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Is there anything nicer than getting a package full of surprises in the mail? How about a package full of surprises in the mail once a month! I’ve noticed a growing number of monthly subscription-box services popping up lately; I decided to check out a bunch of them and report my findings here. Previously reviewed: Knoshbox, La Bella Box, Umba Box, Nicely Noted, For the Makers, LootCrate, Sprig, NatureBox, and Yuzen. And for kids, there’sBabbaBox, Kiwi Crate, Little Passports, and Green Kid Crafts. Also check out Geekmom Ariane's review of Chic Makers and Craftistas and Jenny's writeup of the FruitGuys.
Here's a fun one for the fiber geek in your life. KnitCrateis a monthly subscription service for knitters. Each month, subscribers receive a package containing the supplies for a knitting project: unique high-quality yarn, a pattern, and various fun extras and accessories. You can choose from Beginner, Intermediate/Advanced, Sock, Baby, and Indie packages.
I had an opportunity to explore the January Beginner's package. The project was a "Soft and Sensuous Cowl" pattern by Be Sweet (a company that works with artisans from the Xhosa tribe in Cape Town, South Africa), with enough yarn to complete the project. This yarn was pretty swoony, I gotta say: a skein of Be Sweet's Bamboo, a meltingly soft yarn in a creamy silver hue with a soft sheen, and a skein of Magic Ball, another Be Sweet yarn, a nubbly, fluffy variegated mohair in soft gray, brown, and deep rose, with bits of silver ribbon here and there. Just gorgeous. (You can see the blue version in the photo at right.)
Also included in this package: Happy Hands Sandia Sage & Lavender Hand Cream for Fiber Artists; some hot pink Be Sweet pencils; and to round out the sweet theme, a couple of Bit o' Honeys. (Not pictured, because I ate them immediately.) Since this was KnitCrate's inaugural package, it also contained a nice canvas Baggu Duck Bag for toting your projects around.
KnitCrate promises that each month's kit will contain:
Plus you get a 20% discount on all the yarns they carry. You can sign up for monthly or bi-monthly delivery, and you're able to switch your package type at any time. For U.S. residents, a monthly subscription will run you $45-65, depending on which type you choose. (The Baby and Sock packages are least expensive; Beginner and Intermediate/Advanced are ten dollars more; and the Indie packages are the priciest.) This is one of the most expensive subscription kits I've reviewed, but if it's in your budget, it would be a tremendously fun package to get in the mail each month. KnitCrate will appeal to knitters at all levels who enjoy the element of surprise. Like all subscription boxes, there's a bit of a gamble; it's possible that from time to time you'll get a pattern or colorway that isn't your cup of tea. But half the fun of a subscription kit is the zing of discovery, the promise of mystery. If you'd like to start dropping hints for Mother's (or Father's!) Day, gift subscriptions are available in three-, six-, nine-, and 12-month options.
You can get a sneak peek of upcoming packages at the KnitCrate blog or Facebook page. Here's a detailed look at each of the February packages. I love the sound of that super-soft Kangaroo Dyer yarn in the Sock package, which also contained coffee, tags, and a cute felt clutch, along with a pattern for "Spring Flower" socks. The Beginner project was a scarf in Merino wool, the Advanced/Intermediate project was a cap and mittens, and the Indie package included a shawl pattern and some Dyeabolical Yarns Super Ego yarn in an exclusive just-for-KnitCrate colorway. Scrumptious.
KnitCrate is offering a special for GeekMom readers: for the next seven days, use promo code "GEEKMOM" for $10 off your first month's subscription.
- Review kit provided by KnitCrate.*
