Longer ago than I can remember – a few years at least – I decided to try not to buy anything new for a year. No new shoes or clothes. The only exception was undies (for obvious reasons). And it became second nature. It stuck. Even better, it has become very much the go-to position in our household, and I am very grateful for that. Clothes are generally bought in local charity shops, on online auction sites, and wherever we can find them. Or they are made. Sewn (my husband’s forte) or knitted (mine).
There were a couple of reasons for making the switch; the first being a burgeoning sense of horror at the waste in our society. I’m generally and genuinely shocked by the throw-away mindset actively encouraged by consumerism. And the second, hand-in-hand with the first, was a growing disillusionment with the poor quality of what was on offer in the shops, not to my mind reflected in the ridiculous cost. Expensive crap, not to put too fine a point on it, and mostly plastic-based (which we all know is the bane of our environment, right?)
This isn’t remotely an attempt at evangelism, just an explanation for my own journey into the preloved, upcycled and handmade. Though if it happens to inspire similar in anyone else, I shall consider myself doubly blessed.
Long before this particular turning point came knitting. And as I learnt to knit, I realised that I had very particular ideas about what I wanted to wear / create. I began with modifying patterns that were almost what I wanted, and ended as you see me now: designing my own. My designs are seldom terribly complicated – I like things to be quick and easy to make, and to design pieces that relatively inexperienced knitters feel moved to have a crack at. And they don’t always make it to published pattern stage. I have a life full of demands on my time and I have to be quite focused and decisive about what I will or will not follow up on.
The result of this is that along with a gazillion WIPs, I have a LOT of one-off pieces. Some I will keep, but I simply cannot justify keeping them all. So there will be, in due course, occasional items of clothing and accessories appearing in my shop here. I will put out a warning that they’re coming on my social media before going live, to give anyone who would like to snap something up a chance to get there in time for a browse.
And here is a picture for today’s inspiration. The preloved Boden skirt I bought on eBay, and I am about to start one of my striped cardigans to match it – aren’t the colours perfect?! The striped cardigan, incidentally, is a pattern that WILL be coming, in time for Spring.
If you can’t find it, make it. And if you can’t make it, pay a knitter what they’re worth, (or understand how much you’re loved if someone knits it for you for free…) 😉
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(All arranged on a coffee table covered with a decade of Teddy’s scribbling off the edge of the paper, and a mug of turmeric and cumin tea in one of my most prized possessions – a beautiful coppery mug covered with mountains and trees, made by Dwyryd Ceramics, in case you were wondering.)
Have a glorious week, and happy knitting.
