KnitCrate is a monthly yarn subscription box for knitters and crocheters! Each box includes a new exclusive yarn and corresponding patterns for knit and crochet projects.
They offer four different subscription options:
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Membership Crate: $24.99 per month, for two skeins of their in-house premium yarn plus exclusive knit and crochet patterns in a booklet
- Artisan Crate: $39.99 per month, for two skeins of indie dyed yarn in a limited edition colorway, exclusive knitting patterns in a booklet, and a bonus extra item
- Sock Crate: $19.99 per month, for one skein of their in-house premium fingering weight yarn and exclusive knit and crochet patterns in a booklet
- Sock Artisan Crate: $27.99 per month, for one skein of indie dyed fingering weight yarn, exclusive knitting patterns in a booklet, and a bonus extra item
This review is of the KnitCrate Membership Crate, $24.99 a month.
This box was sent to us at no cost for review. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes).
About Yarn Membership
The Subscription Box: KnitCrate
The Cost: $24.99 per month. (Other plans available from $19.99 per month to $39.99 per month.)
The Products: Two skeins of premium yarn plus a pattern booklet (contains 5 patterns!)
Ships to: US and worldwide for free!
Good to know: All members receive 25% off shop purchases, and earn points for every dollar you spend on your subscription and any orders from their shop. You also can earn points for reviewing the yarn on their website! Points can be redeemed for cash off of shop purchases or can be used towards your regular subscription.
November 2018 KnitCrate "Enchanted" Review
This month KnitCrate experienced some delays with their shipping, and boxes weren’t sent out until halfway through the month (usually they ship around the 1st). The company moved warehouses and changed shipping partners, and they are hopeful that shipping will be easier going forward. I mention this because I was blown away with the level of customer service the company had during this month of delays, and I was really impressed with their transparency to their subscribers. I personally see in the comments of a lot of subscription boxes that people are unhappy with customer service when boxes are late or missing items, and KnitCrate went above and beyond to make the situation right this month. They were very active in sending out emails, posting on the Revelry forums, and answering questions on Instagram. Part of the experience of receiving a subscription box is how things are handled in a not-perfect situation, and I wanted to start my review off by saying that KnitCrate handled this month incredibly well!
Now, onto this month’s box!
KnitCrate Inspirations Booklet, November 2018 - Retail Value $40
The pattern booklet included a download code so that you could add the PDF version to your Ravelry library. When I used the code it listed the booklet as having a value of $40, but at the time of our review, the booklet is not currently for sale as a separate item.
Last month KnitCrate sent out one pattern booklet (containing all the patterns for all four different subscription boxes) but found that the resulting weight of the booklet was too heavy for shipping. This month, they split the patterns into two and have patterns for two of the crates in one booklet and the patterns for the other two crates in the other. The Membership and Sock Membership patterns were included with this Membership box.
The theme this month was “Enchanted,” and featured an array of jewel-toned yarns. I love the theme of glittery, magical yarn for November - it’s right when the holiday season is starting and the world starts to feel a little bit more magical!
There were four different colorways featured in this month’s Membership boxes. You will receive two skeins of one of these colors (all featured on the same yarn base): Wolves (a dark indigo), Roses (a deep fuchsia), Gilded (a warm topaz), or Twilight (a royal blue).
The patterns this month include four different items to make with the yarn in the box! If you are a crocheter, there is a pattern for a fantastic boho-inspired scarf that has a very on-trend fringe. If you are a knitter, the featured pattern this month is a coordinated set of a hat, a cowl, and fingerless mitts. I thought this was such a great pattern set! The best part is that you can make all three patterns from the yarn included in the box. See below for more of my thoughts on making the pattern!
The booklet also contains a fifth pattern for the Sock Crate sock pattern. See our review on the Sock Crate (review coming soon!) for more details on this one!
Uru.Yarn Sugared Worsted by KnitCrate, in color Gilded - Retail Value $48.00 ($24.00 each and currently sold out)
The yarn this month is a gorgeous, sparkly worsted weight base. It is 70% superwash merino, 20% nylon, and 10% stellina (the sparkle!). I received the yarn in the color “Gilded,” which I absolutely love. It is the perfect topaz color, which is perfect since Topaz is the birthstone for November!
Each skein contains 219 yards per 100 grams. The yarn is very smooth and strong and looks like it would give you great stitch definition for patterns or cables.
This was the best photo I could capture of the sparkle, as it’s a very subtle glimmer. I love this because it doesn’t overwhelm your finished project - you just a get a soft sparkle when the yarn catches the light!
KnitCrate sent us one of the other color options for this month to show you, as well! This is the colorway “Wolves,” which is a dark indigo. There were four color options for the month of November, and each box contains two skeins of one of these colors shown.
Here is my finished hat from the trio of knit patterns! This month I wanted to showcase the difference blocking creates - above you can see my hat exactly as it was when I bound off before I blocked the hat. This would definitely be fine to pop on your head and go, but take a look at what the hat looks like after blocking below.
This photo was taken after I wet blocked the hat. To wet block a knitted or crocheted item, I fill a large bowl with cold or lukewarm water (too hot of water can cause the dye to run so be careful!) and soak the item for a few minutes in the water. I use a no-rinse wool wash during this step, but that is optional. After it soaks, never wring out your item because you can distort all of your hard work! I roll my item in an old towel and gently press out the excess water. Then, stretch the item out on top of a different towel or flat surface and gently pin into place. Once the item is dry it is good to go! I think blocking makes such a big difference in the appearance of your finished object when you use a wool-based yarn, and I wanted to share with you my process in case you might be newer to the concept! Let me know below if you have any questions!
Here I am wearing my finished hat! I loved this pattern. The zig-zag stitch is created by slipping stitches and a one-stitch simple cable pattern and was super easy to memorize. If you have never done a cable before, this would be a wonderful project to start with! The pattern is very clearly written and easy to understand. I love the idea of having a matching set of warm accessories and will be casting on for the cowl and fingerless mitts soon!
The hat ended up being fairly slouchy on me, which isn’t my preferred look for a hat. To switch up the look of the hat easily, I folded the brim up and added a cute faux fur pompom to the top - I love the look now and will wear this hat all winter long!
Verdict: I absolutely loved this month’s KnitCrate! I thought the sparkly yarn was perfect for wintertime, and I really enjoyed getting to try a new yarn base from the company. The patterns included were very thoughtful and useful for this time of year. I like the flexibility of either making the entire set of hat, cowl, and mitts for yourself; or you have the option of making several items for gifting! I’m glad that they are still including the pattern booklets (as opposed reverting back to sending download codes for patterns). Overall, if you are a knitter or crocheter who likes to have a yarn surprise each month, I think this is a fantastic subscription box! I love getting the chance to try a yarn that I might not necessarily pick out for myself, and I think the quality of materials they include is top notch. I also think that pairing the right pattern to a certain yarn can be one of the hardest parts about knitting, so I am enjoying taking that step out of the equation and having a perfectly paired pattern sent right along with my yarn!
For $24.99, we received two skeins of yarn and five knitting and crochet patterns, with a total retail value estimated around $88. I think this is a very reasonable price for what you receive, since the high-end premium yarn is usually around $25-35 per skein in a local yarn store, and most patterns on Ravelry are $5-10 each.
A few other things that are good to know: if you follow KnitCrate on Instagram or join their Ravelry group, they reveal spoilers at the end of each month (usually around the 20th) before the subscription renews on the first. If you are pickier about what fibers you like to use or want to avoid certain colors, these would be great to check out. Otherwise, you won’t know what the theme, yarn, or patterns will be before they renew your subscription for the month. (But if you sign up during the month of November, you’ll see the November yarns and patterns before you join, so you WILL know what your first box will be).
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? This box is sold out, so your first box will be the December box (while supplies last).
Value Breakdown: At $24.99, here’s approximately what you are paying for each item:
- Uru.Yarn - $13.63 (or $6.82 per skein)
- Pattern Booklet - $11.36
Check out all of our KnitCrate reviews and the Craft Subscription Box Directory for more great knitting, 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 November 2018 KnitCrate Membership? Which color did you receive (or want to receive!) and how are your projects coming along? Let us know in the comments!
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