I Could Make That!

I've pretty much decided I have a problem.

You see, I love shopping. Not that I buy much, but I enjoy it. I like going into stores, especially, to look at knitwear. Sometimes, I'll see something really neat and wonder if that stitch pattern or construction concept could be adapted for my own use.

But more often than not, I see something I totally love for the simplicity of the concept. Like this sweater, from AllSaints:

At $120, I wouldn't buy it for myself, but I love the color, drape, and the keyhole at the back. Not entirely practical for hard winters, but would be really pretty over a nice dress. Were I to see the sweater on the rack, I'd ooh and aah over it appreciatively, but inevitably, my response is always the same:

"It's great, but I could make that."

I'll pass up great sales and useful items on the promise of going home and casting on a similar item. "Who needs to spend cash when I can make it on my own," I think to myself. "How clever I am to come up with such an industrious and inexpensive way to obtain luxurious goods!"

But the thing is- and let's be 100% real here, I never make these things. Ever. It's a total waste of thought. The everpopular Gap Cowl is back on sale this season:

It's $27.50. The required two or three skeins of pretty, fancy aran or bulky yarn would top that, before I even spent any of my (arguably) valuable time making it. This is before I even break this down to the absolute reality that I'd rather work fifty seven Black Fridays in a Gap across the street from a bomb testing facility than cast on and knit a giant tube of -shudder- moss stitch. This is not a good use of my skills. I am not clever! I'm tricking myself into future disappointment.

This year, I vow to take back my time and sanity, knitting things I love at the pace I want, and banishing the I-Could-Make-Its to the bottom of my stash pile. A long, dolman sleeved, drapey pullover in cobweb weight yarn on 000 needles? Give me a break. It's on the clearance rack, self. Go for it.

-YX

PS- Free patterns! And free desktop wallpaper!