KnitCrate is a monthly yarn subscription box for knitters and crocheters! Each box includes a new exclusive yarn and corresponding patterns for knit and crochet projects.
They offer four different subscription options:
- Membership Crate: $24.99 per month, for two skeins of their in-house premium yarn plus exclusive knit & crochet patterns
- Artisan Crate: $39.99 per month, for two skeins of indie dyed yarn in limited edition colorways, two exclusive knitting patterns (1 beginner, 1 intermediate/advanced), and a bonus item
- Sock Crate: $19.99 per month, for one skein of their in-house premium fingering weight yarn and an exclusive pattern
- Sock Artisan Crate: $27.99 per month, for one skein of indie dyed fingering weight yarn, an exclusive pattern, and a bonus item
This review is of the KnitCrate Membership Crate, $24.99 a month.
This subscription 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 Yarn Subscription Box
The Subscription Box: KnitCrate
The Cost: $24.99 per month. (Other plans available from $19.99 per month to $39.99 per month.)
The Products: Two skeins of premium yarn plus 1 knitting pattern and 1 crochet pattern
Ships to: US and worldwide for free!
Good to Know: All members receive 25% off shop purchases, and earn points for every dollar you spend on your subscription and any orders from their shop. Points can be redeemed for cash off of shop purchases or your regular subscription.
My Knit Crate Review
This is my third month of KnitCrate, and I'm excited to say I am still loving this subscription. 🙂 If you're not familiar, each Membership Crate includes two skeins of premium yarn, plus one knitting pattern and one crochet pattern.
The September theme is "Dash Dash Dot" and "focuses on a modern palette with a graphic twist."
This month, the knit and crochet patterns were so detailed, that KnitCrate included one booklet for each! Usually they are combined into one.
Las Mananitas de Blanca by Cecilia Losada - Retail Value $5
I don't really know how to crochet, but I do love that KnitCrate includes both crafts in this subscription. (Their other boxes are knitting only, but the Membership Crate always includes both knit and crochet options.)
The pattern booklets have a nice clean layout and include everything you need to know about the pattern, including recommended hook sizes, gauge, abbreviations, etc.
Westwind by Anne Podlesak - Retail Value $5
Love this shawl pattern, it's got some really lovely details (like a cable edging) while being overall nice and simple to wear.
Like the crochet pattern, everything is super clear and detailed in the booklet instructions.
Onto the best part: the yarn!
Vidalana Sport Weight Yarn by KnitCrate, Lavender Colorway – Estimated Retail Value $70 ($35 each)
(This yarn isn't listed for sale in the KnitCrate shop yet, so I'm using an estimated value based on a comparable yarn below. They typically list each month's yarn for sale in the last week of the month, after fulfilling subscriber orders.)
The base yarn this month is a luxurious 70% Superwash Merino Wool, 20% Silk, and 10% Cashmere... it's so incredibly soft and has a lovely subtle sheen. It's very similar to Madeline Tosh Pashmina, which is 75% Superwash Merino Wool, 15% Silk, and 10% Cashmere– and which retails for a whopping $35 per 360-yard skein!
Subscribers received one of four shades this month: Lavender (shown here), Night (a deep navy blue), Pimento (a bright orange-red), or Tapenade (an olive green).
I'm not a huge fan of purple, but this yarn itself is delicious!
I love the depth that a nice kettle dye technique adds, too, since the shade has a lot of variation from dark to light that helps add interest to the final project.
I swatched up this yarn in stockinette to get an idea of gauge, and then started knitting the first section of the pattern so I could show you how it works up:
This yarn is just as lovely to knit with as it is to look at! I love how crisply the lace is turning out. I am seriously contemplating buying some more once it's finally available for sale on KnitCrate's shop, especially since I'm loving the orange-red Pimento shade.
In the end though, I decided I just don't need another shawl project after last month's shawl. I found myself thinking of this interesting Hypatia cowl pattern from Pom Pom Quarterly, which is made from the very similar Madeline Tosh Pashmina yarn (photo credit here to Pom Pom Quarterly):
I found another subscriber who was interested in this pattern, too– so we're swapping with each other, one skein of Lavender (purple) for one skein of Night (navy blue), and casting on for the cowl instead. 🙂 I love how well that worked out (my first subscription box swap!), and I'm looking forward to casting on as soon as I get my skein of the Night colorway in the mail.
Verdict: My third KnitCrate delivered my favorite yarn to date! Even though I didn't love the included pattern this month, the yarn itself is definitely more than twice the price of the box, and I was easily able to find another pattern that fits my mood and style at the moment. This is definitely a fun subscription to help break you out of an inspiration rut and help you try lots of new fibers and patterns; I've been thrilled with the quality of every box so far.
A few other things about this subscription that are good to know: If you follow KnitCrate on Instagram or join their Ravelry group, it seems you may be able to get some spoilers each month before the subscription renews on the first– but otherwise, they don't reveal the themes, yarns, or patterns on their website before they start shipping to subscribers. (But if you sign up during the month of September, you'll see the September yarns and patterns before you join, so you WILL know what your first box will be.) The value is still there though, and worth the risk for me personally. Members earn points to spend in their shop (or to put toward your subscription) and members get 25% off yarn purchases, too– making it easy to buy more of a yarn you love. You can easily skip and cancel your subscription online, too.
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? Yes- if you sign up anytime during the month of September, your first box will be the September box (while supplies last).
Value Breakdown: For $24.99, we received two skeins of yarn, one knitting pattern, and one crochet pattern, with a total retail value estimated around $85. (This may change depending on the final price tag of the yarn once it's available for retail sale in the KnitCrate shop!)
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What did you think of the September 2018 KnitCrate? How are your projects coming along?
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