The Crafter's Box is an artisan craft subscription box that features a different, unique craft each month that is designed with the crafty adult in mind. The boxes are thoughtfully curated with high-end materials so that your finished products are modern and luxe. There's also an accompanying video workshop led by the featured artist that introduces you to the craft and provides you with detailed instructions to complete the project.
Subscribers get first access to new workshops for $65 per month, and the remaining workshops are later available to purchase in The Crafter's Box marketplace for $75. So, members save $10 and are guaranteed to receive the newest workshop.
This review is of the Crafter’s Box Cross Stitch workshop.
My Subscription Addiction paid for this box. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
About The Crafter's Box
The Subscription Box: The Crafter's Box
The Cost: $65.00 per month + free U.S. shipping (save with longer subscriptions)
ACTIVE DEAL: Get 25% off your first box!
CODE: GETCREATIVE
The Products: A shipped kit of curated tools and materials + a new digital workshop by the featured maker of the month
Ships to: The U.S. for free and internationally for varying rates
Good to Know: The month's featured project is announced on the 1st and subscribers have until the 8th to pause, skip, or swap that month. Projects are designed to be for ages 18+.
The Crafter's Box "Cross Stitch" Review
Let's take a look inside this box curated for May -- the craft featured is cross-stitch!
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We received a folded info card this month detailing information on what's included in the box, as well as a short bio on the featured maker this month, mixed media artist Zoe Frost of Junebug and Darlin. For this workshop, Zoe walks us through the process of stitching this colorful floral design.
Now, onto the items!
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Custom Cross Stitch Patten (Wildflower Bouquet) – Estimated Retail Value $6.00
We're going to be stitching these pretty wildflowers! Our box includes three versions of the same pattern, with each sheet focusing on a different aspect of the project (one with all the stitches, one with special stitches, and one with embellishments.) This pattern is not available for purchase from The Crafters Box, but you can pick up a digital download of three additional floral patterns for $24 in the marketplace.
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8x8" Polished Beech Square Embroidery Hoop and Modern Hoopla Embroidery Stand (Retail value of comparable product $19.80 on Amazon)
The hoop we'll be using to hold our project in place will eventually pair with the stand to display our finished project. These items are not available for individual purchase from The Crafters Box but similar items could probably be easily found in any craft store.
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Aida Cloth in Misty Blue, Premium 80/20 Cotton Unbleached Blend and Felt Fabric in White (all 14x14")
The Aida cloth is the grid-lined fabric we will be stitching on. The cotton and felt will be used to pad and frame our finished product. You can purchase a pack of additional Aida cloths in a variety of colors for $55 in the Crafters Box marketplace.
Hand Sewing Needle size 24
These needles have are pretty tiny, so I'd recommend making a small investment in a needle minder (you can purchase one as an add-on to this box) and a needle threader to help this project go smoothly.
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DMC 6-Strand Embroidery Floss in a Custom Palette (Retail Value $11.00)
I was hit with a wave of nostalgia when I opened the bag of embroidery floss. I know they are traditionally used for crafts like this, but who doesn't have awesome memories of collecting different colors of this brand of embroidery floss to make friendship bracelets with as a kid? I think I even had my own carry case for them! You can buy a custom palette of 11 colors to match the digital patterns available in the marketplace.
In addition to the tools and materials in this kit, our workshop also includes a digital workshop from Zoe with instructions on how to complete the project.
Now, let's cross-stitch!
The first step is to set up your hoop. You'll want to fold your Aida cloth in half twice and follow the crease to find the center so you don't run out of room while you're stitching.
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Now we're ready to start stitching. Zoe suggests a starting point in the lesson that's right near the center of the design, so it's easy to figure out where to make your first stitch. You'll work from left to right, making little diagonal lines that correspond to a box on your grid. After you've added all the stitches in a row, you go back and make another diagonal line on the opposite side of each box, which literally puts the cross in cross-stitch!
It can be a little tricky getting your stitches to lay the way you want them to look, but this will improve with practice. The stitches can get twisted or not come out as thick as you wanted them to. My crosses weren't so neat in my first row (top) but I started to get the hang of it on my second row.
I was hoping cross stitch would become the kind of meditative, relaxing craft I could practice while enjoying a glass of wine and half-watching an episode of Schitt's Creek. The truth is, after working on this project for a week, it was still taking a LOT of concentration to get through a row. This is also a craft that requires pretty good eyesight, and regular breaks so you don't spend too much time hunched over counting tiny little squares.
Although my stitches weren't all perfect, I was very proud to finish my first flower!
Even though I still had work to do on the second peach-colored flower, I decided to do some work on a green section just to add more color to my project. One thing that's fun about cross stitch is that it's easy to just move to a different color or section if you get bored with what you're currently working on. This will probably take me a few weeks to finish, but it's exciting to see the design start to take shape.
Verdict: This project from The Crafter's Box was a real skill-builder! Now that I know how to cross-stitch, I'm dreaming about finding new patterns and stitching my friends' favorite quotes onto wall hangings for birthday gifts. Although I still have work to do to master the craft, I feel like I'm picking up a potential new hobby.
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? No, you'll receive June's box but you can purchase this workshop individually for $75.
ACTIVE DEAL: Get 25% off your first box!
CODE: GETCREATIVE
Value Breakdown: While you could get a cross stitch kit on Amazon from between $16-$20, this subscription box provides additional value by including extras like the sheets of felt and cotton and the embroidery stand. And the real value comes from the detailed video tutorial showing you how to complete the project, which for me totally makes the box worth the cost.
Check out our other reviews of The Crafter's Box and the top-rated craft subscription boxes!
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What did you think of The Crafter's Box "Cross Stitch"? Have you finished your project? Let us know in the comments!
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