Is it too early to mention Christmas? Well, it is 1st November so Christmas is next month and I’m happy to start talking about it – I hope you don’t mind.
Over the years I have crocheted and knitted so many gifts for Christmas that I’m in danger of repeating the presents or even boring the recipients! So in recent years I’ve started to change my gifting and, like many people, I’ve been driven by a desire for sustainability. Unless someone has told me expressly what they would like then I prefer to buy something useful, frequently consumable, and as far as possible ecological, often meaning no plastic. This means my crafting has been relegated to gift tags, embellishments and reusable gift bags.
Would you like to join me in making gift bags this year? Gift bags is the theme of the Advent CAL which I plan to run this year.
The CAL will start on 3rd December to coincide with the start of Advent and will run for 10 days. Each day for 10 days I will present a crocheted gift bag. I have designed 6 new bags and will include 4 existing patterns in the CAL. Many of the bags can be made with leftover yarn and many can be made in an evening. All of the bag patterns will be free from the time of presenting on the blog until the end of the CAL (midnight GMT on 13th December).
Most of the bags can be made in DK or worsted weight yarn (they make up quickly!), but some very pretty bags will need fingering/sock weight and beads. Of course you can adapt any of the patterns to other yarn weights provided you use an appropriate hook size.
In the meantime, would you like to make a start on wrappings by making some crochet gift tags? I have a couple of free patterns to share with you.
First is the mini snowflake, designed way back in 2015! Pattern here.
Then the Quick Decorations, designed in 2018. Pattern here.
The lovely thing about crocheting gift tags is that they can be used as decorations by the recipient!
Until the CAL, happy crocheting xxx
Agrarian Artisan 