How do you not go broke knitting a sweater?

[jennifercp8]

I want to knit a sweater - but I will go BROKE just buying the yarn to make one! 12-16 balls of yarn to knit a sweater does not for an affordable hobby make.

Is there a secret? Any good place to buy sweater yarn without breaking the bank?

[Kayaking Mama]

The Webs tent sale in May. Knitpicks also has affordable but nice yarns.

[rhiandmoi]

Knitting is an affordable hobby compared to say scrapbooking or any other input intensive hobby. You have to be flexible with what yarns you use but Elann.com often has really good deals.

[honeybunmom]

In addition to the other great suggestions check out littleknits.com. They have good full bag sales, too.

[jennifercp8]

Thank you for the suggestions!!

I guess if I was to knit the bulk of my knitted goods out of acrylic, it is definitely affordable. I was hoping to knit with mostly wool and other natural fiber blends out of preference.

[flowers]

!

I was thinking the same thing. I was ready to move on from hats and mittens but when I started grabbing the balls (of gorgeous wool) off the shelf and I realized how much I needed I quickly ran away to figure this out!

Maybe I'll save up!

[USAmma]

See if you can find some sweaters at the thrift store that you like and can unravel them to make into a sweater and other goodies for yourself! I have never done this but as I just bought the yarn for my first sweater (for my dd) I was thinking about it. I did not even buy super good quality of yarn, but it did have some wool blended into the acrylic and it sure seemed to add up!

I have had good luck with knitpicks yarns, too.

[Sagesgirl]

Wal-Mart is my friend. (Wool & I don't get along, anyway.)

Michaels quite often has some very nice sales. Still mass-market stuff, but if yarn snobs must pay for the privelege. IIRC, they've got some nice wool-blend stuff on sale this week.

[flapjack]

It's also worth checking out yarn co-ops. Just remember, though, you're not comparing your handknit sweater with an off-the-peg acrylic one from Walmart. You're comparing your handknit sweater with anthropologie and designers- which makes it a little luxury. Not about bargains.

[Kayaking Mama]

Have you tried knitting socks? I like socks because you can get less expensive sock yarn that is still nice, or you can spend $20 and get really nice sock yarn. Plus it gives you an opportunity to try out lots of different yarns and patterns. And, for me anyway, socks don't have to be as soft and smooshy as a sweater would.

[3boobykins]

You could use Patons Classic Wool from Michael's or Joann's, which is often on sale for $4/ball. For a kid's sweater you only need about 3 balls, for an adult sweater around 5-6. For 100% wool, that's very affordable. Knit Picks Wool of the Andes, which comes in a ton of colors, is 1.99-2.00/ball, and you could easily make an adult sweater for under $30.00, probably less.

[Rhiannon Feimorgan]

I recycle yarn from old sweaters. I look for sweaters where the yarn is nice and there isn't very much wear the the style is a little...out dated.

I've also taken up spinning. I use a drop spindle which was very inexpensive (about $20 for a decent one) and surprisingly easy to use. It takes a long time to make enough yarn to build a sweater but fleece is so much cheaper than yarn. And for me it's about the process so I don't mind if my project lasts longer.

[Ellp]

You could go into spinning like a PP said. I have a wheel and can spin a sweater's worth of yarn in about a week. The wool top/roving I use costs about $16/lb for natural colours and a little bit more for dyed colours.

A pound of wool will make me 1-2 adult sweaters, depending on how thick you want the yarn.

The downside of it all, which may end up COSTING you money instead of saving it, is that you might get sucked into trying out all sorts of fibers... Bamboo, silk, cashmere etc. Suddenly going to the yarn store sounds cheap...:

[Rhiannon Feimorgan]

Originally Posted by Ellp

The downside of it all, which may end up COSTING you money instead of saving it, is that you might get sucked into trying out all sorts of fibers... Bamboo, silk, cashmere etc. Suddenly going to the yarn store sounds cheap...:

That's true!

[mamasthree]

for sweaters, check out cascade eco wool...I'm knitting Demi out of it right now and I really like it. I bought it online during the WEBS annual sale last May.

[jennifercp8]

Thanks for more great suggestions!

Knitting socks... I have some sock yarn and some patterns collected, but haven't gotten around to knitting any of them yet!

Maybe I will have to indulge my desire for designer wool into a sweater for my little man.

[ErinBird]

With my busy life, I might finish one adult sweater each year. Its something that will fit me or the recipient well, be made well, and (hoepfully) will last many years. If I need to spend $120 on yarn for the sweater so that the yarn complements the stitch pattern, suits the wearer's needs, and is a color that will be worn, thats not a bad investment.

If I only wear my current sweater project for six years, thats $20/year for a custom fit gorgeous sweater. I could easily buy a mass market sweater in a department store for more then that and have it fall apart or wear holes through the elbows in a year.

[Sagesgirl]

FYI, Michaels has Lion Brand Wool on sale for 50% off. Here it works out to 2 skeins (which I believe are 3oz each) for about $5. This is 100% wool & so will felt if you machine wash it. They also have CottonTots on sale 2 for $5, as well as an assortment of acrylics/blendds. (Cotton Tots is amazingly soft; it comes in baby colors & I think is actually a cotton/acrylic blend.)

[Juvysen]

AC Moore takes competitor's coupons, and ours at least has a pretty decent yarn selection. Patons Classic Wool is a fairly good price for wool. Once it's washed it's very soft. If you get fisherman's wool you can have fun dying it with kool-aid...

[lilyka]

Micheals has good sales on yarn. they also have 40% off coupons you can print online. you have to work it but eventually you can collect enough for your sweater. Hobby lobby also has 40% off coupons all the time.

also have you considered cotton . . . .

Knit picks is often inexpensive.