On a budget? Great yarns that won't break the bank!

Knitting a sweater isn't something we do to save money or time. 

Knitting yourself a sweater is something we do because we love this craft. Hopefully the result is something you'll enjoy wearing for years to come in terms of style, fit, and the satisfaction that you MADE it! 

At the Goat, we select yarns at a variety of price points, with a variety of fiber contents, with the goal of having something that will match your vision for the project you've been dreaming of.

So how do you knit a sweater on a budget, to keep your costs down, without compromising on quality?

In this post, we share a comparison of the same pattern with different yarn weights and yarn options at various price points, so you can get a sense of what's possible. Read on for our recommendations...

Choose your pattern wisely.
For the purposes of this post, we've selected the FREE Flax Sweater pattern by Tin Can Knits. It's a basic pullover that has endless customizations and comes in three yarn weights: Fingering/Sock, DK, and worsted. We recommend it as a great top-down raglan sweater, suitable for beginners.

Some of TCK's patterns are free AND won't waste your time with frustrating or confusing instructions.

We trust the good folks at TCK — their patterns are clearly written, with a boatload of support resources (blog posts, tutorial videos, free classes), and they've got a FREE app that's easy to use and comes preloaded with several of their free patterns (including Flax!).

Flax Sweater - Fingering/Sock weight - Size 42" - 2120 total yards needed

For the Flax Sock sweater, your best value yarn is Vintage Sock by Berroco — with an earthy and heathered palette of colors.

If you're looking for more wool content, Perth by Queensland (currently on SALE) is a great option for about $20 more for the total sweater cost.

Ultimate Sock by Malabrigo is going to be your best bet for softness (love that superwash merino), PLUS the option of Malabrigo's signature variegated colorways.

All of the above options are machine washable.

Flax Sweater - DK weight - Size 42" - 1800 total yards needed

For the Flax DK Sweater, the Vintage DK by Berroco is again your best value, in a wide variety of solids and heathered colors, and it's machine washable. 

Patagonia Organic Merino Hand Paints by Juniper Moon Farm is currently on sale and it's quite a bit of yardage per skein because it's a lighter DK. It's a machine washable choice that's also 100% wool, with some really fun variegated color combinations. 

Fleece BFL by West Yorkshire Spinners is one of our staff favorites — another 100% wool choice, made from Bluefaced Leicester sheep. The palette of colors is beautiful and luminous, though there are fewer colors to choose from.  

Flax Sweater - Worsted - Size 42" - 1520 total yards needed

For the triple crown win, Vintage by Berroco is again the best value for your Flax Worsted! Vintage is machine washable and we have a very large selection of colors in heathers and solids. 

If you're looking for a budget-friendly 100% wool option, Lanas by Berroco is a fabulous choice. It's just a smidge higher in price than Vintage, and we stock a variety of classic colors in heathers and solids.

Rios by Malabrigo is one of our all-time customer favorites and a top seller in the shop! Rios washable and very soft, and in a beautiful rainbow of variegated and semi-solid colors.

And one more tip... Be a savvy shopper.
Shop our SALE section! There are always great deals on great yarns at 20-30% (or more!) off the retail price.

Additionally, there are several times a year when we have storewide sales — August, December, and May.  Sometimes we also have surprise sales, just to keep things exciting. The best way to stay in the loop about our sales is to subscribe to our emails (you've probably seen a pop-up as you've been browsing on our site!).

Your Goat Staff are always happy to help you find a great fit yarn for your project that meets your budget!