My January Splurge

**MaryinFL** · 01-10-2010, 11:22 AM

Once a month a take a day to splurge. Not really a splurge, but an afternoon out to just shop and pick up cheap things that I avoid the rest of the month. Friday I picked up

1 one pound skein of white yard at Big Lots $4
2 very good knitting books $5 each

Habitat Thrift Store
Heavy nice bathrobe for my son $1
Two knit sweaters for me $2
Heating pad $1.50
Small Space Heater for office $1.50
2 sweatshirts, one sweater and one tshirt for son $4

Drug Free Youth Thrift Store
Misc craft items for the purses I knit $4
4 purses with wooden handles $8
Sweater for my son $1.50
One coat zipper $1.00
3 pair new bamboo knitting needles $2.50

I wasn't happy with myself for spending so much, but then realized that the knitting books in any other store would have cost me at least $15-$20, the wood purse handles would have been at least $7-8 each retail, the knitting needles at least $6-7 each retail, not to mention the savings on the sweaters and sweatshirts.

Since I knit for extra money, any savings I get on yarn, zippers, purse handles and closures for the purses and sweaters makes my cost lower and my profit higher. So I guess I should consider those costs an "investment"

**AmyBoz** · 01-10-2010, 11:30 AM

Hey, if you are going to spluge, might as well be on something useful! I'd have to say that these are definitely useful items!!!

Enjoy your splurge items!

**ladytoysdream** · 01-10-2010, 12:25 PM

Good thinking

Can you share some pictures of the pocketbooks you make ?

**ohwhataday03** · 01-10-2010, 12:33 PM

Sounds like you had fun too. I think that the best thing about shopping is to see how much you get for little money. You did better than me, I spent 30.00 in a guitar hero game ( that I'm having a hard time trying to play). It was used, so does that make it better?

**shoiji** · 01-10-2010, 12:46 PM

Anytime you can get good prices on items you would normally use is not only frugal but really smart.

I would also like to see any projects you have made. Especially the purses.

**MaryinFL** · 01-10-2010, 12:50 PM

Originally Posted by ladytoysdream

Good thinking

Can you share some pictures of the pocketbooks you make ?

As soon as I get another one made, I will post pictures. They are usually sold before I ever start working on them. Right now I am two behind because a sweater jacket Im working on has taken longer than expected.

The next one will be a simple purse my customer saw in a catalog for $825 !!!! She knew I knit and showed it to me. Very simple pattern, the only thing I will have to do is switch the handle and the closure because the one she saw is made of leather. I haven't quite mastered adding leather to knitting but Im working on it. Here is the one she saw that is next on my list to make. It alpaca yarn

**ladytoysdream** · 01-10-2010, 01:02 PM

I'm impressed. Yes please on more pictures.
I knit by hand and machine and still have lots to learn

**MaryinFL** · 01-10-2010, 01:31 PM

Originally Posted by ladytoysdream

I'm impressed. Yes please on more pictures.
I knit by hand and machine and still have lots to learn

there is always something to learn when you knit. I have a machine also, Ultimate Sweater Machine, but Im still mastering it. I haven't made anything with it yet. What I dont like about this machine is that it doesn't seem to take anything heavier than sport weight yarns. I'm self taught by watching a lady who rode our school bus when I was in kindergarten. My first needles were pencils and I used a ball of twine that I found in the basement. That year for Xmas my mother bought me my first pair of real knitting needles and several skeins of yarn. I was in heaven !!!!

I still cant follow a pattern, I just dont have the patience. I think everything I have made, except the 5 hour baby sweater, has been a pattern I have made up as I went along.

I have been telling myself that I am going to start a blog on knitting and post my work in progress. I never think to take pictures after I finish, and my customers are usually so anxious to get their projects that by the time I think of taking pictures, its too late.

**ladytoysdream** · 01-10-2010, 01:46 PM

I don't follow a pattern well either.

Actually I have 4 knitting machines. Two I am keeping. One is a bulky Knit King, and the other one is a Singer Memo Matic standard guage. I have replaced pressure bars in both of them. Both older vintage machines. The Brother I picked up this last summer, I will have the pressure bar, and the tension mast for that one here this week. Then I put that one together and maybe will sell it. I picked it up used because it was the right price, and it was lightweight and I thought I could use it to drag to the knitting meetings I go to once a month. The other machine is a Singer LK100 that I need to go through and will probably sell that one too. It's getting the parts for them when one buys them used that is the interesting part. The Brother tension mast is no longer made.

**MandaRenee** · 01-10-2010, 03:15 PM

They sound like great "splurges". You definitely found some great deals.

**mauimagic** · 01-10-2010, 03:15 PM

MaryinFl- what a great idea to have a frugal splurge day once a month so the urge to spend is still satisfied!! You bet that a lot of your purchases are investments in raw materials!!

As the others are, I am looking forward to seeing your creations. Love reading you and the others talk about knitting machines, etc - another world!!

Love the pictures of your first knitting tools - you sure found your passion at a young age!!