
The Value of Hand Knits
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.