Saturday, October 29, 2005

Would I Buy This for $30? Does it Matter?

Actually, it doesn't in this case. I love this sweater. It's made from thick Cotton Tots, and it feels like wearing a sweatshirt. I can fasten the button and pair it with trousers and it looks nice, or just throw it on with jeans, which is how I'll wear it most often.

But, really - I ask myself, if I saw this in a store would I say, "Oh, I really like that..." and shell out $30 for it?

I have to admit - I'm notoriously cheap, and yes that's probably the best word for it. I rarely shop for myself, and usually buy items only if they're on sale. I rarely buy trendy.

Since the kids were little enough to leave my eyesight in the grocery store, I'd send them off to bring things back to the cart, to keep them busy. They were good kids, knew not to run in the store, etc., and they loved to help. Easy stuff. Kaity - go pick out two boxes of cereal. Bud, go buy cookies everyone will eat... and they'd head off down the aisle, yelling "we know... on sale or Von's Club." However, I will shell out $8.99 every week or so for Starbucks ground coffee for our morning coffee. So I'm cheap - but I have my splurges, which I can totally justify to myself. Scott toilet paper, 1000 sheets a roll, so it lasts more than a day, but I buy boxed mashed potatoes for convenience instead of "real" potatoes. I'll pay whatever it costs to buy boneless-skinless chicken so I don't have to mess with a real whole chicken. I remember when my son was a toddler we were at my Mom's and she had a whole roasted chicken on the counter, and he asked "why is there a big cricket on Grandma's counter? Poor kid.

Cheap on my terms. but on my terms. But really - I knit cheap too. I find my pattern then shop around, on line, at my not-so-local yarn store, and figure out Karabella would be beautiful for this sweater - but I'm not spending $80 on yarn, with no guarantee it's gonna fit in the end, or if I'm even gonna like it. So I settle. Maybe I'll get there someday - but I'm not there yet.
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Yep - I really love this sweater, but if I play the game, I don't know if I would have ever bought it ready-made. Does it matter?

Yep - I'll shlep off to dreaded K-Mart of all places for Hanes socks on sale - and buy bundles for the family - cheap, boring tube socks and footies..... all so I can spend $9 on sock yarn for me, for one pair of socks.... duh! I mean, anyone can understand that one!


P.S. Here's a closeup of the chosen button, and my nearly non-existent eyelet detailing. I thought the little flower was gonna be my first choice, too, but it just didn't look right. So I went for simple - go figure.

13 Comments:

At 4:51 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Oh, Huh! Didn't you say 52 pairs of shoes, and I know about you and Dooney Burke. Basicly frugal but spend it where it counts, right?

 
At 4:54 PM, Blogger Lynda said...

Yeah - but my Dooney purse is going on five years old and I can't bring myself to shell out for a new one... and a bunch of those shoes are from Payless... of course, there are the Dansko clogs... but they're getting pretty old too!

 
At 5:03 PM, Blogger Noey D. said...

I love the sweater! and I would pay more than $30.00 for it!

 
At 5:04 PM, Blogger LC in Sunny So Cal said...

Dang, that sweater is really REALLY cute, and you look adorable hangin' off that choo-choo!

Things have changed since we used to ditch college classes every afternoon to go to the Oaks Mall and have Chantilly Crepes at the Magic Pan!

(Ok, I'll try to stop with the nostalgia, but some days that's all my brain can remember!)

Cotton tots, huh?..I'll have to look into that...

 
At 5:47 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Oooo...are you busted by YOUR mom?!! Yikes, good thing I don't have a blog and my 91 yo mom couldn't get on a computer to save her life!! If that is your first sweater, you should be really proud of yourself that you finished it - booboo's and all! Nobody is perfect. I think it looks great and you will probably wear the heck out of it!

 
At 6:03 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Your sweater looks very comfy...what yarn did you use?

And 9 bucks on a pair of socks...I can completely understand. I mean, the hubby just smiled and nodded his head when I walked out the yarn store with $36 worth of sock yarn--and thats for two pairs of socks! I guess I can make a bunch of footies and make it worth all the money, but who would ever see them?

 
At 9:22 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Lynda, your sweater is ADORABLE!!! Shoot! Now I'm going to have to make one of those!!! Love, love, love it (even if you DIDN'T use the button I voted for!)

;-)

 
At 9:45 PM, Blogger chris said...

Your Sitcom Chic looks FABULOUS!!! I know you got bored with the color, but I love that beautiful cream color. Makes it so versatile and timeless. Loving those long sleeves, too. And you're not cheap, you're a discerning consumer, like me. ;-) Awesome job- your sweater is just beautiful.

 
At 8:49 AM, Blogger Donna Boucher said...

Definitely worth every penny.

I've got a pair of $20 socks!

(Knitterly Things :o)

I would never spend $20 to purchase socks...but to knit them...well that's another thing altogether...just don't tell anyone!

Donna

 
At 12:12 PM, Blogger Katie said...

Wow! Your Sitcom Chic looks great. I wish I had chosen a nice color like cream. Mine was aqua, so I took a chance with a dyebath that didn't end well. Now I'm sure it's keeping a nice rat family warm at the landfill. I plan to make a black one soon, though.

 
At 1:18 PM, Blogger Ruth said...

i love the sweater!! i know lots of people who would shell out $30 for it! =) and your son's cricket question cracked me up. paying for convenience is something i can relate to as well. i'm sure one day when i have kids, i'll delve into it even more. ;)

 
At 6:22 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Your sweater turned out so great! It looks super comfy, and I love the button you chose. It's perfect.

 
At 4:06 AM, Blogger Bear Knits said...

Sitcom Chic looks great!

 

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