Expensive habits

[mamarhu]

This last weekend DD and I went to a "Flock and Fiber Festival". We learned much from demonstrations and conversations, petted many adorable llamas and alpacas, bought some lovely yarn, and generally had a great time.

But, tonight it occurred to me that I got the materials for a knitted hat had that cost nearly $40, and $18 worth of alpaca wool for a pair of socks. A pair of SOCKS! The rest of the year, I buy socks at the dollar store, and hats, if I ever actually buy them, come from Goodwill. Years of careful, frugal living were erased in a few hours, not to mention how many other pairs of $18 socks I already had waiting for me to knit in my yarn stash basket. How many times have I acted superior when others spend buckets of money on the latest fashions? Why didn't anyone warn me how much I would be willing to spend on a couple ounces of silk/bamboo blend? Or recycled blue jeans made into yarn? Is my life in any way enriched by knowing the names of the individual alpacas who provided the wool for these embarrassingly expensive socks? Is the world a better place for this time I spend creating fuzzy garments? How many pairs of handmade socks does a person need anyway? When I quilted obsessively, I could call it art. But these will only be displayed inside my shoes. While my toes may be very happy this winter, it is a very limited audience.

I am laughing as I write this, but really. In my handmade, artistic, crunchy way, I have become quite the consumer!

By the way, the hat is coming along nicely...

[JamieCatheryn]

So long as you wash them carefully they oughtta be worth it and last, at least. If it makes you feel better, look up what they'd cost if you had them made for you! Probably like $100. Maybe you can get some clear clogs or rain boots or some mary janes to show off your lovely socks. But only if you need shoes anyway, to avoid the whole extra consumerism thing.

[SweetSilver]

Originally Posted by mamarhu 

 Is the world a better place for this time I spend creating fuzzy garments? 

Yes, the world is indeed a better place.  

Thanks for the self-depracating laugh this morning.  You are by no means alone when it comes to spending altogether too much money on yarn and fiber.

As for the socks, wear Birkenstocks and show them off.

(Reminds me a a very funny passage from Catherine Friend's book "Sheepish".  I highly recommend it, and her other memoir "Hit By A Barn".)  

[iowaorganic]

OP- you are too funny- and so not alone.  I shop garage sales and cheap thrift stores- and yet somehow I am knitting my baby a $40 alpaca sweater.  Crazy.  But it is turning out so lovely :)  

[mamarhu]

Originally Posted by SweetSilver 

As for the socks, wear Birkenstocks and show them off.

Yup, I wear Birkenstocks year 'round, and they come from yard sales and theift stores!

[UnicornFeather]

ROTFL.

Oh.... yes. Oh yes.

But. It's my only pleasure. I mean, not literally, but my only um... "costly pleasure", you know? And when I can't buy. I don't. Food and needs come first. And I don't stash. I buy and then use. See? Totally justified! ^.~

BTW, I just bought my first chinchilla hair about an hour ago... can't wait for it to arrive! LOL

[lilyka]

Just keep repeating to yourself...."It is cheaper than therapy."