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Darn Good Yarn Of The Month Subscription Review – April 2018

Lacey Volk
ByLacey VolkMay 16, 2018 | 14 comments

Darn Good Yarn of the Month May 2018

Darn Good Yarn of the Month
3.4 overall rating
5 Ratings | 0 Reviews

Darn Good Yarn of the Month is an affordable subscription box from Darn Good Yarn. For only $10/month, you'll receive a skein of premium yarn, a pattern, and a free gift.

Unboxing our first Darn Good Yarn of the Month Club Box

This month's box is being reviewed thanks to an MSA reader request!

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

Darn Good Yarn May 2018 Box

About Darn Good Yarn of the Month

The Subscription Box: Darn Good Yarn of the Month

The Cost: $10/month + shipping

The Products: One skein of premium yarn, a pattern, and a free gift.

Ships to: US ($4/continental US) and international ($13/Alaska, Hawaii, US territories, and other countries)

Darn Good Yarn of the Month April 2018 Review

I first became aware of Darn Good Yarn when I reviewed the GlobeIn DIY box, and a reader commented that the yarn looked similar to some of their products. I've reviewed a couple of other knitting subscription boxes in the past couple of years, and I was definitely intrigued to see what this box offered– $10/month is so cheap for a yarn subscription, even if shipping is extra!

Intro Booklet

As you might expect for a crating box, the booklet includes a couple patterns and information about this month's yarn:

Info about Darn Good Yarn Letter from owner

There's a nice letter from the founder, Nicole, introducing you to the brand itself and the subscription. They've got positive vibes, for sure.

They don't specifically use the words "fair trade" or "eco-friendly", but with phrases like "be human" and "thoughtful sourcing", I had to look into this a bit more. They offer many yarns made from recycled materials and some of them are labeled "fair trade and child labor free." They also say elsewhere on the site that

 [....] a Darn Good Yarn purchase empowers women on a global level to be the best version of themselves by offering fair wages and safe working conditions.

This month's featured yarn

This month's yarn is a rainbow worsted-weight silk roving, made from recycled materials in their co-op in India.

This month's bonus gift

I was really curious about what the 'free gift' would be in this box, and I'm thrilled to see that it's a tool!

Cowl Pattern

And of course, they've also included a pattern for this yarn (and needles) for both knitters...

Cowl Pattern Crochet Pattern

... and crocheters.

Crochet Pattern

Of course, you're all just waiting to see the yarn, right? 🙂

Worsted Weight Roving Silk Yarn

Worsted Weight Recycled Silk Roving Yarn, 75 yards – Retail Value $11.99

Ok, first of all: how awesome is it to receive a skein of yarn all wound up and ready to go? 🙂

Worsted Weight Roving Silk Yarn Worsted Weight Roving Silk Yarn

The color shifts in this rainbow "Watercolor" colorway are short, as you can see. The yarn itself has a thick-and-thin nubby texture similar to other recycled silk yarns I've seen– but since it's roving yarn and not made from recycled fabric, it is super duper soft. (My only memory of working with recycled silk yarn was from over 10 years ago, and it was not pleasant!)

Detail: Worsted Weight Roving Silk Yarn Worsted Weight Roving Silk Yarn

I'm personally not a big "bright colors and rainbows" person, but this yarn definitely put a smile on my face!

Knitting and Crochet Needle Set

Darn Good Yarn US 8 Ombre Knitting Needle and Crochet Hook Set – Listed Value $19.99

(I couldn't find this pack on the Darn Good Yarn site, though they do sell some larger needles for $24.99.)

Knitting and Crochet Needle Set

Compared to other knitting subscriptions I've reviewed, I thought this was an awesome bonus item given the price point of the box. Not only can you start knitting immediately after you open the box, but you also have the options to choose between knitting and crochet.

Detail

I do 99% of my knitting these days on circular needles, so I wasn't sure that I would actually use these. But they are lightweight and not particularly long, so they actually felt similar to working with what I already use (except I kept dropping one at the end of each row out of habit; since circulars are attached together I guess I always just drop the needle when I'm done!)

Detail

I'm not sure how I feel about the retail value on these, though. While overall the quality was good, there were a few little bumps of the clear coat that stood out to me and felt a little cheap– although they were smooth overall and the yarn didn't actually catch at all, so I suppose it's a minor issue.

So what else is there to do but give that included pattern a shot?

Darn Good Yarn Cowl In Progress

75 yards is not a lot of yarn, so I thought the included pattern would be a useful way to see what kind of mileage I can get. From the photo that was included with the pattern, I expected the cowl to be pretty small.

Darn Good Yarn Cowl In Progress

I did really think the slip-stitch pattern did a nice job of highlighting the rainbow colors in this yarn and breaking up the stripes a bit.

Darn Good Yarn Cowl In Progress

Here's the front and the back of the piece so far! This is just one evening of knitting and I think I'm already over halfway done, so I'll probably finish this in another day– it's a fast knit! I can tell already it's not something I'd personally wear, but I think it's actually the perfect size for a small child. I prefer cowls for kids anyway, since they don't fall off, so I'll stash this project for a future Christmas gift.

Verdict: For $10/month plus $4 shipping, I thought this was a great introduction to Darn Good Yarn. The yarn plus the needle set was definitely worth more than $14 to me! 

This is only my first box, so I don't want to draw too many conclusions about Darn Good Yarn... but my guess from their available yarns is that this subscription will frequently have a more bohemian vibe, thanks to the bright colors and recycled yarns. If that's your style, and you like one-skein projects, I say go for it and sign up!

I think this is also a beginner-friendly subscription: it's super affordable, and one-skein patterns are a great way to refine your technique and learn about different types of yarns and fiber.

To Wrap Up:

Can you still get this box if you sign up today? No. Boxes ship around the 20th of each month, so the next box will be shipped at the end of May.

Value Breakdown: For $14 (price of box + US shipping) we received 75 yarns of recycled silk yarn with a retail value of $11.99, plus a set of knitting needles + 1 crochet hook and patterns for both knitting and crochet.

Check out the Craft Subscription Box Directory for more great beading, craft supply, and DIY project boxes.

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

What did you think of the April 2018 Darn Good Yarn of the Month? Do you subscribe to any knitting and crochet subscription boxes? Which others should we review?

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Each month Darn Good Yarn of the Month sends "a skein of premium yarn, a knit & crochet pattern, and a mystery gift."
Lacey Volk
Lacey Volk
Lacey's introduction to the world of subscription boxes was Julep Maven, but she quickly moved on once she discovered there were subscriptions for cooking, coffee, and art supplies. Current favorites include Crate Chef and Ecocentric Mom, and she's looking forward to trying more.

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14 comments

KimberlyB

I am practically drooling over that yarn! I think it’s awesome that they include crochet, too. My hands just can’t knit very well for whatever reason, but the yarn industry seems to forget sometimes that crochet exists too.

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cynm

I had this for a few months and although I didn’t really like it I kept it as I thought it was helping people BUT when they kept sending me scrap material (not yarn) that I had to throw away I just had to cancel. Also the yarn always had a bad odor and had to be washed before I could even use it. They quit sending me patterns and gave a place to download them and I didn’t get the extra gift after my second box.

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Anne

I had this sub for a while, but after a few months where they sent fabric ribbon “yarn” I decided to drop it. I do really like a lot of Darn Good Yarns products though! Especially the silk and banana fiber ones.

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Margie

I’m right there with you! I have always wanted to learn. Which is easier, knitting or crocheting? Are there actual classes or workshops? Is this something I could teach myself?

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Annabella

Try Debbie Stoller’s ‘Stitch ‘n Bitch’ book for the basics then segue into youtube tutorials. It’s a wonderful hobby and sometimes the only thing that keeps me sane.

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Beth

I learned crochet off of youtube last year. One person who does an amazing job of teaching and has wonderful videos is Bella Coco. She’s excellent!

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Margie

Bella Coco! Thanks, I’ll look her up.

Lacey Volk

I taught myself about 15 years ago from books, online tutorials, and videos so I’ve never actually taken a class. There are a lot of youtube tutorials and easy ways to learn online, or you can check local yarn stores and libraries to see if they have any groups or classes. I think a lot of Joann Fabrics and Michaels craft stores also have classes.

I personally think knitting is easier once you get the hang of it, but a lot of people like crochet because you only use one needle, so it’s a a bit easier to manage at first. I do think it’s harder to make wearable garments with crochet as it seems better suited to blankets and accessories, so if you want to make sweaters and socks I’m recommend trying knitting instead. 🙂

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Annabella

A million kudos for reviewing a yarn sub! Please continue and if possible add more of the high scale subs.

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Lacey Volk

Just wanted to let you know that I finally had a chance to review KnitCrate! https://www.mysubscriptionaddiction.com/2018/08/knitcrate-review-july-2018.html

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Lacey Volk

Glad you liked it! I’m hoping to check out a few more 🙂 I have reviewed a couple in the past too, but it’s probably been a year since my last yarn box review.

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Kay

This looks like fun! I don’t knit or crochet, but this makes me want to seriously consider trying! I’m scared I wouldn’t be able to get the hang of it.

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Ragan

You should look into loom knitting. It is way easier than either regular knitting (which I can kind of do) or crochet (which I can’t figure out at all despite numerous tries), but you can produce the same sorts of items using the same yarns. Actually, doing work in the round (hats and such) is a lot easier with loom knitting, but you can do flat panels as well.

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Lacey Volk

I’m always in favor of people trying new things 🙂

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