Shopping is no fun anymore.
Last weekend I paid a visit to a new discount chain department store in town, to pick up some can't-make-it-myself staples (tights and sunglasses, to be exact).
While I was there I browsed around a bit, and was surprised and impressed by their new sweater styles. Many of the designs reminded me of my favorite modern knitting pattern designers -- there were boxy 40's-inspired cardigans, patterns incorporating horizontal and vertical ribbing sections, and lots of Anthropologie-esque shapes.
I stood in the aisle, admiring a little brown short-sleeved sweater. The thought crossed my mind that if I just bought it, right here, right now, it would save me many hours of knitting the other cute brown sweater at the bottom of my Ravelry queue. Plus, it was (like everything these days) 30% off. A new sweater, finished even, for only 30 bucks!
But I just couldn't enjoy it enough to take one home with me. Why?
I'm becoming impossibly snobbish about materials. Every one of those sweaters was acrylic, for one thing. When you've held and worn a sweater made of real yarn, created by your own hands, you can't help but notice the difference. Even though my eyes were saying "cute!", my hands were saying "yick".
The other problem is the price. A sweater for $30? Even though it's machine-made, with sewn side seams and not-that-great finishing, somebody still worked on this for a while (actually, the way most garment factories are run, each person works on only one part -- sewing on the pockets, for example -- all day long). If the store can sell it for $30, that probably means they paid $15 or $20, and after subtracting distributors, freight, etc, the factory probably got a few bucks. So what about the person who sewed it? I just don't feel good about saving money on that kind of thing anymore.
I'm no Rockefeller, and I do like to watch my budget. But cheap clothing makes me feel like I'm getting away with something. Kind of like skipping out on a restaurant bill. It's becoming a real problem. I'm no fun to shop with anymore!
Unless you come with me to shop for yarn, fabric or patterns. (Or a stroll through Barney's.) Now we're talking!
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