Every time I go to the mall I like to check out the knits at popular stores like Zara, H&M, or the big department stores.
The other day I was checking out the hats and noticed something interesting.
At H&M you can buy a knit hat for around $10, but at the department store a similar hat was $80.
The difference?
Materials.
Well…also the brand.
Evidently if you put a little Hugo Boss logo on your hat it’s worth more?
The H&M hat was made from a cotton acrylic blend.
Neither of those materials are very expensive, so it makes sense those hats are cheaper.
You know what else they are not?
Warm!
On the other hand the Hugo Boss hat was a merino cashmere blend.
With the name brand and fiber content the price wasn’t unexpected.
BUT, this got me thinking…🤔
I’ve had many people ask me over the years why bother handknitting?
Isn’t it cheaper to just buy it from the store?
I’m not sure that’s true.
Here’s 3 reasons why I think handknitting is MORE than worth the effort.
1. It’s entertaining
We wouldn’t be knitting by hand if we didn’t enjoy the process.
There’s a sense of satisfaction out of choosing our yarn, winding it up, searching for a pattern, and casting on a new project.
When that project is done we take delight in adding those finishing touches.
Maybe it’s the process of weaving in ends, blocking your fabric (you are blocking your knits, right?…right?), or even sewing in a label.
It’s those little details…
…the sweet imperfections…
…that give our knits character and us a sense of enjoyment.
2. Creativity and customization
Walk around the mall and you’ll see a pattern.
Not a knitting pattern 😂.
What you’ll see is the same thing in every store.
Don’t get me wrong, I like a simple ribbed hat or cardigan.
What I don’t get is something that fits me perfectly.
I don’t get the color variation of a tweed yarn, or that specific shade of red that I absolutely love.
As knitters we want more than 5 neutral color options in 6 sizes.
We want to be able to add a pom pom or shorten the sleeves or *gasp* include some texture 🫣.
Even if you knit something simple you can make it your own in little ways.
3. Better quality for cheaper
I bought a yarn with a similar fiber blend to that Hugo hat not long ago.
It wasn’t cheap, but it wasn’t THAT expensive.
All in this hat might cost about $15-20.
That’s about 1/3rd the price of the store bought hat.
Plus I get to knit it in a color I love, in a pattern I choose, and in a size that fits me perfectly.
It won’t have any cut seams that are surged together.
And I don’t count the cost of my time, because I knit while I’m watching TV or riding the tram or doing things I would already be doing.
It turns time that would otherwise be unproductive into productive time.
The finished product might not be as perfect as something machine knit, but it will be close.
Every time I wear that hat, it will MEAN MORE to me.
And that…
makes every stitch…
…totally worth it.