handmade by stefanie

Renegade Holiday Fair, Circa 2012 Photo by Dan Grzeca Ack! It's December, and I'm hitting the panic button for my holiday gift-making! This is the point at which I have to be honest with myself and decide whether or not it's possible for me to finish all of the knit and crochet projects on my to-do list; it may be time to admit defeat and purchase some gifts! Today being Cyber Monday, this is a great time to snap up some deals online to make your life easier. If you are in the market for some knitterly gifts, Marly Bird has an extensive list of Cyber Monday deals here on her website! This is also a fantastic time of year to support other  makers, either via Etsy or by going to a holiday craft fair. I'm fortunate to live in Chicago, where we have tons of holiday craft fairs this time of year - anything from larger affairs such as the DIY Trunkshow and the Renegade Craft Fair December Market to smaller shows such as the Handmade Market or Revolution Craft Show ....

This year, the folks at Save the Children are challenging folks to Make the World a Better Place with a Sweater  on December 12, which is also known as National Sweater Day! Non-knitters are encouraged to wear their most festive holiday sweater and donate $5 to Save the Children on Dec. 12, but knitterly folks have a special challenge for this year: to knit a sweater for someone special between November 12 & December 12, which Save the Children has dubbed the Pins and Needles Challenge . Don't worry - it doesn't have to be a full-sized sweater!  Save the Children  and Vogue Knitting have provided two free knitting patterns for miniature sweaters for those of you who are pressed for time: Sweater Garland - click here for a free PDF. Cell Phone Sweater - click here for a free PDF. I myself plan to knit a few mini-sweaters using the free Sweater Garland pattern above - I think they'll make great ornaments to give as gifts this year! I'll be c...