One-Piece Slippers: Quick and Easy Pattern Made from a Rectangle
Update: the written pattern is no longer free. It was free when this article was first published; the designer now...
Free Crochet Patterns & Video Tutorials
Handmade gifts that people actually keep. This section collects the crochet gift ideas from across the site: small, finishable projects that look considered rather than rushed.
If you are short on time, look for keychains, coasters, dishcloths, bookmarks and small amigurumi, all of which finish in an evening. If you have a few weeks, a blanket or a shawl in a good yarn is the gift people remember for years.
Good places to start: amigurumi, kitchen and bath makes, scarves and wraps and seasonal patterns.