If you need to shield your eyes from its beauty thats okay. I needed to when I first saw it.
Isn't she DIVINE?! I've been crochet-crushing all weekend. Suddenly blushing when I see her, getting all hot and bothered at the thought of her eclectic snugglyness. Oh me oh my.
She (and her wollen beauty) lead me to ask this question on Twitter:
I'd love to know!
Personally, I'm driven by price. I dont really do second hand (i'm not a thrift store junkie!) but I can't afford the good stuff, so often settle for acrylic yarn etc.
Personally, I'm driven by price. I dont really do second hand (i'm not a thrift store junkie!) but I can't afford the good stuff, so often settle for acrylic yarn etc.
I loved what Talia had to say in reply to my asking if spinning her own wool saved her money::
What are your crafting standards? Do you only use second hand supplies? Do you only use brand new best quality available? Leave a comment and let me know how you make your hobbies affordable for you!
I find it can be easy to settle on something but you have to love it and I will unpick/ do something again than live with knowing its bad. I will buy wool over acrylic and quality does mean more money but the finished product is worth the extra cost.
ReplyDeleteI love that blanket too! Would loooove to make one, one day.
ReplyDeleteI look for things on special, use thrifted items etc.
With regard to yarn, I buy some wool and some acrylic, depending on the project... And a LOT of cotton lately (dishcloths!)
It depends what it is, if it's knitting or crochet I use wool for wearable stuff, acrylic for toys. Deramores.com has budget friendly prices ;)
ReplyDeleteAnything else I use the product that gives the best result but try and keep my costs down
Wow! It's the same with making clothes (and all sorts of other things) - not always cost effective.
ReplyDeleteBut, yes, I'd love to always crochet with pure ingredients, cotton, wool and (what else is there?).
And yes, for the sake of my wallet, the acrylic or acrylic-wool blends are usually bought.
One day I'll save up a wad of notes for that special project. That special project will one day leave my imagination through my crochet hook.
I look forward to it often.
I use natural fibres as preference over acrylic. I have very little in my stash that is not natural and the not-natural doesn't tend to get used. I'm the same with sewing. Most of mine is new, but some came from my mother or grandmother.
ReplyDeleteI also spin my own yarn which can be cost-effective if done from scratch, but usually it's not unless you look at it from the point of view that you get so much more enjoyment out of it than you do from just yarn as you get to make it and then use it!
I have a wide range of yarns from sock yarns in Merino/nylon or BFL (blue faced leicester) to handspun bulky Romney yarns and then the other way to cashmere. My stash was not an overnight thing though, it's taken years to create and one day I might make a blanket.
Oooh, that blanket it beautiful! I can see why you have a crush! I'm not a knitter OR a crocheter (I would like to be one day) so I can't contribute to the wool discussion. However, I do sew and craft and LOVE when I find some cool fabric or bias binding etc etc at the op shop. Second hand is fine by me! Good, even, because it's SO much cheaper.
ReplyDeletePS: I'm hoping to make it down the Chch for the bloggy conference and I'm excited! I'd love to meet up with you - you'll be going? You must study my photo, so that when I come and give you a big hug and say enthusiastically 'It's so nice to meet you!' you won't think I'm a weirdo, alright? :)
I prefer real wool. But I've yet to do a whole blanket. I have been working on squares that will be a blanket one day, by buying one or two or three balls that catch my eye in the bargin bin at my wool store (usually the ends of run etc). It means the finished blanket will have lots of different wool in it, but also means it takes a lot longer since the wool is accumulated graduallly.
ReplyDeleteI figure if I'm going to put a heap of time and effort into crafting I really want to LOVE the end result. And if skimp on materials just to save dosh then it's likely it's gonna really bug me at the end if it doesn't turn out quite as I envisioned. But we don't have endless budgets do we? So I try to work out what things costs can be cut on that don't matter and where I really don't wont to compromise. For example when making a baby quilt I prefer to use natural batting such as bamboo/ wool cotton mix etc, because I like having natural materials next to my babies... but if I'm making a quilt for an adult I am more likely to opt for the cheaper, synthetic option (also given the larger amount of material required.) I do find that thrifting and looking on trademe or buying when on sale really helps too, so you can have both quality and quantity when it comes to crafting.
ReplyDeleteOne way to get cheap pure wool that my husband (yes, you read that correctly) uses often when he knits is to buy pure wool jerseys (check the label or tell by feel) from the thrift store and then unpick the seams and ball the wool. That ugly sweater can be made into something glorious!
ReplyDeleteI've been thinking about this since our conversation and come to the conclusion i will buy new and second hand wool and cotton only . . . environmentally its a gazillion times better, its recommended by the prince of wales http://www.campaignforwool.org/the-campaign/ aaaaaaand i feel sooo sad about the wool mill closing down down south, more jobs and heritage lost in our poor wee country ... <3
ReplyDelete