Knit Picks is an online yarn and knitting supply company that specializes in providing high-quality materials at a reasonable price. Knit Picks overhauled their subscription models for 2020, and they now have a completely new line up of boxes to choose from:
- Cotton Club: $39.99 per month for one accessory or home decor knitting pattern, recommended knitting needles, and all the cotton yarn needed to complete the project
- Sock Yarn Celebration: $39.99 per month for one or two patterns and sock yarn to complete the project(s), which will range from shawls to socks
- A Year of Hats: $39.99 per month for patterns and yarns to complete hat projects that focus on teaching new skills and techniques, plus a fun tool or accessory
This review is of the Cotton Club option for 39.99 per month.
COVID-19 Update: Because of implemented safety measures, Knit Picks orders may incur shipping delays. You can get all the details here.
My Subscription Addiction paid for this box. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
About Knit Picks
The Subscription Box: Knit Picks Cotton Club Box
The Cost: $39.99 per month + free US shipping
The Products: A surprise assortment of yarn, patterns, knitting needles and tools, and fun extras
Ships to: The US and Canada for free, and to Australia and the UK for $10.00
Knit Picks Cotton Club July 2020 Review
Knit Picks is a fantastic online store for knitters and crocheters, and it’s always been one of my favorite places to shop for yarn and tools! The box was overhauled and re-done for 2020, and I've been excited to see what stayed the same and what changed with these new boxes (see our previous Knit Picks Box reviews here). Overall, I'm loving the new format of the boxes!
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First up we have an information card about the Knit Picks boxes in general, welcoming us to the new subscription model. While this is nice information to have, one thing I'm missing in this box is the info card detailing all of the items that were sent this month - I always like to see what the theme of the box is, or where the inspiration for the items came from.
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Knit Picks Billow in "Celadon" - Retail Value $31.96 ($7.99 per skein)
The yarn sent this month is a bulky weight 100% Pima cotton. The color I received is a gorgeous sage green color that I adore! The yarn has a thick-and-thin texture that gives the yarn a really pretty handspun-like look. The yarn is sooooooo soft! I have been so impressed with the cotton yarns I've received from Knit Picks so far - they all feel so soft and have that lived-in T-shirt quality to them.
We received four skeins of the Billow yarn, each of which contains 120 yards in 100 grams.
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Oblique Cowl Pattern - Retail Value $4.99
The pattern to go along with the yarn is for an oversized cowl with a textured stitch pattern. While this cowl looks lovely, I feel like the choice of sending this pattern in the box for July was a bit of a miss for me. The last thing I feel like knitting right now, when it's been over 90 degrees every day this week where I live, is a huge scarf!
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Knit Picks Options Interchangeable Cable, Green, 40" - Retail Value $1.99
Knit Picks Options Interchangeable Needle Tips, Caspian colorway, size 8 - Retail Value $7.49
Rounding out the box is an interchangeable cable cord and a set of interchangeable needle tips in size 8. I always love getting more needles and cables to add to my collection! The needles are made of laminated birch wood and have a lovely sea green color.
Now, let's get knitting!
Like I mentioned above, I wasn't thrilled about the pattern choice this month. I am all about the summer knits right now, and if you've been reading my reviews for a while you know that I love making garments most. I used the advanced search feature on Ravelry and stumbled upon this pattern, which seems like the perfect easy sweater to throw over a dress on chilly summer nights!
Image via Jacqueline Cieslak.
This sweater pattern, Ursa, uses almost exactly the amount of yarn we received for the two smallest sizes. One thing I love about the Knit Picks boxes is that it's always easy to order more of the same yarn you receive in the box if you need it. I'm thinking I'll have to pick up one extra skein to complete this project in my size, but that is well worth it to me to get a sweater that I know I'll love!
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Here's my progress so far on this sweater! It is knitting up lightning fast due to the bulky yarn and large gauge, which is such a fun change from the type of sweaters I normally make. I'm so in love with this sea-green color, and I think using cotton for this sweater pattern makes it such a great fit for summertime.
The thick and thin construction of the yarn gives the sweater body such a fun texture - you can see some of the stitches have that puffy appearance from the thicker parts of the yarn, and I think it gives the overall sweater a really neat textured look. I also love the half-brioche bands down the center front, back, and raglan seams! It looks like an advanced technique, but it's actually very simple to do (if you can do knit and purl stitches and yarn overs, you can make this sweater!).
Verdict: I thought this was a great Cotton Club box! I absolutely loved the yarn sent this month, and am so excited that I can make a pattern I'm really excited about with it. I also like that this particular box features more household projects, as I can get a little bit burned out on hats and scarves in yarn subscription boxes. For $39.99 we received four skeins of yarn, one pattern, an interchangeable needle cable, and one pair of interchangeable needle tips for a retail value of $46.43. This is a lower valuation than past boxes have been, but the price of the box is also less than it used to be, so I'm happy with that. If you know you are a fan of Knit Picks products, or you want to try new yarn and knitting/crochet items at a discounted price, I think this box has a great value!
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? No, if you subscribe now you will receive the August box, which will start shipping on the 1st.
Value Breakdown: At $39.99, here’s approximately what you are paying for each item:
- Billow Yarn - $27.52 ($6.88 per skein)
- Cowl Pattern - $4.30
- Interchangeable Cable - $1.71
- Interchangeable Needle Tips - $6.45
Check out all of our Knit Picks reviews and the best arts & crafts subscription boxes of 2020!
Keep Track of Your Subscriptions: Add this box to your subscription list or wishlist!
What did you think of the July 2020 Cotton Club Box?
Want to see what Knit Picks' other options are all about? Let us know if you'd like to see another type reviewed: the Cotton Club box, the Sock Yarn Celebration box, or the A Year of Hats box. Thank you!
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