On the Twelfth Day of Christmas...Knit Scarves!

My mom taught me to knit when I was a teenager, and after I had knit half a scarf I promptly went off to college and forgot how to knit completely! 

Fast forward to my first pregnancy...with no children at home, and no job (we had just moved) I decided I needed to take up some kind of maternal hobby, and knitting fit the bill. Since my memories of the skill were rusty to the point of being nearly nonexistent (I knew it involved yarn of some kind...?), I went out and bought myself a kit which consisted of a how-to book, a set of needles, and some other useful little knitting tools, which I still don't know the name of. 

To shorten this long story, it took only a few sessions of scrutinizing the detailed drawings to crank out my first scarf, which ended up being a Hokie-colored creation for my Virginia Tech student brother for Christmas. After that I went on to create scarves for friends, more family members, and even my kids and my friends' kids! 

The point is, even if you don't know how to knit, all it takes are some needles and some yarn (a skein is $2.50-$6.00 at Wal-Mart or craft stores- cheaper if you can find it on sale) and a little patience with a good book, which you can check out from the library for free. If I can do it, anyone can! I have also read, by the way, that studies have shown that knitting can have the same physiological benefits as yoga. It's quite relaxing- just the cure for the stress of the holiday season!

The other point is that everyone loves scarves- I made one for my husband which he likes to wear to stay warm when he goes hunting (and sometimes I steal it out of the closet to wear because it is SO soft and warm...shh, don't tell...) and another one for my friend's 2-year-old, which she didn't take off for quite awhile. I also figured out how to make little matching miniature hat and scarf sets that I give as winter baby gifts, which are not only quite practical, but also ridiculously cute and very fast to make, as they are about one-third the width and half the length of an adult-sized scarf. 

My third point (I'm awfully pointy today, aren't I?) is the reason I decided to save this gift for last- I know that many people don't know how to knit, and this holiday season I want to encourage all you beautiful thrifty people to learn something new. It doesn't even have to be knitting- find a craft that you have always wanted to try, or just improve upon a skill you already have and use it in a new way. Just be brave and find a way to celebrate your creativity and bless someone else with a gift from the heart.

All right, I'm done with my preaching- if you like the scarf pictured above and have a little girl on your gift list who you think would just look adorable wearing it, then check back on Tuesday for a special giveaway! I will be giving away a scarf just like this one, handmade by yours truly. And you never know, in the coming weeks I may host a few more giveaways of some of the other "Twelve Days of Christmas" items you've seen...

By the way, now that the Twelve Days of Christmas have come to an end, I will resume Makeover Mondays and continue to throw out more beautiful thrifty holiday ideas. Be sure to check back often for shopping tips, decorating tips, recipes, and fun wrapping ideas! I will also be introducing a new weekly feature (I just love weekly features!), so don't miss it!

Did the Twelve Days of Christmas help you with your Christmas list? Leave a comment and share your gifting plans!