knit one, spend two

I've been in a knitting sort of mood.

Maybe it's the 100+ degree weather we've had of late that's making me dream of cooler days, or the new knitting recruits I've drummed up,

or maybe it's just my insatiable need to be constantly doing something with my hands, but I've been itching to knit constantly these days. And as I finish a project, I'm instantly ready for another one. I scour my knitting magazines, search the web, and flip through books until I find the pattern or yarn that makes me swoon.

The only problem is that knitting is NOT an inexpensive hobby. Needles aren't bad, but the yarn...oh the yarn! Well, the good yarn anyway. Those prices are not for the faint of heart!

Exhibit A...

Aren't they adorable? And so simple and easy to make for babies. Here's the description:

These hats have a timelessness and a delicacy that put me in an old attic kind of mood. They seem to already have a story. Imagine: a huge steamer trunk, a dusty tuxedo, a playbill, a crushed patent leather pump, and, on top, some carefully folded tissue paper. Hidden among the folds, these tiny hats wait to be discovered for the next generation of babies born.

I know that there is a really good yarn salesperson person behind those words (and a challenge to use the word "playbill" in a yarn description, no doubt), but since hats require less than a skein of yarn (usually), and since I am a hopeless romantic, it does peak my interest. It looks absolutely luxurious! So I looked up the cost:

How many would you like?

Louet

Mooi

CONTENT: 15% bison, 15% cashmere, 70% bamboo

WEIGHT: 50 grams

LENGTH: 350 yards

GAUGE: 7-8 stitches per inch

SUGGESTED NEEDLES: US 2 - 4

Price: $51.00

 

 

Seriously?? 

 

 

Exhibit B:

 Aren't they awesome? Jessica wanted me to knit these for her, so we looked up how much the yarn would cost...

$100. For. a. pair. of. socks!

I know I could probably find a less expensive substitute, but there really really really is a difference! The truth is, when I started knitting it was purely for the psychological benefits. I didn't necessarily like knitted objects, per-say. Toilet paper cozies and sweaters with kitten motifs never really spoke to me--from a fashion standpoint, anyway. But once I started seeing stuff like this...

And this...

And this...

I thought, "you know...this knitting thing could really catch on for me." But the thing that makes that wonderful fabric drape so nicely is the YARN! Yes, at $10-$20 a skein, it does make a nice fabric.

But it looks like my stash will not be growing too big any time soon. Ah me...Christmas isn't too far around the bend.

the end.

p.s. because I feel the need to defend the humble toilet paper cozy:

That sushi roll is pretty cool. Though I do think I would have emptied out my garbage before posting this one on flickr. Just saying.

I feel no such obligation to defend the kitten sweater.