Supporting your knitting habit doesn't have to cost a fortune. Believe it or not, it's possible to knit frugally and in an eco-friendly way at the same time. With a little creativity, some planning, and access to the Internet, knitters can save money while knitting responsibly.
Ways to save money on yarn
- Knit scarves instead of sweaters. Most serious knitters know how frustrating it is to find a beautiful yarn and at the same time realize that using it to make a sweater would cost a small fortune. Just because it's expensive doesn't mean that you can't enjoy that gorgeous yarn. Instead of making a sweater, consider knitting a scarf instead for a mere fraction of the cost. Or, if you really want to use it in a sweater, find a creative way to combine it with another yarn so that you don't need to purchase as much.
- Look for great deals on yarn. There are some great yarn bargains on ebay. A word of caution though - it's generally best to stick to yarns with labels so you'll know exactly what you're getting. If you find something you like, be sure to take a look at the seller's other items too. There's a good chance that the seller will have something else you like, and you can save money by combining shipping.
- Recycle yarn. Give new life to some of those outdated sweaters hiding in your closet by recycling the yarn. Or, if you're really adventurous, find sweaters at yard sales or thrift shops and unravel and re-use the yarns. There are several excellent articles online that describe in detail how to do this.
- Exchange yarn with other knitters. Consider letting go of yarns in your stash that you're not likely to use by exchanging them for other yarns at a yarn swap. These are often held locally, but are also done online.
- Be creative with leftover yarns. It's amazing how much knitting you can do with leftover yarns. Mix colors and textures, either by design or necessity, when you don't have enough of the main color for that scarf or afghan. Entire projects can be made from yarn "scraps."
- Manage your stash. Resist the urge to start new projects until you've finished existing ones. Decide how much of a stash you're going to have and then promise not to buy yarn for a new project until you've used up or gotten rid of a similar amount of yarn that's already in your stash.
Ways to save money on patterns
- Find free or low-cost patterns online The list of places to find free or low-cost knitting patterns on the Internet is virtually endless, and new patterns are being added all the time. If you're really tech-savvy, try eliminating the need to print your patterns by accessing them online from your laptop or smartphone while you're knitting.
- Swap patterns with other knitters. Even with all of the free patterns available online, there are still beautiful patterns that come with a price. Rather than buying them all, why not swap printed patterns with other knitters? If you've already gotten your money's worth out of those pattern books or magazines that you're holding onto, trade them for new-to-you ones. Or ask a friend if you can borrow a book/magazine they've already purchased.
- Visit your local library. Depending on where you live, you may be able to find great knitting books at the library, especially if you're interested in older or "classic" patterns.
Using yarns made from recycled products
It may not always be less expensive, but you can also help the environment by buying yarns that are made from recycled products. More and more yarn manufacturers are finding creative ways to use waste products to create some very nice yarns. For example, try yarns made from soy (made from the waste of tofu manufacturing), sari silk (made from the leftover silk fabric used to make the beautiful saris worn by Indian women), newspaper (cut into very then strips and twisted to make yarn), and plastic grocery bags (cut into very then strips), to name a few.
There's no limit to how creative, thrifty, and environmentally sensitive your knitting can be. Enjoy the journey!
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