9 quick and easy, last minute, modern crochet gift ideas

I love giving handmade gifts at Christmas, for Birthdays, new homes, weddings and any other occasion I can shoehorn in. But the reality is that I’m not always that organised with my timings so don’t always get around to it

That last minute sinking feeling, where you meant to crochet someone a wonderful gift, but forgot, is probably more common than most of us would care to admit. Then there’s the situation where you know you want to crochet a present for someone but don’t have much time… Especially during the festive period.

Well this post attempts to dig you out of both those holes, with 9 ideas for modern crochet gifts that you can whip up in an evening or less. I’m talking about easy crochet projects that make great practical presents that people will actually use…

I’m very big on things being used, not sitting in a draw!

1. Christmas Decorations

Seeing as the festive season is coming, I wanted to start with the idea of Crochet Christmas decorations as gifts. Handmade festive crochet ornaments make such wonderful gifts which will become keepsakes used year after year!

My Festive Crochet Friends ornament pattern includes 5 characters and I couldn’t resist adding them in! Each one takes less than an hour to make and the more you crochet, the more familiar you become with the pattern, the quicker you’ll be able to make them!

Any small seasonal home decor item works really well as a gift. Pick a pattern which is simple and elegant to keep to your timetable!

You gift find more inspiration in this round up of free crochet Christmas ornament patterns.

If you want something different as a festive decoration, you could check out this free hanging star crochet ornament pattern and my little Christmas trees which is a great stash-busting pattern that you could use as a decoration or even a Christmas gift tag pattern.

2. A quick crochet beanie hat

On to more traditional, and less seasonally specific gifts now.

It’s a general rule of thumb that applies to all these ideas that the chunkier the yarn, the quicker your crochet project will work up. The less complex the pattern the quicker they work up too.

Crochet hats are always a great gift idea. They are timeless, practical and easy to make in a range of different colours and styles.

There are obviously many hat patterns on the internet, free and paid, but I’ve used some of my patterns below to give you an idea of the kind of thing that works up fast.

If you want to go quick and chunky, you could try the free slouchy Beehive Beanie Crochet Hat Pattern (pictured below). I have worn this one to death over the years and it’s still going strong!

For super speed, the Off the Rails Beanie is my quickest super chunky adult size crochet beanie to make (with an unusual construction technique to reduce gather at the crown.

That one is followed closely by the waste not want not crochet beanie hat pattern which is a great way to use up leftover yarn for those on a budget and it uses simple stitches throughout.

Because hats are pretty small, they (generally speaking) don’t take too long to hook up, so you can still make an aran / worsted weight hat in a couple of hours. For example, My Brother’s Beanie is my take on the classic ribbed beanie only with minimal gather around the crown which uses less than 200m of yarn with a 5mm crochet hook.

The Studio Bun Hat set offers a range of styles in a more textured stitch pattern, which takes a little longer but still works up in a few hours.

If you’re looking for something a little lighter weight and classic crochet with a ton of scope to play with different colors, the Granny Dot Beanie Hat is a free pattern which uses a cross between granny stripe stitches and puff stitches. It’s a fun project that also has a scarf to match, if you have more time to crochet or want to create a unique gift in two parts.

If you want to learn more about how to crochet hats, and maybe even decide to create your own, this article will tell you all you need to know about crochet hats (including a bunch more pattern examples).

3. A simple crochet ear warmer / headband

These are fantastic easy crochet gifts. They are small so don’t take long to make, even if you’re crocheting in finer yarns such as double knit or fingering weight. Because they don’t need much yarn you can rustle something up from your stash, so really are an ideal project for really last-minute gifts.

I have a couple of ear warmer tutorials which offer different styles, though there are an infinite number of crochet headband patterns on available in the internet!

For a generic quick ear warmer, you essentially, pick your fave crochet stitch pattern, your preferred yarn and suitable hook size and make a long rectangular band a couple of inches shorter than the head circumference, join it to form a loop and you’re away. The perfect gift for when you hit panic stations!

If you want some help with head circumferences, you can check out my ultimate guide to hat sizing which has the head measurements you’ll need to get started.

This twisted headband tutorial shows you how to make a twisted / turban style ear warmer and it works with any stitch pattern and yarn of your choosing. I love versatile patterns.

If you like ribbing, you can follow this tutorial for a ribbed headband (pictured below) which will also work with any yarn and hook and is a great beginners pattern.

If rib stitches are your thing then you could also check out my directory of crochet rib stitches which will give you lots of ideas for different kinds of ribbing and also explore which styles have the best stretch and elasticity. Part 2 of the crochet rib stitch directory focuses on creating a rib look with post stitches – these generally have less stretch but can still be used to great effect in a headband.

4. Crochet Scrunchies

I started making these a few years ago and they are great for using up left over yarn and making quick presents. Scrunchies and 90s vibes are all over the internet right now so these would make perfect on-trend gifts or stocking fillers.

You can make a super fast scrunchie with most yarns and a simple hair elastic using my Thank Scrunchie It’s Friday Video and Picture Tutorial.

The pattern above shows one way to crochet scrunchies but there are many variations on this.

Another popular approach is to crochet single crochets (UK double crochet) directly into a hair bobble, as if it were a magic ring almost, and continuing to increase around with regular increases to create a ruffle on the edge.

5. A worsted weight crochet cowl or snood

The same rules of chunkiness and stitch simplicity apply here as to hats (see also scarves below!).

If you want a super quick crochet gift, you might want to start with my easy crochet cowl pattern, the ‘Beginner Bestie’ Cowl. This easy pattern can be worked up in an evening, even by crocheters with only a little experience, and creates an elegant contemporary texture.

If you want to get experimental with cowls and create your own, you will find my ‘All about crochet cowls’ post helpful as it explains the different ways you can construct a crochet cowl. It also has a round up of 12 free crochet cowl patterns from some awesome crochet designers around the internet.

For a one hour cowl with a difference, check out the Free Chaucer Twist one hour super chunky Cowl.

If you want something a little bit special, check out the beautiful Jasmine stitch used for the Shifting Sands Snood. This one is a bit of a yarn eater and does take a little longer than the one hour cowls but is so worth it for the cozy accessory it creates. I gave the version pictured below to my sister to stay warm on her dog walks and it was the perfect gift for her.

For something a bit different but also incredibly warm, have a look at the 3d aran weight one-skein Connected Cowl (these patterns are all free to read on the blog btw).

These just give you an idea of what can be achieved in an evening of crocheting.

If you want to learn more about crocheting cowls and see some more pattern ideas, this post explains all the different ways you can crochet a cowl.

6. Chunky crochet scarf or infinity scarf

Okay, the last of my quick winter gift ideas is a scarf or infinity scarf.

If you want to make scarves quickly then you really do need to go to a chunky or super chunky yarn – if you want them to be long warm ones at least.

The Off the Rails infinity scarf is one of my most popular, timeless free patterns which works up in an hour to an hour and a half.

Over the years, I’ve probably made som version or other of this pattern for my whole family! They always go down well (you can also shorten it and work as a snood or cowl if you’re really pushed for time)

I also have a waste not want not crochet scarf pattern which uses yarn scraps and multiple strands of yarn held together to create a mega cozy bulky scarf. It matches the waste not want not hat mentioned earlier. Because you will be using left-over yarn for this project, you will be creating a truly unique, one of a kind gift.

It is also easy to adjust in terms of length and width to match the amount of time and amount of yarn you have available.

If scarves are top of your list, I also have an ‘all about crochet scarves’ article which explores the different way you can crochet a scarf, and what you need to consider with each approach. This will give you lots of ideas for a quick crochet scarf and has a round up of 17 free crochet scarf patterns for you to browse.

7. A crochet necklace or jewellery

It has been a while since I made any crochet jewellery but there is so much lovely, modern stuff out there using t-shirt yarn or chunky cotton.

Have you seen the range of recycled yarns from Paintbox Yarns? The big cotton (which could double as macrame cord) or recycled t-shirt yarn would be awesome for a chunky necklace.

There are many patterns for these online. I love this simple crochet choker from Little Bud Creations.

Because jewellery pieces are typically small crochet projects, you can also use finer yarns but still produce something beautiful in a short amount of time.

A broach or a pair of earrings will work up quickly using threads. I love these simple earrings from I love Knots.

8. A Crochet plant pot holder or small basket

When it comes to crochet baskets I prefer the look of smaller baskets made with chunky yarn worked with a tight tension. This helps them keep their shape and stay looking good beyond the first five minutes!

These waistcoat stitch baskets from All about Ami are just perfect examples of how classy crochet baskets can look.

Plant pots are great because the pots themselves help add a bit of structure. On top of the fact that plants make great gifts at any time of year.,

I love this Chunky Plant Pot Holder free on the Jelly Bean Junction blog. This shows how you can also use softer yarns for crochet planters (compared to baskets) because the contents support themselves.

Botanical themes and plants are evergreen (pun intended). I don’t know about you, but I love receiving plants as gifts, so this is a great way to personalise the gift of nature.

If you wanted to get really earthy you could make a basket out of garden twine held double (which is traditionally made from jute) or Rafia.

These fun little trinket or crochet gift bags can make a great handmade wrapping alternative for small gifts too.

What about crochet washcloths and pot holders?

Now, you might think that these are a glaring omissions from this list. Whilst crochet heat pads, pot holders and dishcloths undoubtedly make quick crochet gifts and are ever so useful, I’ve not included them because they don’t really meet the treat / keepsake factor that I wanted to focus on for this list…

To me, they’re a bit “Happy Christmas / Birthday, now go cook and clean up!” which isn’t quite the aim. That said, my Mum would probably love one as she used to make me knit dishcloths for my grandmother when I was a kid – the only thing I can knit. So each to their own.

You could start with the happy face cloth if you want a free joyful crochet pattern. Washcloths are a great way to practice different stitch patterns as they are essentially large crochet swatches. This makes them a great idea to try of you are a beginner crocheter looking to make a last minute gift (like me and my grandma’s dish cloths).

I would advise making them only from cotton or bamboo yarn as acrylic yarn is non-absorptive so won’t actually be practical! All of the stitches on my mindful crochet stitch round up would be suitable for a dishcloth if this is something you want to try whilst you relax.

If you’re new to selecting yarn for projects, this post will teach you what features to look at.

I hope you find some useful ideas here – now off you go for a root through your stash to see what works.

Your loved one is very lucky to be crochet worthy.

Happy Hooking

Dx