There is nothing like waiting for a yarn subscription box to show up at your door and opening it up to be surprised by what you recieved. Everyone enjoys getting a gift, but when you are the one paying for the gift it is really important that you love what you get.
I have long been interested in subscribing to Yarn Subscription boxes and getting a special little surprise in the mail every month, but before I hit that subscribe button I start having doubts.
Is a yarn subscription box right for me? Will I like what I get? Is it worth the money? Is there a better option?
In the article you will see affiliate links and you can check out my disclosure policy for more information about them.
You see, the curator of a yarn subscription box picks out the contents of the box with a particular type of person in mind. The questions is, are you that person? My goal is to make sure you only subscribe to a yarn subscription box if you know for sure that it will be worth every penny!
I want you to love the subscription box you choose or I want to reveal to you if you are not the right type of person for a monthly yarn kit like the ones I will talk about below.
We will explore all the features of a yarn subscription box to determine if it is right for you. I will tell you who a yarn subscription box may not be right for and provide a fun alternative to yarn subscription boxes that you may enjoy.
I would love to know in the comments below if you decided if subscription boxes are for you.
Things to consider when deciding on a Yarn Subscription box:
- The Curator
- The Yarn
- The Patterns
- Extras
- The Price
- The Subscription Box Alternative
If you do determine that a Yarn Subscription box is right for you, check out my in depth look at some different subscription boxes to figure out which one is right for you.
Yarn Stash Club (Coming Soon)
Yarn Crush (Coming Soon)
Little Box of Crochet (Coming Soon)
A few quick notes:
When I looked at yarn subscription boxes, I focused on the subscriptions that included yarns that are not easily obtainable. These are yarns from independent dyers and smaller yarn companies. I think these boxes bring more value because they are giving you something unique.
Is a yarn Subscription Box Right for you?
The Curator of the Yarn Subscription Box
A yarn subscription box is put together by a curator or creator. They imagine a specific customer and create the perfect yarn subscription box for them.
The curator picks the yarn, pattern, packaging and any extras with that customer in mind. Who the curator is can tell us a lot about what to expect from the subscription.
Yarn Company
If the box is curated by the yarn company then the focus will be on the yarn. The company will use mostly their own yarns and you can look at the company’s shop to see what kind of yarns you can expect.
Since the box is curated by the yarn company they may include patterns by different designers each month. This will result in more style variety in the patterns included.
Designer
If the box is curated by a knit or crochet designer then you can expect to get yarn from a variety of companies. This is great if you like to try out different types of yarn and discover new yarn dyers.
The patterns in a box curated by a designer will all have a similar style to them and you can look at the designer’s website or Ravelry page to get an idea if you will like their style.
If you love their style, chances are you will love the projects sent to you every month.
The Yarn Stash Club is curated by Heather the designer for The Unraveled Mitten. To see what patterns she likes to design you can check out her website or read my in depth look at the Yarn Stash Club Subscription Box.
The Yarn in the Yarn Subscription Box
There is a reason it is called a yarn subscription box. The yarn holds a very big importance, but there are many things you will want to consider when looking at the yarn.
Yarn Fiber
So it really boils down to this: Do you have a wool sensitivity? Most yarns from independent dyers contain a certain amount of wool in them and this is because wool dyes are beautiful. You can achieve richer and more intense colors with wool.
If you happen to be allergic to wool or have a wool sensitivity then you may want to consider Darn Good Yarn, a subscription box that makes recycled silk yarn. Take an in-depth look at this subscription box in this post here.
If you do not have a wool sensitivity then you may enjoy all the unique blends of yarn that you will receive. Some of the fibers that will be blended in with the merino wool are cashmere, silk, and alpaca.
Yarn Weight
Another thing to consider is the yarn weights that come in the subscription boxes. The weights can vary from lace to bulky yarn. If you like working with all weights of yarn then you are good to subscribe.
If you find you prefer medium to heavyweights of yarn you may be disappointed when thinner yarns are sent to you. I find the most common weight to independent yarn dyers are fingering weights with the occasional worsted weight yarn.
Yarn Color
Every curator will be different and the yarn colors they select will vary. I recommend looking at the subscription boxes Instagram to see common colors that have been sent in the previous boxes.
Or check out the in-depth look at each Subscription box to learn more about the colors favored by each company. I have already done all the research for you on each subscription box.
If you find you are picky about color, consider Yarn Crush’s Subscription box. They let you pick warm, neutral or cool colors to be included in your box and you can change your selection every month if you want.
How much Yarn
The amount of yarn included in the subscription box will be partially determined by the quality and value of each skein. You can expect 1-2 skeins of yarn per subscription boxes. How much yarn they send you will greatly affect the type of patterns they can include in the box.
The Projects in the Yarn Subscription Box
It is becoming pretty standard that the yarn subscription boxes include knit and crochet patterns. Many include one of each, it just depends on who the companies target craft is. All the boxes I tried out include a crochet pattern.
It is important to pick a box that includes patterns you will enjoy. As mentioned above if the box is curated by the designer and you like the designer’s style then you are good to go.
The best thing you can do is look at past boxes and see what patterns are normally sent. I can tell you from my research that KniteCrate has sent out a lot of shawl and cowl patterns.
If you like the previous patterns then you are sure to like the future patterns. If by chance you get a month where you do not like the pattern, you can use a pattern from a previous month with the new yarn.
Extras
I really think the extra little gifts can make or break the subscription box. Let’s look at a few different types of extras that may be included.
Please note that some subscriptions have a standard subscription that does not include the extra items and a premium subscription that includes an extra gift.
Gifts
Often subscription boxes will include an extra gift or surprise in the box. It can be craft related like stitch markers or buttons, or unrelated like candies or teas.
Personally I prefer craft related items that are hard to find tickets. I like to be surprised with something I did not know existed.
If you love to crochet check out all the free patterns here and some of my favorites below.
Discounts
Being a subscriber you may get special discounts in the company store or receive a coupon code for more yarn. Sometimes they will include a Ravelry coupon code to get the PDF pattern in your library.
Community
Many subscription boxes have set up Facebook groups just for subscribers. This is a great place to share what you received in your box and see what everyone has made with their yarn. If you don’t like the pattern sent with the yarn you may be inspired by someone else that got the same yarn and what they did with it.
Price
If you have determined that you would really enjoy a yarn subscription box, then the last factor to consider is the price. Yes, you will need to be able to afford the box. That is important, but more than that, it is important that you feel like you get your money’s worth.
If you pay $50 for a box and receive $150 worth of yarn and extras, then despite the high price of $50 the box is completely worth it.
But on the same note, if you pay $10 and get $5 worth of items, then you just wasted money. So when looking at the price remember the value that you are receiving.
Below I have listed the price of the boxes I have researched or personally received. Honestly, I have not included subscription boxes that I do not think it worth the price.
When considering the price make sure to take into consideration the shipping cost.
Darn Good Yarn – $10 subscription + $3.95 – $12 shipping
Knitcrate – $25 +free shipping
Yarn Stash Club – $30-$45 + $3.95 Shipping (US only)
Yarn Crush – $40 + $5 Shipping (for US)
Little Box of Crochet – $24.81 + $7.79 Shipping + Money Conversion Fee
The Little Box of Crochet is based in the UK and if you are in the US you will get a conversion fee from PayPal when purchasing this Subscription box. Please be aware that this conversion fee will most likely hit you every time you are charged so consider it part of the price. I calculated the shipping to Arizona.
Yarn Subscription Box Alternative
So you have decided that a yarn box subscription is not right for you. I would dare to guess that you like to control exactly what color of yarn you buy and exactly what patterns you receive. That is ok!
It is great that you love picking out the perfect details for a project. If you still want to buy a special little gift for yourself that lets you have more control over the contents, consider buying Crochet (or Knit) Kits. Lion Brand has a wonderful selection of Project Kits that you can purchase. You get the right amount of yarn and a printed pattern. You get to pick the pattern and the color.
The only thing you don’t get to pick is the type of yarn. The kit will be offered in the yarn that the pattern was designed for. Technically it should be the best yarn for that pattern and you are sure to love the combination of yarn and design.
So is the subscription box right for you? Do you prefer a crochet kit instead? Let me know in the comments below.
Let’s Connect
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