It’s December 7th and you’ve been bitten by the idea of making a gift for someone (or, if you’re me, your list keeps growing and you have more ideas and projects than you can possibly make time for). But what to make?!

Here’s my go-to quick(ish) knits, perfect for knocking out while watching a few holiday movies with some coffee, hot cocoa, or wine.

1. Hats.

Hats: they’re something we all need here in Ohio with the cold and snow, and with a bulky weight yarn they whip up quick. The hat pictured I knit up back in 2014 using some worsted-weight yarn for a friend’s baby, and used less than 75 yards out of some scraps I had hanging around in my stash.

Here’s a few pattern ideas to get you going:

• Baby Heart Hat by Gilda Knits (pictured above)
• Swirly Hat by Mrs. Moon
• Leaves Nest Hat by Ruta Sab

2. Dishcloths

Back in 2008, I knit up sets of dishcloths for gifts for the holidays. 1 ball of variegated yarn, paired with coordinating solids, makes for a super cute set. Pair the cloths with a bar of bath soap, or a bottle of dish soap, and you’ve got a practical gift to wrap up. I actually knit up some for my mom and she doesn’t even use them as dishcloths – instead, she uses them like a potholder to put hot foods on to protect her table.

Here’s a few of my favorite dishcloths to knit:

• Baby Fern Stitch Dishcloth by Vaunda Rae Giberson
• Chinese Waves Dishcloth by Margaret Radcliffe
• Family Time Dishcloth by Mara Licole

3. Gloves/Fingerless Mitts

Gloves are another winter staple here in Ohio, and can be super quick to stitch up if using a chunky yarn. I like to knit up fingerless mitts, too, for those days where it isn’t quite cold enough for full gloves, but not so warm to go without something over my hands. Fingerless gloves are great, too, if you’re a photographer and need to keep your fingers free to adjust camera settings.

• Warren’s Man Mitts by Pamela Allen
• Houndstooth Check Mittens by Sarah H Arnold
• Lychee Mittens by Kage Gagnon Osborn

If all else fails, plan ahead for next year!