I hate to mention the C word so early, but when you’re crafting, I’m afraid it has to be done…
Those of you who’ve been reading my blog for quite a while might remember back in 2016 I challenged myself to design and knit one Santa sack a day from December 1st to the 24th and post each pattern daily.
Not only did I (just about) keep up with the challenge, I tidied up my patterns after Christmas and published them as an ‘advent calendar’ pattern of 27 Santa sacks.
Every year since I’ve found myself knitting a few Santa sacks using scraps of yarn.
These little Santa sack patterns have proved themselves extra usable, because knitting with different plys of yarn gives different size Santa sacks with different uses.
4ply
Approx 7g wool needed per sack
- Advent calendar
- Tree ornaments*
- Christmas gift wrapping
- Christmas bunting/garland*
- Dolls house Santa sacks
Double knitting
Approx 10g wool needed per sack
- Advent calendar
- Hanging from mantel piece at Christmas*
- Christmas gift wrapping
- Christmas bunting/garland*
- Filled with a few chocolate coins for school fund raising.
*If used decoratively, the Santa sacks will look best if they are stuffed lightly with toy stuffing. They can also be filled with herbs and spices to add a delightful Christmas scent to a room or popped inside a parcel.
Aran
Approx 20g wool needed per sack
- Christmas gift wrapping
- Hand warmer covers
Chunky and Super Chunky probably use more than you have in scrap amounts, but I confess I do have balls of yarn I’ve only used a small amount of, so maybe you do too. Plus most sacks use more than one colour and the amounts I’m quoting are total weight used for each sack.
Chunky
Approx 36g wool needed per sack
- Christmas gift wrapping
- Party favour bags
Super Chunky
Approx 65g wool needed per sack
- Christmas gift wrapping
- Christmas ‘stockings’
- Small hot water bottle cover
Right now I’m setting off knitting nearly a whole set – challenging myself again to knit one a day. I’ll be posting them on Instagram. And while I’m thinking about Instagram if you don’t and you’d like to follow me on IG, you can find me @dartmooryarns.
If you like the idea of using your scraps, click on Kate or Gun(first two names in the list below) and join us on the 15th of every month – or just those months you feel like joining in. Here’s a list of both frequent and occasional Scraphappiers (?) if you want to see what everybody else is doing.
Kate, Gun, Titti, Heléne, Eva, Sue, Nanette, Lynn , Lynda,
Birthe, Turid, Susan, Cathy, Debbierose, Tracy, Jill, Claire, Jan, Karen,
Moira, Sandra, Linda, Chris, Nancy, Alys, Kerry, Claire, Jean, Johanna,
Joanne, Jon, Hayley, Dawn, Gwen, Connie, Bekki, Pauline and Sue L.
I do remember your Santa Sack challenge – I loved it! As to your thought on it being too early for the C word – It’s only too early if you are putting up the decorations and going shopping 🙂 As you know I’m already designing my Christmas cards – when we hand make stuff for Christmas it has to be thought of ahead of time. Last year I got really crazy and started in June as I handmade all the gifts for everybody. This year I’ve eased back on the throttle and have only just made the slow card design start and work on a poncho ……. But I’d love to find the time to make some little Santa sacks ……..
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Don’t worry, I’m nowhere near putting up the decorations and I’m trying to make all I can without going shopping.
A poncho sounds fun.
Hope you can find some time for Santa sacks. Do share if you do xx
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Cute!
Eek, you’ve made me think about C*******s now 🎅
I think a lot of people will get crocheted face scrubbies this year as they are quick and look cute in a printed wrap. Add a bar of hand made (not by me) facial soap and who could complain? That’s as far as my planning has got.
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Just read your scrubbies post, so now I have them to make too!
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Yes that’s fine Bekki 😃
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Thank you.
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Your santa sacks are just lovely. You have given me a timely reminder….
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Aw! Thank you. Times does fly. I’m feeling ahead of the game at the moment, but no doubt will end up scurrying to get sorted for Christmas last minute as usual.
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Ooh yes, thanks for reminding me! ❤ I must go get my book out. They are so lovely to make and your knitting patterns are well written so even a new knitter could follow them 😊 Last time I was making them with my handspun which is very fine; I fancy trying chunky yarn next.
Xxx
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Thank you so much. That’s such a lovely thing to say. Would you mind me quoting your comment about my pattern being well written. Someone else said how pleased they were with the accuracy of my patterns and I was thinking it would be good to add a couple of quotes to my pattern page.
I know how disappointing it is when patterns aren’t well written/are full of mistakes and, although i know we all make mistakes and I may do so in future patterns, I don’t think it’s fair when people pay good money to sell them patterns that you haven’t done your utmost to ensure are well written.
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Oops, something weird just happened and it put my reply further up the comments! I said it was fine to use my comment 😃
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Hello. I spotted your reply, but thanks for making sure i got it. And thanks for the permission again.
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These little bags are so cute! I can see why you made so many for an advent calendar. I’m sure they are a favorite tradition around your house. It’s definitely time to start those projects! —Tracy
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Hi Tracy. Thanks for commenting.
Glad you like the Santa sacks.
Yep, bring on the Christmas crafting!
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I am planning for a Christmas craft fair in November, so was going through my patterns. Your sacks were there and so cute, I plan to make a few for the sale. Good to know how the yarn weight affects them!
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So pleased you want to include some of my Santa sacks. Good luck with your prep. Look forward to reading about your preparations.
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Thanks! Yes, I love the little sacks! I will surely share the prep and results. 😉
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🙂
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Extremely cute! One could go a little crazy and decorate an entire tree with these. Fortunately, or unfortunately, I can’t knit, so I’m safe from this particular addiction, but it’s a really good way of using up scrap yarn, and a great ScrapHappy post!
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Hi Kate. Thank you. Maybe one day i will be able to entice you into learning to knit 🙂
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I think my brain is too lame these days… I find it hard to make anything stick that I didn’t learn before chemotherapy scrambled my brains. It’s not the physical process, I can knit plain and purl, it’s following any kind of pattern! Too, I don’t have much need for knitted items in this tropical climate. Still, it might be worth a try…
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It’s hard when health challenges/medication affect our abilities, but always worth having another go at getting our brains to work they way they used to – sometimes it is just a matter of time…
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The problem’s seven years on now and is unlikely to resolve, but perhaps persistence will pay off!
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A friend of mine had a ‘permanent’ concussion in 2011 from a fall from a horse. She could hardly cope with anything until she started going in a bariatric chamber a couple of years ago. Saw her the other day any she’s amazing. So maybe even seven years on persistence will still make progress. I hope so – our brains are amazing things xx
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The nearest one to here is a 4.5 hour drive away… I suppose it’s worth asking my medical insurance if they’d pay for a couple of sessions. Perhaps I could try dictating the pattern as an audio file. I seem to absorb information better for complex stuff if I hear it.
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Shame its so far – but yes worth an ask.
I’d definitely try the audio file. I do think if you can shake things loose in one way then sometimes find it easier to do in another way because of that shaking loose – if you see what I mean.
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what a happy, thoughtful scrappy project. And you have given me the nudge to get started – at least thinking about it.
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Hello. Thanks for visiting and commenting. Didn’t realise I was going to inspire so many people to get going for Christmas. Good luck with your Christmas makes.
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So nice to see these again, and so many different ideas and designs. They definitely have so many uses. I think they are a must have in any house, specially around the Holidays.
🙂
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Thank you. That’s so kind xx
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Hopefully this will be the year I make some of those little sacks. I feel much more confident in my knitting and I reckon I can manage it!
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I reckon you can. There are a couple more basic ones you can fo first before you get onto the harder ones and, at the end of the day if it goes wrong, you can alway frog it and start again. I do love that about knitting, even though I’m a reluctant frogger!
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I don’t do Christmas, but I might make some birthday gift sacks with some scrap yarn to compliment the fabric ones I made a couple of months ago.
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Yes, they don’t have to be for Christmas – which sounds a bit like the Fogs Trust slogan! 😉
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These are darling. What a great idea!
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Thank you 🙂
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What a wonderful and cute project! My kids would love to recieve these. I like Kate’s idea to decorate the tree and ‘The Snail of Happiness’ mention of a birthday sack. Yet two other uses for this project. 🙂 LOL. Yep. You are right that we must consider the ‘C’ word earlier than normal when it comes to crafting, sewing, etc. Nice project!
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Thank you. Glad you like them. Maybe I should write a book 101 uses for Santa sacks 😉
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