*nodnodnod* it is FAR thriftier to buy sweaters, socks and hats, whether new or used, than it is to make them. The fetishization of yarn in knitting circles is over the top, so much so that outsiders don't believe me most of the time. People competitively post pictures of their yarn stashes to outdo each other.

On the other hand, when I can't write (which is, uh. Usually), spending the time making something can help satisfy some of my productive/creative urges.

But cooking is the best bang for one's buck, budget-wise and creatively. If only my stove and oven were more than baseline functional...