# Seemingly straightforward hobbies that, in reality, are complex/expensive/involving **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 1, 2009, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seemingly-straightforward-hobbies-that-in-reality-are-complex-expensive-involving/491542 "2009-04-01T04:18:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2009, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seemingly-straightforward-hobbies-that-in-reality-are-complex-expensive-involving/491542/101 "2009-04-30T16:31:07Z")
> [@zweisamkeit](#): > > No, you can buy _a_ area rug for cheaper in a store. I doubt you’d be able to purchase a very similar (hand-knit made with quality wool) area rug for cheaper. > > When people ask me why I knit socks or sweaters when I can buy them cheaper, it’s not _just_ that I get a hobby and enjoyment out of the creation. I mean, my handmade wool socks in a really cool lace pattern? They _are not the same at all_ as a sack of 6 pairs of cotton athletic socks. You can’t compare the two because they’re not the same thing. Now [I can buy wool socks](http://www.rei.com/product/664970) and look at that price? $15 for one pair. That’s the average cost of one pair of socks for me knitting them. Plus, my socks fit my feet _exactly_. None of this “womans 9-11 sock” size. > > Same with sweaters. Are you comparing a wool (or wool/alpaca, or silk/wool, etc) hand knit sweater with a 100% polyester machine made sweater in the store, or are you comparing it against a (preferably not sweatshop/3rd world country) handmade 100% wool sweater from a smaller shop? Plus, again, my sweater fits me exactly. I can put waist shaping in, or bust darts, or widen the shoulders or alter the sleeve length. Oh, goodie! You just gave me my justification…I was feeling a bit guilty. \* Goes skipping off to Lion’s Brand Yarns to see what’s what.\* ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2009, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seemingly-straightforward-hobbies-that-in-reality-are-complex-expensive-involving/491542/102 "2009-04-30T16:37:21Z")
> [@TroubleAgain](#): > > Have we covered gardening yet? :smack: You might [end up wanting a flamethrower](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=514703) if you take up gardening. ---
**Author:** ![ducati](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cc9497/32.png) [@ducati](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ducati)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2009, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seemingly-straightforward-hobbies-that-in-reality-are-complex-expensive-involving/491542/103 "2009-05-04T17:05:50Z")
I can’t afford to retire. Instead of investing from age 20 or so, I’ve got toys and hobbies. Motorcycling: I have 8 bikes. They all need maintainence and accessories. The Ducati and Ural especially. Astronomy: 4 scopes. Eyepieces, cases, computer to control them, software, plus driving 100 miles from the city to see anything… Shooting/Collecting: About a hundred, and ammo has increased many fold in the last couple of years. Take a dozen guns to the range for the afternoon? $500 easy. Amateur Radio: Yeah, you can start with an HT, (walkie-talkie) for $150, but you’ll get hooked. HF rigs are 2-10 grand each. You’ll need 3. Tuners, test equipment, power supplies, etc.? 5 large, easy. 100 foot tower? You’ll need an extremely understanding wife and 2 grand. This is just the beginning. A hamfest is like walking down a street full of crack dealers. Photography: At this point, I believe Nikon owes me a G-5 as a little thank you gift for my support since 1978. Antique car restoration: Aside from putting several Snap-On children through college, each car is an undertaking that defies explanation to the un-initiated. Thanks for the heads-up on bee-keeping. I’ve been thinking about it for a while. Buy a queen online, throw her in a box, wait a bit, free honey ensues. What could be simpler? ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2009, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seemingly-straightforward-hobbies-that-in-reality-are-complex-expensive-involving/491542/104 "2009-05-04T18:22:50Z")
> [@scr4](#): > > (But I did finally find the perfect bike for me - the [Quest velomobile](http://www.bluevelo.com/quest_velomobile.html).) Hey, they’re in Toronto! I can save on shipping! ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2009, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seemingly-straightforward-hobbies-that-in-reality-are-complex-expensive-involving/491542/105 "2009-05-04T18:43:04Z")
Re: cycling… I found this bike store, simply because I was in front of the art museum and decided to walk through the park instead of along the street, and it was just past the exit to the park. A few days later, I had: [ul][li]Brought my bike in for repair and tune up, thus getting it back on the road.[_]Replaced headlight and taillight, and bought these cool rear-view mirrors that fit on the end of the handlebars.[_]Replaced the tire pump.[_]Bought a pair of bags that clip to the rear rack on my bike. One for my clothes and stuff, the other for computer, papers, and drawing supplies.[_]Made plans to take it up north this week.[_]Realized I need a new kickstand.[_]Looked at rain coverings for rear bags.[_]Suddenly realized I hadn’t considered rain coverings for self![_]Or fenders.[_]And what about a water bottle?[_]Or better yet, a portable food carrying and preparation system?And maybe I could do some longer journeys, like going into town from about 20 km away… time to look up info about the trail…[/ul][/li] Well, my trainer _said_ I needed to get more cardio exercise in! ---
**Author:** ![TroubleAgain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e480ec/32.png) [@TroubleAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroubleAgain)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2009, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seemingly-straightforward-hobbies-that-in-reality-are-complex-expensive-involving/491542/106 "2009-05-04T19:27:13Z")
> [@Anne\_Neville](#): > > You might [end up wanting a flamethrower](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=514703) if you take up gardening. Sounds good to me! I’m already gardening, of course. But my inner pyro looks for any excuse…🆒 ---
**Author:** ![StuffLikeThatThere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc8723/32.png) [@StuffLikeThatThere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StuffLikeThatThere)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2009, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seemingly-straightforward-hobbies-that-in-reality-are-complex-expensive-involving/491542/107 "2009-05-04T20:03:12Z")
> [@zweisamkeit](#): > > No, you can buy _a_ area rug for cheaper in a store. I doubt you’d be able to purchase a very similar (hand-knit made with quality wool) area rug for cheaper. > > When people ask me why I knit socks or sweaters when I can buy them cheaper, it’s not _just_ that I get a hobby and enjoyment out of the creation. I mean, my handmade wool socks in a really cool lace pattern? They _are not the same at all_ as a sack of 6 pairs of cotton athletic socks. You can’t compare the two because they’re not the same thing. Now [I can buy wool socks](http://www.rei.com/product/664970) and look at that price? $15 for one pair. That’s the average cost of one pair of socks for me knitting them. Plus, my socks fit my feet _exactly_. None of this “womans 9-11 sock” size. > > Same with sweaters. Are you comparing a wool (or wool/alpaca, or silk/wool, etc) hand knit sweater with a 100% polyester machine made sweater in the store, or are you comparing it against a (preferably not sweatshop/3rd world country) handmade 100% wool sweater from a smaller shop? Plus, again, my sweater fits me exactly. I can put waist shaping in, or bust darts, or widen the shoulders or alter the sleeve length. I came in to mention knitting. I never have quite the needles that I need for a new project, so I have to get new ones. Bummer. 🙂 And the above is totally my justification. Luckily, my husband likes the knitting very much, and not only because he gets awesome hats that make his buddies jealous. (No, I don’t knit for his buddies. I only knit for love.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seemingly-straightforward-hobbies-that-in-reality-are-complex-expensive-involving/491542.md?page=5)