If you’re a knitter right now you’re probably laughing your head off as you know exactly what I’m talking about. It’s the Boyfriend or Girlfriend Sweater Curse. What is that? The Curse (as its commonly referred to by knitters) is simply that if you knit a sweater for a partner with whom you are not married, the relationship will end. Truth or fiction? You can call it what you may and take it or leave it, but I’m not one to take it lightly. I have heard dozens of stories where it is in fact truth and only a few to dispute it. It has even happened to me – both giving and receiving. I actually made three sweaters for one EX-girlfriend! I started dating my EX-wife after I made her a knitted dress for a wedding she was going to. Yes, I did use the term ex.
So what’s this curse really all about? Well, there are psychologists that will give you one reason or another as to why the relationship didn’t work with none of them having anything to do with knitting. According to some of them, a knitted sweater shows a significant commitment that not everybody is ready for. Giving somebody a hand-knit sweater too early in a relationship can hint at signs of desperation. If the partner is not on the same wavelength as you , well, we all know what happens next. Another explains that giving a sweater is sometimes used to save a relationship in the same manner that having a child is used to try and save a marriage. Too bad you can’t knit together a relationship as easily as a sweater. In both cases, the relationship was doomed and then blamed on something having nothing to do with the real problems of the relationship itself. Yet another says that some people simply don’t live in the real world and are not seeing their relationship as it is. After the relationship ends, its easy to blame it on The Curse.
Some knitters have been wise enough to use The Curse to their advantage however. They use the sweater as a barometer to see how the relationship is going. By seeing the reaction to the sweater and appreciation of the work involved and time spent, most will be able to tell if the partner is a keeper. The average sweater has over 100,000 stitches and you might not want to devote that kind of time to making something that someone may not like. For this reason its a good idea to feel out the partner and make sure its something they will appreciate. I’ve heard a story of a girl that knit a sweater for a guy who said he loved it, wore it once, then used it for a dog-blanket afterward. I don’t think they stayed together very long after the discovery. I guess if you want to end a relationship but don’t want to dea with the confrontation thing you could always use The Curse to assist you as well.
So what’s the final verdict? This knitter for one is now very careful who he makes sweaters for. As a matter of fact, if you want me to make you a sweater I would be more than happy to – as long as you can pay the asking price. Either that or be exactly the kind of woman I’m looking for and marry me. After that, you can have as many as you like … Do you have a curse story? If so, leave it in the comments section. I’d love to hear it!
“I mean that my heart unto yours is knit, so that but one heart we can make of it.” Author : William Shakespeare
Hugzzz 😎
