10 Tips for SavingMoney on Yarn-Based Crafts
Domestic goddesses of all skill levels are bringing back thebeauty of yarn-based crafts. Knitting, crochet and other yarn arts arespringing up on runways and all over design blogs. These crafts can be a terrificaffordable way to add flair to your personal style with a handmade touch. Andthey’re fun to do as well! But if you aren’t careful, the cost of yarn-basedcrafts can actually get really high.
Here are ten tips for saving money on crafts made with yarn:
1. Educateyourself about the different types of yarn that are available. There aremany different types of yarn on the market today. There are fine baby weightyarns and thick alpaca yarns and soy wool yarns and many, many other types ofyarn. Each yarn is right for some projects and not right for others. Take thetime to learn about yarn so that you utilize the yarns that are right for youand don’t waste them on projects that don’t work!
2. Test aproject out with cheap yarn first. If you are making something new andyou’re planning to use a nice, expensive yarn, test out the pattern first bymaking the same item in a cheap yarn of a comparable weight and thickness. Theproject won’t come out exactly the same but it’ll give you a good idea of whatmistakes you might be making so that you don’t make them with your expensiveyarn.
3. Shop foryarn at yard sales. There are many people who purchase yarn and then getrid of it either skein by skein or in huge yarn lots. You can find affordableyarn on online auction sites but the best prices come when you score at a localyard sale.
4. Recycleand repurpose yarn. Your local thrift store probably sells many items madefrom yarn and wool for a very low price. You can actually unravel these items,wind the yarn up into a new yarn ball of your own and repurpose the yarn into anew project. Check your closets; you may even already have old wool items thatcan be repurposed this way.
5. Repurposeother items into yarn. Plarn, for example, is a type of “yarn” that is madefrom strips of plastic bags from the grocery store. Fabric strips and ribboncan also be repurposed into yarn and turned into creative projects that don’tcost you anything in terms of the materials.
6. Don’t payfor craft patterns. Sure, there will be times when you see a knitting orcrochet pattern that you absolutely must have but for the most part you shouldrely on free craft patterns and your own imagination. Online archives as wellas books from the library can provide you with more patterns than you can everuse in your lifetime!
7. Thinkcheap when embellishing your yarn crafts. Many people add embellishments totheir knitting and crochet work to spice up the way that it looks. This can beterrific but if you tend to enjoy expensive gems and buttons then it can alsobe pricey. Keep costs down by using repurposed items, found items, handmadeembellishments and embellishments bought on sale.
8. Check outthe craft outlet stores. Speaking of buying things on sale, make sure thatif you get a chance to head to a craft outlet store then you stock up onsupplies. You can get yarn as well as embellishments and crafting tools for amuch cheaper price at these places than you can at regular storefronts.
9. Make youryarn crafts work for you. Use them to barter for other items or servicesthat you may need. Use them as gifts for people instead of buying gifts whenthe holidays roll around. Set up an Etsy store and sell the yarn crafts thatyou make. All of these things save you money while allowing others to enjoy youryarn crafts, too!
10. Make a budget and stick to it. The bestbit of money saving advice that you can implement for any hobby is to set areasonable budget for how much you will spend on your craft each month andnever exceed that amount.
This is a guest postby Kathryn Vercillo from Crochet Concupiscence, a crochetblog about all things crochetincluding crochet artists, crochet fashions and how to crochet.
