How to Knit or Crochet on a Budget
Find Affordable Yarn, Needles, Hooks and Free Knitting Patterns
Jan 20, 2009
Knitting and crochet have a therapeutic rhythm, offer the satisfaction of creating an item to wear or snuggle up in, and , as Elizabeth Zimmerman put it, "soothes the troubled soul, and isn't bad for the untroubled either". When times are tough, jobs are uncertain and budgets are tight, it can be hard to find the money to purchase yarn or other craft supplies, but if you can look beyond the luxury yarns at thelocal yarn store you should be able to find some low-cost knitting supplies. Here are a few tips to help keep craft-related spending under control.
Use Yarn From the Stash First
If you're one of those lucky knitters who has been able to purchase yarn without using it for a project as soon as you got home, you've probably got a stash of yarn in bins under your bed or in your closet. This is yarn you've already paid for, so if you're trying to keep costs down right now your stash is the best place to look for yarn.
Consider choosing a project based on the yarn you already have, instead of deciding on a pattern that calls for an unusual yarn you would need to buy. Also keep in mind that the yarn in projects that you don't ever plan on finishing can be ripped out and rewound into skeins, which cleans out your project bags and adds yarn to your stash.
Recycled Sweater Yarn
If you've got a finished sweater that is made of good quality yarn but never fit quite right, consider taking it apart to reuse the yarn. Other good places to find recycled yarn are at a local thrift store, garage sale or clothes swap. Look for sweaters made of good quality natural fibers, with seams that have been stitched together instead of serged. Take the garment apart at the seams, unravel the yarn and wind it into a skein, then soak it in cool water and hang to dry to eliminate all the kinks. Light colored yarns can also be dyed after they have been skeined and soaked, so the possibilities for color are limitless.
Affordable Knitting Needles, Crochet Hooks and Free Knitting Patterns
Finding discounted supplies such as knitting needles and crochet hooks can be a challenge, as they go on sale infrequently and good quality needles and hooks can be expensive. Thrift stores, garage sales and local listings such as Craigslist can be good sources of cheap craft supplies, but finding the exact size you need can be difficult.
If you're unable to find a second hand hook or set of needles, consider buying a new one as an investment, as you'll be able to use it again and again. Free knitting patterns are widely available on the Internet, especially on Ravelry. Another affordable way to access patterns is to borrow the pattern book from your local library, but always respect the copyright laws.
While it might be difficult at first to set aside the baby alpaca or extrafine merino at your local yarn store and search for more affordable knitting and crochet supplies, you might just find that the thrill of finding the perfect sweater to recycle or finally using that beautiful yarn from your stash is just as satisfying.
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