Falala 2010 Pattern #14: Santa Lucia doll

I missed Santa Lucia Day (December 13th), but we can get ready for next year by making this adorable Alan Dart doll now. And Starboy comes along, too! [Ravelry | Alan Dart]

If you want to be Santa Lucia yourself, try this lovely candle crown (much safer than the real thing!), free from Sara Swärd. [Ravelry] It would also look great as a centerpiece.

Falala 2010 Pattern #13: Modern Garden Cardigan

If you are a moderately speedy knitter, I bet you could knock out one of Veera Välimäki's adorable Modern Garden Cardigans before the holidays. I love her modern, minimalist sensibility, and the cardigan cleverly has all shaping in the lace motifs. Knit in bulky yarn, and coming in five sizes, this is a great pattern for gifting (or keeping for yourself - what about working it up with two strands of Dream in Color Starry for some New Year's bling?). [Ravelry]

Falala 2010 Pattern #12: Elise mitten

With the rain and the wind roaring outside today, it seems a perfect time to think about stranded mittens. And Johanne Landin's Elise mittens are so pretty! I have one (1) almost-finished Selbu-style mitten almost finished, but it may have to stay in UFOland a while longer, once I choose two yarn colors. [Ravelry]

Falala 2010 Pattern #11: The Miss Flitt series

Beth Hahn has written and illustrated three of the four planned books of her Miss Flitt series, a 19th-century mystery with knitting patterns. Her watercolors are lovely, and I hope to collect them all soon (there are both PDF downloads and printed books). I love the whole shebang and am having a hard time selecting just one knit for you. For a quick project? The Annabel Lee Neck Cozy or the Amity Capelet. And for something that will keep you busy a little longer, perhaps the worsted-weight Emma Cardigan. [Ravelry | Miss Flitt]

Falala 2010 Pattern #10: Izzy Wellington

I have a thing for knitted toys (see Matryoshka Japonais) and for dressing up dolls. Thank goodness I have two girls! And Anita Wheeless's Izzy Wellington is just such a doll. At 18" high, with dress and dancing slippers (all felted), she is ready to be admired and played with - just like dolls are meant to be. [Ravelry | blog]

Falala 2010 Pattern #9: Kimono Wrap Cardigan

I'm not sure when I started reading Hilary Smith Callis's blog, The Yarniad, but I've been reading it long enough to know that when the Giants won the World Series, she would be over the moon. And I'm pretty sure I've been reading it long enough to have seen her simple, elegant Kimono Wrap Cardigan when it was something she just knit up. These days she is designing lovely knits for KnitPicks's Independent Designer Program and Tess Designer Yarn, as well as the lovely (and popular) Citron on Knitty (another great knit you should add to your queue). Sized from XS-3XL and worked in a Worsted weight yarn, you might be able to squeak this one through before Christmas.[Ravelry | KnitPicks | blog]

Falala 2010 Pattern #8: Brigade

Something for the guys, you say? How about Brigade by the talented Todd Gocken*. Knit up in Cascade 220 (sooo many color possibilities!), this would be a handsome sweater for any man in your life. And what about that handsome model? [Ravelry | blog]

*I had the pleasure of attending Franklin Habit's Photographing Your Knitting class with Todd some time ago.