StitchyBox Craft Subscription Review – July/August 2017

StitchyBox is a themed, bi-monthly subscription box for cross stitch and counted thread supplies.

Beads, embellishments, and threads come in their own little envelopes.

My Subscription Addiction paid for this box. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)

This review is of the Big Picture, $36.99 every other month, box. 

The Subscription Box: StitchyBox

The Cost: $36.99/box for the “Big Picture Box” (contains one cut of 14-16 count Aida and one cut of 28-32 count linen or evenweave) or $38.99/box for the “Detail-Oriented Box” (contains one cut of 32-36 count linen and one cut of 40 count linen).

Note: StitchyBox has introduced some add-ons to the bimonthly subscription:

• “Bling It Up” (beads and crystals for $7.50 bimonthly add on)
• “Stitch It Up” (small pattern charts for $6.50 bimonthly add on)
• "Buttoned Up" (a variety of buttons for $5.00 bimonthly add on)
• "Thread It Up" ($17.50 worth of threads for $15.00 bimonthly add on)
• You can also subscribe to “Just the Threads” to get a selection of threads and fibers each month (this is $22.99 for a one-time purchase or $21.84 for a bimonthly subscription; this is not an add-on but a separate subscription).

The Products: Over $40 worth of stitching goodies including two cuts of stitching fabric and a variety of threads and embellishments. (Note: patterns and instructions are typically not included. However, the StitchyBox blog has some project ideas. And you can choose one larger piece of fabric instead of the two smaller ones when you sign up.)

Good to know: You can buy extras of supplies you liked from this box from the StitchyBox shop (while they last). I’ve taken most of the values listed below from the StitchyBox shop when I could.

Ships to: U.S. for free, International for $6

Check out all of our StitchyBox reviews and the Craft Subscription Box Directory for more great craft and DIY subscriptions!

Keep Track of Your Subscriptions: Add this box to your subscription list or wishlist!

This month’s StitchyBox came with a card detailing the theme for the box. This box’s theme is “Pohutukawa Tree.” (All of this year’s color themes will be inspired by nature!)

Northern Lights Silk in Burnt Embers – Value $6

This is really pretty and tied with the next one down for my favorite thread in the box.  But, I am a fan of anything with red in it.  For silk, this was pretty easy to work with.

Weeks Dye Works Cotton Floss in Santa Claus – Value $2.50

This one was also fun. Six-stranded cotton floss will probably always be my favorite – it’s what I started out with – and Weeks Dye Works floss comes in some more interesting colors than DMC.

Kreinik White Silk Serica – Value $3.50

I am not sold on this product. I have kind of a love/hate relationship with Kreinik. They make lots of interesting stuff. But I wasn’t really sure how to use this.  I tried separating it like you would with silk or cotton embroidery floss, but I’m not sure that was the correct strategy. It had super fine individual threads (over 30 of them, I think) that were hard to work with.

Gentle Art Sampler Threads Limited Edition Cotton in New Growth – Value $2.40

Gentle Art Sampler Threads is another indie thread dyeing company you’ll see frequently in Stitchybox. This was also very easy to work with and comes pre-cut into appropriate lengths for stitching (which is easier to handle than skeins you have to unwind and that then get tangled).

Dinky Dyes Silk in Irish Meadows – Value $4.50

Dinky Dyes silks are common in Stitchybox as well.  They produce some really nice results. (If you want to really see the variegation, complete each “x” before moving on to the next.) If you’re wondering about the Christmas colors in August, a lot of people start stitching projects for the holidays around this time of year.

Acorn Wool Felt – Value $2?

Sometimes in StitchyBox, you’ll get a little piece of fabric that you can either embellish with the box contents or use *as* an embellishment in another project. I had to estimate the value because this item was not available in the Stitchybox shop and I really don’t know much about it. I am kind of curious as to whether it will work as a foundation for bead embroidery, though. I might have to try that.

Christmas Tree Woven Ribbon – Value $1.50?

This was not available in the Stitchybox shop, but we received something similar in a past box so I am using the value from that. This would be a nice embellishment on a stocking or along the border of a holiday-themed stitched piece.

32 Count Lugana in Yule from Picture This Plus (fat 16^th) – Value $5.50 (buy a fat 8^th for $11)

This is calling out for a simple pattern done in a light color of floss (maybe white with some metallic blending filament) so that you can truly appreciate the vibrant colors of the fabric.

14 Count Aida in Country Mocha from Wichelt (fat 16^th) – Value $3 (buy a 12” by 18” piece for $5.89)

A fat 16^th is 9” by 11”, so *roughly* half the size of the 12” by 18” piece linked to above. This is a nice neutral accompaniment to the other fabric and would be suitable for various seasonal uses (I actually think it would look nice with some leaves for fall).

Swarovski Crystal Drop – Value $0.75

This is much prettier in real life than it is in the photo, I promise you. I kind of want to get a bunch of these and make jewelry with them, though!

Star Charm – Value $0.50

You’ll usually get a few charms or other embellishments in the regular StitchyBox shipment. This one is definitely suitable for use in embroidery because it is lightweight and also flat.

Preciosa Crystals in Clear, Red, and Green – Value $1?

There were about 15 of these, and I’m estimating the size and have no idea which precise color names these are, so I’m just giving a ballpark estimate of value from this site, which I have shopped from in the past.  These would add some sparkle to an embroidered project. I *think* they are 3mm beads, but I didn’t think to measure them so I can’t be positive. At any rate, they are small enough and light enough to be used in stitching projects.

Here are what the various threads look like when stitched in 5 x 5 squares: (from left to right) the Burnt Embers silk, the Santa Claus cotton, the Kreinik silk, the Irish Meadows silk, and the New Growth cotton. All are stitched with two threads except the Kreinik.

Verdict: I calculated a value of around $33 for the July/August 2017 StitchyBox. That is a little bit under the month-to-month cost of the box, but it is close, and I had to do a LOT of estimating this month, so it could be even a little better than I’ve estimated. I do think there is some added value in getting products from indie thread companies, including some limited edition colors you can’t find anywhere else outside of Stitchybox. (Most of those companies have separate shipping charges and/or minimum orders, anyway.) I thought the variegated threads incorporating shades of red were particularly fun.

What do you think of the July/August 2017 StitchyBox? Would you like to see reviews of some of the new add-ons for the subscription?