As with last year, we’re celebrating the holiday season with a virtual Advent calendar here on the blog, but there’s a new twist. This year, I have friends joining me in creating the posts! Each day, I’ll update this blog post with a new treat under that date’s heading. You can expect to find free patterns, printables, playlists, recipes, links to favorite poems, and more.
For daily emails letting you know when the next update is posted, please sign up for the dedicated Advent calendar section of my newsletter.
And as you may know, I care a lot about making sure my neighbors are fed. That’s why I donate a portion of each month’s profits from my business to my local chapter of Feeding America. My blog is a big portion of that income each month, and December is usually a particularly good month for ad revenue. As a result, I’m committing to donating 10% of my blog’s ad revenue for the month of December on top of the existing monthly donation I already make.
Your visits to this post and all the other posts on my blog help combat food insecurity in my community. Thank you!
November 30, 2025
To kick off this year’s digital Advent calendar, I have a freebie for you that I’ve been meaning to create for quite some time. It’s a worsted-weight sock pattern designed to help new sock knitters get the hang of sock construction without also worrying about the faff of fingering-weight yarn and 2 mm needles. If you’re an experienced sock knitter who just wants some ultra thick and cozy socks, these might also be just what you need.
The pattern will be available for free on the blog through December 31, 2025. You can find it here.
December 1, 2025
Our first treat from a friend is a free pattern code from the wonderful Joy Friedman at Top of the World Knits. Joy’s designs run the gamut from simple and accessible hats to stunning colorwork vests, but her contribution to the Digital Advent Calendar hits the sweet spot of striking visual effects and soothing stitches. What’s more, this one is DK-weight so it works up relatively quickly, which means you still have time to whip one up for a holiday gift.
You can use the code CROWNYOURSELF to download a free copy of the It’s Good to be Queen Shawl on Joy’s website. The code is good through the end of December.
December 2, 2025
Today’s update is the first of a few batches of wonderful recipes shared from some dear friends. Jessica Ays is the powerhouse behind the popular Knit Happy Summit that I know many of you have attended and where I love teaching virtual workshops. Her warmth and kindness are palpable even through the computer screen, so you know her recipes are going to be a comforting bunch of goodies, too.
You can find Jessica’s recipes linked in a handy, bookmarkable list over on her blog.
December 3, 2025
Remember how last year, I mentioned that I sometimes pretend I’m a medieval nun scribbling away in a scriptorium when I’m having trouble focusing on my work? Well, sometimes my inner scribe needs a little more than just white noise to get moving.
Sometimes, we need a medieval dance party. There have absolutely been times where my friend Julie and I have been having virtual coworking sessions and I’ve been visibly grooving away with my headphones in, only for it to be the result of some dude on a lute.
Here’s an embedded, playable playlist for you.
December 4, 2025
Teresa Runnet is a familiar face to long-time blog readers who may remember her profile here a few years ago. She has also saved my bacon on more than one occasion as one of the most organized and effective Virtual Assistants I’ve ever worked with (seriously, what a gem). What you may not know about Teresa is that she also happens to design the cutest little knit stuffies.
And today, she has a new pattern out that’s free on her blog! The Little Knit Hedgehogs are a great way to use up small leftovers from your larger craft projects.
If you’d rather have a PDF version of the pattern, Teresa has kindly shared with us the discount that she’d normally only share with her newsletter subscribers. You can use the code LITTLEHEDGEHOG for 25% off, and the code will be active from December 4th – December 14th on her website and Ravelry.
December 5, 2025
Ashleigh Wempe designs knitting patterns, hosts summits, runs a thriving online community of stitchers, and is an all-around rockstar of yarn. When she first sent me her contribution for today’s post, I had myself a hearty giggle. These printable gift tags are a fun mix of sweet and salty, perfect for all the different kinds of gift-giving you’ll need to do during the holiday season.
You can find her Naughty and Nice Gift Tags right here.
December 6, 2025
As you may know by now, most of us in the fiber industry have several components to our businesses, and today’s contributor is no exception. I first got to know Whitney Steen as a tech editor, but she also a talented illustrator. Her knit- and crochet-themed greeting cards have given me some extra cheer in the run-up to the holiday season.
And for today’s treat, Whitney has sent over some desktop and mobile phone backgrounds with festive little snowmen dancing across them. Just right click and save the image you’d like to use.
If you’d like to learn more about Whitney’s process and how these cool illustrations make their way into the world, be sure to check out her blog post on vector illustration.
December 7, 2025
It’s Sunday again, which means I have another free project for you! Today’s little treat is a tutorial for using up Advent mini skeins or leftovers from socks. We’ll turn those bits and bobs of yarn into a festive pennant bunting.
You can find the tutorial over on my blog post here: Festive Pennant Bunting.
December 8, 2025
Aimee Sher is one of my friends in the fiber world who has been here since the very beginning. In fact, it was Aimee’s idea to turn the Arroyo Verde Mitts into the Creme Brulee Socks, which became one of my most popular knitting patterns ever.
And on top of being an incredible designer in their own right, Aimee is also a gardener and chef extraordinaire. I am constantly stealing meal ideas from their Instagram stories.
Today, Aimee has shared their recipe for strawberry milk tea, including the recipe for the strawberry syrup itself. That’s right, you can get extra fancy with your sweet drinks by pouring some homemade fruit syrup into them!
Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to make myself a beverage.
December 9, 2025
I’m always a big fan of using up scraps, and especially so when those scraps can make for a festive decoration. Jules Pecaut has sent over a free pattern for a charming bow that you can use to decorate wreaths at any time of the year. Use festive autumn colors for fall celebration, icy blues and silvers for winter, springy pastels when things start warming up again–what a way to make a single wreath work for your decor all year long!
You can download the PDF for the pattern by clicking this link.
December 10, 2025
Today, we have an embarrassment of riches! Lena Mathisson, the designer behind Softyarn Designs, has sent not one, not two, but three different goodies to share with you all.
If you’re looking for a good shortbread recipe or planning some last-minute gift knitting, today’s treats are right up your alley. Just right click and save whichever of these you’d like to use.
December 11, 2025
Kids’ knits are so fun and satisfying because you finish them pretty quickly, and little kids just look so stinking cute in a handknit sweater or hat. There’s just one challenge: what yarns can you use that will hold up under heavy wear, survive a washing, and not lose their shape too much?
Enter Hannah Graham, one of my favorite designers of kids’ knits. Hannah has brought us a list of her favorite yarns for kids’ knits, and it is so wonderfully helpful. If you have a little one in your life and you’re thinking of knitting them something, be sure to check out this list compiled from years of experience (Hannah has two littles of her own).
P.S. – If you’re looking for a soothing, cozy podcast, Hannah’s is one of my favorites.
December 12, 2025
Knitting and reading often seem to go hand-in-hand as far as favorite hobbies go, which is why I’m extra excited about today’s entry. Kam from Hand Knit by Kam runs an online book club when she’s not designing gorgeous, vibrant knitting patterns, and she’s read over 140 books this year alone.
Today, she’s narrowed things down to her top 5 favorite reads this year, plus a few bonus recommendations if you’re looking for something light and cheery for your holiday reading. I’ve already added several to my TBR, and I have a feeling you will, too, after checking out this list.
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