How true are knitting myths?

Question

I know that urban legends and stuff are pretty dumb, but i have to know:

is there any truth to the boyfriend sweater myth?

don't ask what it is; if you haven't heard about it, don't bother.

thanks! :]

Answer 1

What this really is, is a superstition.  Superstitions only have any power over your life you allow them to have.  Forget the superstition and concentrate on the person.  

In Sweden, an old knitting superstition was that you must never knit anything black after dark.  It honestly had its roots in the same place that the American "reading in bed is bad for your eyes" idea did.  Lamps of earlier eras did not give enough light to work on black items after dark.  Nowadays, there are still some folks will not knit anything black after dark because of the old superstition.  Others have seen it for what it is and knit with any color they like any time they like.

Answer 2

I think that like many urban legends, this one something that has happened to someone along the way and, like Topsy, it just growed.  I do know that I made my son--in-law a sweater and both he and the sweater are no longer a part of my DD's life.  Just as a pregnancy isn't going to patch up a failing marriage, making your significant other a sweater is no guarantee that the relationship will last or not.  

Answer 3

I don't know if it's true but I was living with my husband for 13 years before we got married and I never made him a sweater....socks, scarfs, mitts, hats = no problem.  But I wasn't taking ANY chances, lol.  

We're married and I'm still scared to make him a sweater.

I just did a search on knitting superstitions and I was surprised when read them all.  Most of them I've never heard of.  As I said earlier, I knit my husband socks, he has never walked away from me except on his way to work...which coincidently is what I made the socks for...he works outside, even in winter.

I do knit a hair into every project.  I don't know why, I just do.  

I knit a lot of baby items, but none for babies I know.  I sell them or donate them.

I do cast on the second sock as soon as finishing the first, if I don't, I'll never get to it.

Answer 4

On the sweater thing:

I think the matter behind it is that many people don't really realize the time and effort that goes behind knitting a sweater.  Therefore, you give your boyfriend a sweater, and he doesn't really appreciate that effort.  I imagine it's pretty upsetting, and puts some strain on the relationship and can cause other little issues to seem worse and BAM.  One sweater later, and you've broken up!