To continue our series of posts of holiday gifts for knitters that aren't needles or yarn, we recommend slippers.

Every knitter needs a new pair of slippers. Yes, slippers. As much as a knitter can knit and felt a pair of slippers for herself, there is nary a knitter out there who wouldn't enjoy a pair of fuzzy slippers to wear around the house on a cold rainy day while he/she knits. And for you Canadian and East Coast knitters, there are just some days where hand-knitted socks aren't enough to keep your feet warm.

Check out some of these slippers available from endless.com.
(The links are affiliate links, which help support our website. Many thanks for your support if you click on them).

These are the cutest. slippers. ever. Paging Nutmeg Knitter.


$67.95

I love these Dearfoam slippers -they look like you might have knitted them and when someone says "oh wow, did you knit those?" you could say "uh no I didn't, but don't they look like I did?". They come in a variety of colors besides boring gray.

$21.95

This the hi-top version version of the slippers above, also made by Dearfoam, in case you don't like it when your ankles get cold. I think the pom poms are a very nice touch, especially for the holidays.

$29.95

I love these fleece slippers with the concentric multicolored dots. There's something about the colors against the brown that really pops that appeals to the same part of me that loves the many colors of yarn. It makes me go squee.

$34.95

I like these slippers because the colorway is called "smokey tweed" and we all know that I love anything with the word tweed in it.

$44.95

What are you looking for this holiday season? What's the best gift you've received that's tickled the knitter in you that wasn't yarn or needles.

It's been a long time since I've done an Etsy Shop du Jour and it's because I've been waiting to show something truely special. Also, I've been working a real job and that eats at my blogging time :(. But enough of that, please take a look at the vibrant sock yarn produced by Three Fates. It looks sturdy and colorful and like something I want to see in my holiday stocking. Somebody page Mr. KnitLuck. Thank you.

You may need a napkin to clean up the drool...

Hey there knitters, just wanted to let you know that I've updated my "best knitting books for beginners" page. If you're looking for a couple of knitting book recommendations for the holidays, definitely check these knitting books out. I think I need to add some sock books and lace books to the list.

What are your favorite knitting books? What's the best one to come out in 2010? Let me know in the comments.

A few weeks ago, I took the opportunity to check out Artfibers's new location on Sutter Street in San Francisco, and I was not disappointed. The new location does justice to the wonderful colors and textures of the Artfibers line and the proximity to Union Square makes it an absolute must visit for knitters traveling to San Francisco.

The new location has ginormous windows that fill the space with light.

Both ends of the space feature floor-to-ceiling windows, which makes the space feel wide open, and welcoming. This further encourages you to touch, investigate and knit with the yarns they have available, which wisely reinforces Artfibers's policy of letting you test out yarns before you buy. It's a policy that works because it's a strong-willed knitter who can try out these exquisite fibers without making a purchase.

The layout of the yarns encourages you to explore and play in ways you haven't since you were in preschool.

There are three rows of waist-height displays, each showing the yarn in various forms: in skeins, knit up in swatches, and as finished garments. These are paired with individual reading lamps so that you can see how the yarn looks in both natural and artificial lights. Seeing all the possibilities for each yarn invites you to try it out for yourself, which you can with one of the tester cones.

The round table and surrounding chairs say "sit here and knit"

Have you ever been to a yarn shop and they have a table and chairs, but you weren't sure if you were allowed to sit there? Well, at Artfibers, it seems pretty obvious that you absolutely should sit and knit with their yarns for a moment.

The staff are welcoming and knowledgeable.

When I visited, I met Roxanne who was helpful without hovering and was kind enough to pause while winding a cone for a customer to ring up my sale.

It's around the corner from Fluevog Shoes.

There are some knitters who will find this an irrisistable temptation to visit both Fluevog and Artfibers. In fact, for some it might just be the best part of their vacation. Aside from these two awesome stores, this neighborhood is one of the more fashionable areas for San Francisco shopping. There are lots of alleyways with great eats, Cafe de la Presse is nearby, along with the world-famous Gumps department store and the Crocker Galleria. The Banana Republic Flagship store is across the street.

It's a fantastic spot to people watch and knit.

The table and chairs for knitting are next to the ginormous windows, which overlook Sutter Street -a great street to watch fashionable shoppers, San Francisco workers out for lunch and lost tourists.

You can try out the yarns.

The whole store is set up to encourage you to pick up some needles and knit. They have plenty of needles for you to use and each yarn has a testing cone for you to take to the knitting table.

You're likely to meet other traveling knitters from around the world.

When I visited, I met a woman traveling from the East Coast. The location is in an area where there are lots of hotels, and tourists out shopping. Knitting being the social hobby that it is, once you sit down to try out the yarns, it's a great way to connect with other travellers and knitters to learn about the hottest spots in the city. Artfibers, being the San Francisco institution that it is also draws a lot of locals, who can share with you their favorite haunts.

Artfibers
266 Sutter Street
San Francisco, CA
www.artfibers.com

Do you have favorite places to visit that you'd like to share? Have you been to Artfibers -what did you think? Let me know in the contents.

In the coming weeks, I'm going to be featuring gifts for knitters that aren't yarn or needles. Cool things that will make knitters go oooooo!

Today we have the Baaa Humbug Sheets from Garnet Hill, which I may buy even if my husband made a funny face when I asked him "how do you feel about novelty holiday sheets?".

$28-$88

Yes Dear, I want sheep sheets.

From Garnet Hill:

This "sheepish" flock is dressed for the season in wooly scarves, hats and socks!

I've written about Alexandra Walters before, because I am a huge fan of her work. Alexandra is a needlepoint artist who hand dyes her own thread to stitch cultural icons, reflections on mental illness, and images of the American military. Alexandra posesses the rare abillity to encourage viewers to re-examine the everyday without having to shock them. The offset placement of her portraits within the frame juxtaposed against their fabric backgrounds lead me to consider my place in the world and how objects and icons shape my perception of myself. My favorite thing about Alexandra's work is how personal it is, how intimate it is while at the same time exploring conflicts that affect humans universally.

The group blog that she takes charge of: "Meet Me in the Day Room" is well worth following. It's a great place to get updates on Alexandra's work and to learn more about innovative needlecrafters. Please visit her blog to see all of Alexandra's work, her latest pieces featuring Batman and Wonder Woman are not to be missed.

Here are my favorite art works by Alexandra Walters:

There are many more pieces that I love, but if I post them all here, you have no reason to visit Alexandra's blog, which I strongly encourage you to do.