Darn Good Yarn Of The Month Subscription Review – April 2018

Darn Good Yarn of the Month is an affordable subscription box from Darn Good Yarn. For only $10/month, you'll receive a skein of premium yarn, a pattern, and a free gift.

This month's box is being reviewed thanks to an MSA reader request!

 My Subscription Addiction paid for this box. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)

About Darn Good Yarn of the Month

The Subscription Box: Darn Good Yarn of the Month

The Cost: $10/month + shipping

The Products: One skein of premium yarn, a pattern, and a free gift.

Ships to: US ($4/continental US) and international ($13/Alaska, Hawaii, US territories, and other countries)

Darn Good Yarn of the Month April 2018 Review

I first became aware of Darn Good Yarn when I reviewed the GlobeIn DIY box, and a reader commented that the yarn looked similar to some of their products. I've reviewed a couple of other knitting subscription boxes in the past couple of years, and I was definitely intrigued to see what this box offered– $10/month is so cheap for a yarn subscription, even if shipping is extra!

As you might expect for a crating box, the booklet includes a couple patterns and information about this month's yarn:

There's a nice letter from the founder, Nicole, introducing you to the brand itself and the subscription. They've got positive vibes, for sure.

They don't specifically use the words "fair trade" or "eco-friendly", but with phrases like "be human" and "thoughtful sourcing", I had to look into this a bit more. They offer many yarns made from recycled materials and some of them are labeled "fair trade and child labor free." They also say elsewhere on the site that

 [....] a Darn Good Yarn purchase empowers women on a global level to be the best version of themselves by offering fair wages and safe working conditions.

This month's yarn is a rainbow worsted-weight silk roving, made from recycled materials in their co-op in India.

I was really curious about what the 'free gift' would be in this box, and I'm thrilled to see that it's a tool!

And of course, they've also included a pattern for this yarn (and needles) for both knitters...

... and crocheters.

Of course, you're all just waiting to see the yarn, right? 🙂

Worsted Weight Recycled Silk Roving Yarn, 75 yards – Retail Value $11.99

Ok, first of all: how awesome is it to receive a skein of yarn all wound up and ready to go? 🙂

The color shifts in this rainbow "Watercolor" colorway are short, as you can see. The yarn itself has a thick-and-thin nubby texture similar to other recycled silk yarns I've seen– but since it's roving yarn and not made from recycled fabric, it is super duper soft. (My only memory of working with recycled silk yarn was from over 10 years ago, and it was not pleasant!)

I'm personally not a big "bright colors and rainbows" person, but this yarn definitely put a smile on my face!

Darn Good Yarn US 8 Ombre Knitting Needle and Crochet Hook Set – Listed Value $19.99

(I couldn't find this pack on the Darn Good Yarn site, though they do sell some larger needles for $24.99.)

Compared to other knitting subscriptions I've reviewed, I thought this was an awesome bonus item given the price point of the box. Not only can you start knitting immediately after you open the box, but you also have the options to choose between knitting and crochet.

I do 99% of my knitting these days on circular needles, so I wasn't sure that I would actually use these. But they are lightweight and not particularly long, so they actually felt similar to working with what I already use (except I kept dropping one at the end of each row out of habit; since circulars are attached together I guess I always just drop the needle when I'm done!)

I'm not sure how I feel about the retail value on these, though. While overall the quality was good, there were a few little bumps of the clear coat that stood out to me and felt a little cheap– although they were smooth overall and the yarn didn't actually catch at all, so I suppose it's a minor issue.

So what else is there to do but give that included pattern a shot?

75 yards is not a lot of yarn, so I thought the included pattern would be a useful way to see what kind of mileage I can get. From the photo that was included with the pattern, I expected the cowl to be pretty small.

I did really think the slip-stitch pattern did a nice job of highlighting the rainbow colors in this yarn and breaking up the stripes a bit.

Here's the front and the back of the piece so far! This is just one evening of knitting and I think I'm already over halfway done, so I'll probably finish this in another day– it's a fast knit! I can tell already it's not something I'd personally wear, but I think it's actually the perfect size for a small child. I prefer cowls for kids anyway, since they don't fall off, so I'll stash this project for a future Christmas gift.

Verdict: For $10/month plus $4 shipping, I thought this was a great introduction to Darn Good Yarn. The yarn plus the needle set was definitely worth more than $14 to me! 

This is only my first box, so I don't want to draw too many conclusions about Darn Good Yarn... but my guess from their available yarns is that this subscription will frequently have a more bohemian vibe, thanks to the bright colors and recycled yarns. If that's your style, and you like one-skein projects, I say go for it and sign up!

I think this is also a beginner-friendly subscription: it's super affordable, and one-skein patterns are a great way to refine your technique and learn about different types of yarns and fiber.

To Wrap Up:

Can you still get this box if you sign up today? No. Boxes ship around the 20th of each month, so the next box will be shipped at the end of May.

Value Breakdown: For $14 (price of box + US shipping) we received 75 yarns of recycled silk yarn with a retail value of $11.99, plus a set of knitting needles + 1 crochet hook and patterns for both knitting and crochet.

Check out the Craft Subscription Box Directory for more great beading, 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 April 2018 Darn Good Yarn of the Month? Do you subscribe to any knitting and crochet subscription boxes? Which others should we review?