Knit-Wise is a monthly yarn subscription box that sends everything you need to complete one small project each month. They have options for knitting and for crocheting, and you can choose your skill level for the knit boxes (beginner or intermediate/advanced). All of the boxes are the same price!
This review is for the intermediate/advanced knitting, $29.00 per month, box.
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 Knit-Wise
The Subscription Box: Knit-Wise
The Cost: $29.00 per month (save with longer subscription plans)
ACTIVE DEAL: 15% off your first box on any monthly subscription
CODE: KNITHAPPENS
The Products: a pattern, exclusive yarn, bamboo knitting needles, and notions required to complete the project
Ships to: the US (international shipping not currently offered)
Knit-Wise January 2019 "Ear Flap Hat" Project Review
This was my first month receiving the Knit-Wise box, and I love the concept of a subscription yarn box that sends you absolutely everything you need to complete a project each month.
The project for this month is a bulky weight, striped hat with ear flaps and long ties that end in tassels. Good to know: the photo shows a pink pom-pom on top of the hat, but the box does not include a pom-pom or materials to make one.
I love how the pattern booklet is laid out. Everything you need to know is included in this front page, including a list of all of the techniques you need to be familiar with. I like their section on tips as well - it’s a great way to learn small details that will make you a better knitter!
Knit-Wise Yarn
The yarn arrived already caked up, which is awesome! Most other yarn subscription boxes come with the yarn in skeins, which you then are responsible for winding into balls or caking up on your own (which requires a ball winder and a yarn swift). I think it’s great that Knit-Wise took this extra step out of the equation and has the yarn caked up for you already.
The yarn did not come with any sort of label and there is no information on the fiber content, weight, or yardage in the pattern booklet. As an avid knitter and someone who likes to be informed about my yarn, I found this to be frustrating. I want to know the fiber content in my yarn, as this is important for allergies (especially if you are knitting for a gift) and also for how you need to treat your item after you’ve made it. For example, most acrylic yarns are machine-washable, but most natural fibers are not. Another reason is that different fibers respond to wet-blocking or steam-blocking better, and it’s nice to know what you are working with before you attempt to block your finished knit.
Another thing that is nice to know with yarn is the yardage you have available, especially if you are someone who wants the freedom to choose your own pattern with the yarn sent in a subscription box (rather than always making the pattern in the box). I weighed the yarn cakes with a food scale and each one came out to just under 50g. The yarn is somewhere around a bulky weight yarn, which usually has about 75 yards in a 50g skein. I am estimating that we have around 150 yards to work with here, but it’s impossible to know for sure how many yards are in each yarn cake without a label.
Bamboo Circular Knitting Needles, US size 8
The box included a circular knitting needle in US size 8, which is the size needle called for in the ear flap hat pattern. The needles came packaged in a clear wrapper and are marked “made in China,” but there is no brand listed. The needles are smooth wood with no rough spots, and the clear cable is flexible and seems well-joined to the wooden ends.
The needles are imprinted with the size, which is always a great touch!
Stitch Markers and a Darning Needle
The box also included a set of five rainbow-colored plastic locking stitch markers and a plastic darning needle for weaving in your ends.
“Knit Fast, Die Warm” Magnet
How cute is this little magnet? It measures about 1.5”x1.5” and has a flexible magnet backing.
“Made by me” Sew-in Tag
The tag is small, about only an inch long. The tag is the perfect finishing touch for your hand-knitted item!
Here’s my finished hat! I think it’s so cute, and I love the on-trend ear flaps and long ties with the tassels. The pattern was very straightforward to follow, and I would classify it as an advanced beginner/intermediate pattern. The yarn is very soft and I really like the striping effect I’m getting with it. The drawback to the softness is that the yarn is very fluffy, and that made it somewhat difficult to work with. I used the wooden circular needles included in the box to make the hat, and if I was knitting with this type of yarn again I would not have chosen wooden needles. The wood causes the fluffy fibers to stick to the needles, which is great if you are working with a slippery yarn. In this case, however, the yarn was already fairly grippy. It was quite difficult to slide the stitches along the needles. In the future, I would use a pair of metal knitting needles when working with yarn similar to this.
Verdict: The Knit-Wise brand advertises itself as delivering ready-to-go projects for someone who has a busy life. They send everything you need to make the project, eliminating the need to pick out a pattern, source the materials, etc. In this sense, the box definitely delivers on its promise. I see this box as being a fantastic subscription for a busy, working person who wants to take up knitting as a hobby - and I think they have done a great job marketing this box towards millennials. My favorite part of the box is that the yarn comes already caked up! In my opinion, though, if you are someone who is a more serious knitter or someone who cares a lot about knowing all of the information on the yarn provided (fiber type, yardage, care instructions), you might enjoy a different yarn/knitting subscription box.
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? No, you will receive the February box.
ACTIVE DEAL: 15% off your first box on any monthly subscription
CODE: KNITHAPPENS
Check out 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 January 2019 Knit-Wise box? Let us know in the comments!
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