10 Easy Ways to Save Money as a Fiber Artist

I think one of the things most people are shocked about as they begin to dive into the hobby of knitting is just how much it can cost. Between the variety of little tools needed, different yarns, and fashionable patterns to choose from, you may find your spending racks up quickly. Although splurging on beautiful, luxury yarns is nice, it's not always practical or accessible. If you're in a pinch or find yourself becoming a little too addicted to yarn shopping, here are 10 easy ways to save a bit of money as a knitter (or crocheter).

1. Buy materials second hand

Second-hand shopping is not only a great way to support sustainability but it is also economically savvy. Second-hand shops and thrift stores often sell a wide variety of materials relating to knitting at a much lower price than if they were to be purchased brand new. Whenever I walk into a value village, I always head straight to the yarn and fabrics section. Although, their selection doesn't stop there... you can usually find all sorts and sizes of knitting needles, knitting books with lots of different patterns, and other materials like buttons. In general, thrifting is a great way to save money; luckily it's also cost-effective for knitters!

2. Save and use your scraps

If you are someone who works with fibres, you are quite familiar with how many scrap pieces of yarn you'll gather up quite quickly. Some scraps are as small as a few centimetres, others are just too small to think of what to use them for. Nonetheless, attempting to be more frugal with your yarn could help you reduce what you're spending on your hobby. If you have very small pieces of scraps, you can save them and repurpose them as stuffing for pillows or cushions quite easily. One of my favourite ways to use up larger scraps is making mini accessories. Headbands, bandanas, and scrunchies are the ones I tend to make with my scraps most frequently. Check out my free chunky knit scrunchie pattern here https://tangledneedles.wixsite.com/blog/post/chunky-scrunchie-beginner-friendly-knitting-pattern-free !

3. Invest in interchangeable needles

If you're looking to save money investing in a kit may seem counter-intuitive, but it may help you save money in the long run. Since so many different patterns require different-sized needles and different lengths of cables on circular needles, I've personally found that buying a kit of interchangeable circular needles has helped me save quite a bit of cash. Since I bought a kit of interchangeable needles, I have not yet had to buy any new needles. I also recommend buying a kit of circular needles as opposed to flat needles because I frequently knit both in the round and flat, by having circular needles in a variety of sizes allows me to knit in my preferred method without having to worry about yarn sizing limitations. Seeing as knitting needles can be quite expensive to purchase individually in comparison to buying them in a kit, it may be wise to invest in one if you can.

Sets of knitting needles can be found at a variety of craft stores and online. The kit I use came with 4 cables, 14 different sized needles, as well as a baggie of stitch markers, I got it on amazon from Ruidi 13 Pairs of Interchangeable Circular Knitting Needles Set : Amazon.ca: Home

5. Always sale shop

Whether it comes to buying yarn or patterns, the most effective tip to save money is to wait for items to go on sale. Whether that means waiting for a shop to have a sale or shopping in clearance, a good goal is to aim to never pay full price. It may seem annoying to have to wait for items to go on sale, but you'd be quite surprised at how frequently sales happen and at how much money you can save by taking advantage of them. Almost all of the yarn I buy (aside from the thrifted stuff) is purchased from a clearance section, or on sale. In my opinion, it doesn't make sense to buy things at full price when I could wait until they're available at a discounted price.

6. Repurpose and Reuse

Ever since I began knitting, I have become hyper-aware of ways I can reduce waste, especially when it comes to knitting. There are so many ways to repurpose old materials or reuse them to create something new. For example, I was getting rid of an old pillow and decided I should save the stuffing to reuse; I am currently working on a mini knit pillow and I will be using up the stuffing I previously saved. Another more popular way to repurpose materials is to unravel old sweaters and save the yarn to make something new. If you are mindful of repurposing materials, you will begin to think of all the different ways you can reuse things you may have normally thrown away!

7. Coupons and discounts

Whenever possible, take advantage of coupons and discounts. There are plenty of opportunities to claim discount codes or coupons but only if you look for them. A simple google search looking for discount codes or a browser extension, like Honey, could help save you quite a chunk of cash. Some branches offer discounts to certain demographics. For example, Michael's Craft Store gives teachers 15% off. I recommend familiarizing yourself with the discounts of the stores you shop at for supplies andenjoyingy the markdowns where you can!

8. Plan projects in advance

Planning your projects can save you money in a few ways. First of all, if you have a plan of things you'd like to make, it is much easier to resist over-purchasing yarn and to prevent yourself from stockpiling things that wont get used. Second of all, if you know you're going to use the yarn up, it would save you money to buy it in bulk. Let's say you know you need 600g of yarn to make a cardigan, instead of buying three 200g balls of yarn for $5 each, you could buy the 600g ball for $12. Lastly, if you plan your projects well in advance it gives you more opportunity to sale shop. My favourite way to plan out projects is to write a list right before each season of the seasonal items I'd like to make. I created a list in August of the projects I'd like to complete throughout the fall. Not only is this financially savvy aforementioned reasons, but it can also help you create and plan out a very cohesive wardrobe, consisting of only pieces you truly love.

9. Take advantage of free resources

There are many things to learn in the world of knitting and fabric art. Different stitches, how to create different items of clothing, patterns, and the list goes on. It may seem overwhelming not only because of the abundance of information but also the cost of this knowledge. Luckily, there are plenty of free resources that you can take advantage of. You can easily not only learn to knit but also find plenty of instructions, tutorials, and patterns at the cost of nothing but the cost of the tools and materials. Nowadays our first thought is to go search the internet to learn for free, which is a great option. There are plenty of free tutorials on youtube, blogs, and other social media sites. Although, my favourite free resource which seems to be forgotten about by many, is the library! You may be surprised at the selection of helpful books at your local library branch. I was over the moon when I found quite a big selection of books about knitting, containing hundreds of patterns at my disposal, and all of them free to me. Supporting designers and having access to any knitting pattern imaginable is lovely but if you're trying to save money, there's still quite an accumulation of free resources at your disposal.

10. Get creative!

There are so many other minuscule ways to save money here and there as a fiber artist. Something as simple as making your own stitch markers or knitting needles out of objects you have laying around could save you a few dollars at once. In the past I've used .... You could also try to make your own yarns. There is plenty of information on how to make plarn (plastic yarn----made using old plastic scraps, like grocery bags) or yarn out of old t-shirts that you can read up about online. Fiber art doesn't have to be glamorous in order to be enjoyed.

Do you have any other tips to save money as a fiber artist? Share them in the comment section!