Have you noticed it has been all socks all the time here?
On Ravelry, a member posted the question "Why don't I see all the handmade stuff?" For those of you who aren't on there or don't feel like clicking the link, she went on to say:
I live in the metro Washington DC area and we have no shortage of amazing yarn stores within a reasonable drive. At any given store I see knitters buying huge amounts of yarn – I’ve seen women buy $300 of stuff without blinking – but I hardly ever see finished projects. I look around on the street or in stores and spot mostly hats and scarves. Where are all these sweaters? I wear what I make. Doesn’t anybody else?
People have given answers as varied as "I always wear my socks, but you can't see them," "in the winter my sweater is under a jacket," and "sometimes handknit sweaters look store bought."
I thought about replying to the forum thread, but then decided to share my thoughts over here instead. The asker was specifically curious about the sweaters, and I agree $300 worth of yarn would be a hell of a lot of socks (ok, maybe not as many as you'd think... if you average $20 for a skein that would make a pair, that's only 15 pairs of socks). I'm more interested in this question of "where's the sweaters" for the more personal reason that I have not been wearing my handknit sweaters. **hangs head in shame**
Maybe this is just me*, so wouldn't hold up for other knitters (and partially why I didn't post into the thread my thoughts), but sometimes I knit a sweater and it isn't too great. Other people say it is nice and pretty and awesome. But I don't necessarily like the fit, or the color, or the arm length, or something. And then they sit lonely in my sweater box. Well, not lonely because there are a lot (handknit and storebought) sweaters in that box (it is really more of a chest or a trunk). So where are the sweaters? Maybe they are knit and instead of gifted or hiding under a jacket they are hanging out in a drawer.
And I bring this up also because it probably explains the proliferation of sock knitting for me over the past several months. I don't want to spend the time knitting another sweater that is going to end up in the sweater box to be worn once or twice and then forgotten and ignored. I've got the sock knitting down to perfection. I've even gotten to the point where I can eyeball and know that the foot is long enough to start the toe (or heel depending on the direction).
So my answer to "Where are all these sweaters?" is that they might be hiding in a drawer, not perfect enough to wear proudly, but not flawed enough to frog.
*There is also the even more personal level that my skin has decided to rebel against me and no amount of lotions, creams, or medications will stop it from itching and being dried out, and so wool doesn't feel so nice even when it is super soft.
