Many knitters often hear, “But you can purchase that at Target for $12.”  A relatively common protest from non-knitters when they find out how much yarn costs, or they look at a price tag on your knitwear at a craft show.

True Value

If you’re a regular reader here at QueerJoe, you know I’ve been working on a relatively simple cardigan for myself…nothing crazy…just a v-neck cardigan.

The other day at our local flea market, one of the women who sells used clothing had piles of clothing on her table (more than usual) and I picked up this sweater for a dollar.

The sweater is a very similar color to the sweater I’m knitting.  It also has two pockets that are nicer than the pockets I knit into the body of my sweater.  It came monogrammed with a “W”, which is the first letter of my last name.  It also has a Princeton University shield on the back of it and I grew up and live near this beautiful college town.  It fits me perfectly.  It’s warm and looks good on me.  It’s in exceptionally good shape for a used garment (doesn’t seem to have been ever worn).  I like it a lot.

Does paying a dollar for a sweater at the local flea market devalue my handknit cardigan?

Not in the least.  How do you value the pride of having designed and created a piece of clothing with mere yarn and needles?  Getting to choose the gauge of the fabric for my handknit sweater, so that it is perfect for wearing in an air-conditioned movie theater or for a quick jaunt to the grocery store makes a handknit even more valuable to me (the $1 sweater is 100% acrylic and a bit more warm than I really wanted).

And would you really compare enjoying a day of fishing (if you enjoy fishing) with the price of fish at the grocery store?

Current Knitting/Cranking

The first sleeve is still in progress on the Silky Wool Cardigan and I finished the twin sock on Gerty yesterday as well.

Finn insisted on being in the photo…oh, and I also sewed up the hem lining on the sleeve.