog. Can I? I know, my readers will appreciate it.
Thanks in advance.

Holy Mittens indeed ... the yarnharlot has made my day ... thanks SO much and I'll stand you a beer [or two ...] when you're next on this side of the pond

When it comes to the spinner in your life, there really is no better gift than the Fiber Binder Club from Dyed in the Wool.biz. Every month, a new natural fiber to try out.

I just learned to knit this year (at the grand old age of 45) and got 2 knitting boks today (birthday girl!). I'd just like to thank you all for everything I've learned from this post and its comments, particularly the excellent method of smuggling new stash additions into the house. I shall be practising this a LOT.

I'm going to have to embellish on your "yarn accident" But honey "I fell into a Yarn Store and had a yarn accident"

Ahh, you make me have knitterly smiles,..wishing you Happy Knitting and fruitful yarn accidents for the coming year.

Hilary -- And yet some would say that in a contest between usage and civility, civility should win.

I so adore this post!! I'm going to send it to my fiance in hopes that hearing this same idea from another person will make me seem less crazy. And GREAT knitter gift ideas!!

I read you, but I think I have only commented once. This though? I've just sent this to my family and friends. Perfecto.

Haha! This all sounds very familiar, I'll send it to my boyf. as fair warning.

Who reads a post and corrects grammar and spelling? Wow.

Anywayyyy... love the post - Fernfrost is so beautiful that I bought the pattern and intend to cast on right after Christmas. Thanks Stephanie!

Just what I needed. thanks for the pick me up.

You should have endorsment deal- and a brand.

Bloody brilliant! I am sending this link to my husband who just last night said "I don't want to get you more knitting stuff because you already have that."

I can't wait to read more!

That 'accident' photo looks surprisingly similar to the one I had two weeks ago.

Any Canadian suppliers for knitting gifts? I like to shop locally if possible.

The Kniterella gift tags are some of my favorites...I bought some this summer, and can't wait to crack them out for Christmas!

I bought my own knitting present this year. I made a list. My husband looked at it, shrugged and handed me cash (I was already half way through the online checkout.)

It should arrive soon, but he won't let me touch any of it (even to give it a loving squeeze) until after Christmas *sigh*

RIGHT ON!

HA! Rams, you're my hero!!

Dear Stephanie,

Thank you so much for the extreme, but silent laughter I'm experiencing while reading this post. I'm "LIS" (laughing inside) since I'm in a quiet workplace at the moment.

I hope to become a Knitter (just a dabbler right now) and your writings and photos have been an inspiration to me. The humor, however, may put me over the edge into a full-blown knitting life change extravaganza!

Thanks again,
Jill

someone just came to check on me to see why I was sitting alone in my office laughing !

I've been sending this fantastic funny post to my husband and non-knitter friends. Also, ignore my previous request for book information. I think I found the hat in one of your old blog posts.

Hrm, that yarn, it looks familiar, I mean the colours... It reminds me of that stripey baby sweater you mads. When I saw the baby version, my first thought was, I want that in my size!

So curious to find out what it's for!

Also, you are Brilliant. And I will be sending my husband here for advice. ;)

a super post, but i kinda wish the 25 ideas were going to be divided among, say, 5 posts so i could print them out and hand them to my kids before they've finished their financially constrained shopping. one has massive college loans; the other is grandperson to 10 adorable pit bull pups who are eating like wolves.

i'd never tell them "don't buy me anything," because we all need to feel the pleasure of giving. but i sure like having options to offer them.

ah, well -- i can print out the later posts (or excerpts) and hand them copies around nov. 20 next year.

and speaking of gifts, it would be a great gift to central indiana to have a springtime visit from the yarn harlot. you will be greeted with tasty local beer and endangered species chocolate.

(hey -- there's something to add to the remaining posts: CHOCOLATE to fuel one's favorite knitter's/crocheter's efforts!)

Am sending your blog link to the men in my family straight away. Whether or not they have the wherewithal to read it remains to be seen. I have my doubts. And the yarn accident? Well, s*** happens.

I also loved the post and read it aloud to my husband. And as to the accident/incident and how much yarn is too much...one of my brothers has a wonderful saying, "If some is good and more is better, than too much is just about right." Love reading your stuff!

Ok, loved the post!! I really was a fan of yours but do not have as much energy as you so have tried to stay away from your post so I could get some knitting, spinning, weaving and working done plus support our household! I am the knitting etc half of the 2=1 fan from Seattle.

What great gift ideas! I love them all.. and your little swatches... I like them both, but I think I like the little stained glass effect just a tad more, and I can' wait to see what it's going to be when it grows up.

My husband complains about the gnashing of the needles around the house (those are his words), but a few years back he handmade me a christmas tree ornament--a ball of red yarn, crossed with green, with two very small knitting needles sticking out of it in an X. He had to grind regular needles down in a pencil sharpener. This is how I know he still loves me.

I've asked for a Nantucket Crochet Bagg (I gave my husband the link so there can be no mistake which one I want). Thirty pockets!

Yes!!! Last year my daughter not only gave me the stitch markers I asked for, but she also bought me sock yarn! I think I'll send her a link to this post...

"Holy Mittens" Love it! I think that could become a catch phrase. How about "Holy Mittens, Batman!" A Priceless Post.

As the husband of a knitter. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. This holiday I just may get it right.

Actually, if my husband burrows deeply enough to find mint green chunky brushed mohair, he has tunneled into the wrong house, but I think he will stop when he hits concrete.

Love it with the black - looks like little multicolored sheep tushies with their backs toward us. Hope it will be mittens.

Love this need to forward to my husband!
Thank you!!!

What is the yarn? I can't read the label and the colour and soft appearance are killing me with envy! Also is there somewhere we can find the stitch pattern, I think it is simple and stunning appropriate for both genders. Right now the only members of my family who get knits are the girls and my Grandpa because I can whip out things that they love quite easily.

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