Knit-Wise is a monthly yarn subscription box that sends everything you need to complete one small project each month. They have options for knitting and for crocheting, and you can choose your skill level for the knit boxes (beginner or intermediate/advanced). All of the boxes are the same price!
This review is for the intermediate/advanced knitting, $29.00 per month, box.
This box was sent to us at no cost for review. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes).
About Knit-Wise
The Subscription Box: Knit-Wise
The Cost: $29.00 per month (save with longer subscription plans)
ACTIVE DEAL: 15% off your first box on any monthly subscription
CODE: KNITHAPPENS
The Products: a pattern, exclusive yarn, bamboo knitting needles, and notions required to complete the project
Ships to: the US (international shipping not currently offered)
Knit-Wise February 2019 Review
This was my second month receiving the Knit-Wise box, and I love the concept of a subscription yarn box that sends you absolutely everything you need to complete a project each month.
Colorblock Ear Warmer Pattern
The project for this month is a cabled ear warmer featuring two different colors. It looks so cozy in the photo!
The pattern info page is so clearly laid out, which I really appreciate. I also didn’t realize that Knit-Wise has tutorials for any of the steps you may need help with - this is such a great benefit of the box! I like the idea that the projects each month can help you become a better knitter.
Knit-Wise Yarn
This month we received two different colors of the same yarn base - a dark teal and a pink. The pink yarn is split into two different cakes so that you can use one for each of the stripes on the earwarmer. I weighed the skeins on my food scale, and the blue one came out to 60 grams and each pink one was about 30 grams. The yarn is a single ply bulky weight and has a very wooly texture.
The yarn arrived already caked up, which is awesome! Most other yarn subscription boxes come with the yarn in skeins, which you then are responsible for winding into balls or caking up on your own (which requires a ball winder and a yarn swift). I think it’s great that Knit-Wise took this extra step out of the equation and has the yarn caked up for you already.
I mentioned this last month, but I still feel the same way about the lack of yarn labels on these skeins of yarn. I feel like it’s important to know the fiber content, weight, and yardage of the yarn you are using so that you can adequately plan your projects. I think this is especially important for newer knitters (who are the people this box seems to be targeting most), because one of the most frustrating things that can happen when learning to knit is your project not working out because you used the wrong weight of yarn or you ran out of yarn because you calculated the yardage incorrectly.
When I was learning to knit, I didn’t understand the importance of matching yarn thickness, your needle size, and your gauge, and I made so many projects that didn’t turn out because of that (let’s not mention the worsted-weight sweater I knit with size 3 needles)! One benefit of the Knit-Wise box is that if you are for sure going to use this yarn to make the pattern provided, you should be able to finish the project. But in my opinion, one of the best parts of a yarn subscription is that you can let your creativity guide you and you have the option to use the yarn for any project you wish.
The other issue I have with not including yarn information is that we do not know the fiber content of the yarn. This is important for allergies (especially if you are knitting for a gift) and also for how you need to treat your item after you’ve made it. For example, most acrylic yarns are machine-washable, but most natural fibers are not. Another reason is that different fibers respond to wet-blocking or steam-blocking better, and it’s nice to know what you are working with before you attempt to block your finished knit.
Bamboo Straight Knitting Needles, US size 10.5 (6.5mm)
The box included short straight needles in size 10.5, which is what’s required to make the earwarmer. The needles are smooth and lightweight.
The needles are imprinted with the size in both US and mm sizing.
Cable Needle and Darning Needle
The box also included a plastic darning needle and a plastic cable needle. Since the pattern features cables, I thought this was a very nice touch!
Knitting, Knitting, Knitting Door Sign
The extra this month iOS a cardboard sign to hang from a door handle that has the word “Knitting” printed five times. I think the idea here is that you could use it in a similar way to a “do not disturb” sign at a hotel?
Here’s the start to my earwarmer! I think the pattern is very cute, and the cable pattern was easy to memorize after the first repeat. I appreciate that they sent two separate pink cakes, so I didn’t have to worry about working from both ends of one. The directions also give a quick tutorial on how to work intarsia (which is working two colors in chunks).
I did have a couple of issues with this project that I feel are worth mentioning. When you are working with multiple strands of yarn, it’s already very difficult to keep the strands separate and not tangled up. Adding the fact of when you do intarsia you have to wrap the first strand around the second one every time you change colors, it becomes even harder to not tangle your working strands. Normally, I don’t have much of an issue stopping every so often to straighten out my yarn strands and get back on track. But with this project, because of the very wooly, rough texture of the single ply strands, it became incredibly frustrating to untangle the yarn. The strands started to felt together almost immediately, and I was having to stop every other row to untangle them so that I could keep knitting. After taking this photo, I ended up giving up with fighting this yarn and I frogged my earwarmer. I’m planning to make two hats or ear warmers instead - one in each color.
Verdict: The Knit-Wise brand advertises itself as delivering ready-to-go projects for someone who has a busy life. They send everything you need to make the project, eliminating the need to pick out a pattern, source the materials, etc. In this sense, the box definitely delivers on its promise. I see this box as being a fantastic subscription for a busy, working person who wants to take up knitting as a hobby - and I think they have done a great job marketing this box towards millennials. My favorite part of the box is that the yarn comes already caked up! In my opinion, though, if you are someone who is a more serious knitter or someone who cares a lot about knowing all of the information on the yarn provided (fiber type, yardage, care instructions), you might enjoy a different yarn/knitting subscription box.
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? No, you will receive the March box.
ACTIVE DEAL: 15% off your first box on any monthly subscription
CODE: KNITHAPPENS
Check out all of our Knit-Wise reviews and the Craft Subscription Box Directory for more great knitting, craft supply, and DIY project boxes!
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What did you think of the March 2019 Knit-Wise box? Let us know in the comments!
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