The Sweater Curse, Explained!

If you’re a knitter, you have no doubt heard of the “Sweater Curse”. The curse purports that if you knit a sweater for your sweetheart, they will break up with you, oftentimes before the sweater is even complete. An urban myth, perhaps. But a poll conducted by the online magazine Knitter’s Review indicated that 15% of active knitters say they have experienced the Sweater Curse firsthand and a whopping 41% consider it a serious enough threat that they’re not going to mess with it.

But could there be some logical explanations for the Sweater Curse? Let’s consider these:

• Sometimes the construction of The Sweater takes so long that the relationship naturally runs its course.
• Maybe The Sweater, with its “love in every stitch”, represents more commitment than the recipient is ready to embrace at the time.
• Perhaps the relationship was already faltering and you were just trying to save it with a wool noose.
• Sweaters are itchy. Enough said.
• Or, just maybe, your knitting is really, really hideous.

My suggestion is to just stitch clear of the Curse. If you really must knit for your beloved, start out with something simple - like a coffee cup cozy - and see how it goes. Work your way up to a beanie, then maybe eventually a scarf… but only if it’s something you wouldn’t mind wearing yourself. You know, just in case it works out that way.

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