The Knit Before Christmas (A Poem About Crafting)

Written by Adrienne Chandler

In the weeks before Christmas, our knitter made plans
To craft all their presents with their very own hands.
The gift-lists were made and then checked through with care
To ensure that each person who should be was there.

A sweater for Brother with cables and twists,
Long socks for Auntie and a lace shawl for Sis,
A scarf each for Nephew and Niece in sky blue, 
And choc orange covers for the whole of Year 2.

Not to mention the decs for the halls and the door
A wreath made of super-cute characters, or,
Sweet knitted elves or a festive-themed throw,
With jolly motifs to set hearts a-glow.



A trip to the yarn store was the first port of call,
(forgetting the 12 bags of DK in the hall).
Back home in the craft room with snacks close at hand,
Our knitter casts on and is in full command.

Knitting and purling, the plans are a-go!
The stitch counts add up.
They check off the rows.

Then comes a hiccup: the pattern’s askew, 
and they’ve picked up a mauve, not the perfect sky blue. 
They’ll have to unravel four inches at least
and work out what happened with that double decrease. 

With one month to go, the countdown is on,
Serene and Calm Knitter is pretty much gone. 
They’ve been replaced by Panic and Worry,
As Crafter is trying to knit in a hurry.
Stitches get dropped, the tension is tight,
Rows are miscounted as they’re worked late at night.

Just ten days till Christmas and it’s not going great,
Only two-thirds of the gifts are in any fit state
To wrap and be given on Christmas Day,
The finishing line feels a long way away! 

Three days before Christmas, upstairs in the house,
Our knitter is stressing and starting to grouse.
“I’ve run out of time, I’m in need of an elf
to weave in my ends, I can’t do them myself.
There are simply not enough hours to go.
There are shoulders to join and I must graft the toe!” 

Then suddenly a realisation dawns (as they stretch out their fingers and stifle a yawn)
“I know how to ease the ache in my head,
I’ll give them this present next year instead!”

And now, we find Knitter, all calm and at ease,
Tucking into the holiday chocs from the tree.
The pressure is lifted, with the back-ups in place,
The frown’s disappeared, there’s a smile on their face.
OK, so not everything went as to plan,
They didn’t quite make that huge blanket for Gran,
But she’ll be just as pleased with a small knitted rose,
(It’s the thought that counts, as everyone knows.)

So, take heed of our warning and look at your plans
And ensure that your crafting doesn’t get out of hand. 
So what if not all of your gifts make the date, 
There’s no point in getting yourself in a state.
Knitting is fun, or it should be, you know! 
You should take pleasure in working each row.
Feeling the yarn and hearing those clicks
As the needles transform each and ev’ry stitch.

It is the season to relax and unwind, 
And knitting can help take the weight off your mind.
Don’t make it a chore!
Keep it fun, keep it light, 
Merry knitmas to all and to all a good night!