Knitting on a budget
Much of what I do (including knitting) is on a budget. That is part of the reason why I had to become good at doing my own alterations and making my own clothes. I can't afford to shop in luxury shops (where smaller sizes are easier to find) nor can I pay someone to alter things I find at Walmart. That would be silly anyway.
Buying enough yarn to make an outfit can quickly add up to more than the cost of an outfit bought in a luxury store, which defeats the purpose. There are some strategies I use to stretch my stash dollar:
1) Try to make do with inexpensive yarns. The advantage of these is that they are often also easier to maintain. I am a working woman and if I can't throw it in the washing machine, it's not really workable. I wish they made baby yarns in adult colors.
2) Thinner yarns are hard to find and usually expensive to buy. And yet they make for more stylish outfits as they are less bulky. It takes more patience to make an outfit with these and that may be a reason why they are not as popular. Patience, I have. I sometimes buy the standard Red Heart worsted weight yarn and then "unspin" it to obtain a thinner, 2 thread yearn instead of the bulky, 4 thread yarn. As a bonus, you get twice the length! But that does take a looooong time and is a rather boring activity. It's OK while watching anime or Korean dramas.
3) I recycle my outfits. Things get outdated but most importantly, I get tired of them. We all do and that is the reason why we go shopping! When I feel like wearing something new, I unravel an outfit I haven't worn in a long time because I grew tired of it. I then iron the yarn to make it straight and restore the luster and reuse it for a new project. A tip here: set the iron in its resting, vertical position and run the yarn across it. Actually ironing the yarn can overstretch it or flatten it too much.
4) Along the same line of thought, I find sweaters at thrift stores made with a yarn I like. I check at the seams to make sure that they are made with continuous thread, spend my 5 bucks and voila, I have a dress or a set.
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