I know those blankets!! I made many of them last year and gave them away as Xmas presents. Everyone who rec'd them loved them.......I heard from several people that it was the best gift they rec'd!
I make almost all the Xmas gifts I give. One of my friends is a flipflop freak, she must have 50 pairs, I crosstitched a welcome sign that has flip flops all around the border, and a flipflop keychain, and have found her coasters and a Xmas ornament to match. I have two more of the knotted fleece blankets to give to friends this year, some handpainted ceramic snowmen, and lots of other handcrafted goodies. I make stuff all year long.....crosstitch and otherwise......and put it all into a big plastic storage box. There are some things that I know exactly who I'm making it for as I create it........and there is some other stuff that as it gets closer to the holidays, I decide then who I'm going to give it to. My husband is from a large family and I usually have no problem finding someone who would enjoy the gift!
One of my pals is into sailing......I crosstitched a bookmark with sailboats on it, attached a sailboat charm with a ribbon.
BTW, have you seen the fleece pillows (knotted like the blankets)that go along with the blankets?