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, exclusive knit and crochet patterns in a booklet, and an extra
- Sock Crate: $19.95 per month, for one skein of their in-house premium fingering weight yarn, exclusive knit and crochet patterns in a booklet, and an extra
- Malabrigo Partner Crate: $45.00 per quarter, for a box curated by Malabrigo and KnitCrate that includes delectable yarns, notions, and exclusive knitting patterns
- Mrs. Crosby Travels Partner Crate: $69.99 per quarter, for a box curated by Mrs. Crosby Travels that features three skeins of yarn, notions, and exclusive knitting patterns inspired by different parts of the world
This review is of the KnitCrate Membership Crate for $24.99 a month.
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 KnitCrate Membership Crate
The Subscription Box: KnitCrate
The Cost: $24.99 per month (other plans available from $19.95 per month)
The Products: Two skeins of premium yarn, a pattern booklet (contains 3+ patterns!), and an extra
Ships to: The 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. You also can earn points for reviewing the yarn on their website! Points can be redeemed for cash off of shop purchases or can be used towards your regular subscription.
KnitCrate Membership March 2020 Review
KnitCrate Membership is the flagship box from the KnitCrate brand. In my opinion, it’s the best box to start with if you’re looking to expand your knitting knowledge or expand your yarn stash! The yarn they send is from one of their in-house brands, and it’s always very high quality.
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KnitCrate Inspirations Booklet, March 2020 - Retail Value $40.00
The pattern booklet included a download code so that you could add the PDF version to your Ravelry library. When I used the code it listed the booklet as having a value of $40, but at the time of our review, the booklet is not currently for sale as a separate item.
The theme this month is "Wanderings," which is made up of deep jewel tones and natural colors. It is described as "nature's colors, the beauty of unfinished materials, and the richness of crushed pigments." It feels luxuriously moody and mysterious, and I'm all here for these colors!
Also, this box continues the influencer-curated boxes for 2020. March's influencer is the one and only Hannah Thiessen, who used to be the chief creative officer for KnitCrate (she stepped down in early 2020 to focus on other projects). Hannah has been the creative genius behind the colors and fibers from KnitCrate for the past several years, so I was so happy to see her back curating the crate this month.
KnitCrate has "Color Vibe" options, where you get to choose which color family you would like to receive. Coordinating with those three color options are three colorway combinations available this month: Dogwood Berry (Energize Me), a heathered cranberry red; Chestnut (All Natural), a warm amber brown; or Ancient Pines (Chill Out), a deep heathered teal. Each box contains two skeins of the same colorway.
The KnitCrate Membership box always has one knitting pattern and one crochet pattern included. I love this inclusivity for both crafts, as a lot of yarn-focused boxes and companies have an emphasis on knitting only. This month the knitting pattern is a textured hat and the crochet pattern is a lacy, open poncho/capelet. We also got a bonus PDF pattern of the Seeds and Stems Cowl, which is a pattern that will be included in Hannah's new book. Keep reading below for more of my thoughts on this pattern!
The back of the booklet shows a sneak peek of the theme for April - it will be “Luminous,” and I can’t wait to see what they come up with from this color palette and inspiration - those glowing purples and pinks are so beautiful!
The booklet also contains two patterns for the Sock Membership Crate box. You can find out more information about this box by reading our previous reviews and visiting the KnitCrate website.
Now, onto the good stuff - the yarn!
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La Brebis Light Alpaca Yarn by KnitCrate in Dogwood Berry - Retail Value $48.00 ($24.00 per skein)
The yarn sent this month is an all-new base for KnitCrate, and it's a fingering weight 100% baby alpaca. I know I say this almost every month, but oh my goodness this yarn is SO soft! It might be one of the softest yarns I've ever felt - and I've worked with baby alpaca before. I have to admit that alpaca yarns are my favorite type of yarn to work with - I just love the softness and the drape. This yarn has a slight fuzzy halo and even though the strands are really nicely plied to give a smooth yarn, it still has a rustic quality due to this fuzziness and the heathered appearance.
I received the Energize Me color, which is this rich, warm red. It has small bits of yellow and tan woven throughout the skeins, so the yarn has a really wonderful depth and movement to it. Each skein contains 400 yards in 100 grams, so we received a total of 800 yards of yarn.
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Needle Point Protectors and Removable Stitch Markers
The extras we received this month are some always-useful basics. We received two sets of needle point protectors - one smaller and one larger - as well as 10 colorful removable stitch markers. These stitch markers are great for both knitters and crocheters, as you can lock them onto a stitch. The point protectors are a great thing to keep in your knitting bag - simply slide them onto the points of your needles when you need to store your project, and you know that your stitches are safe from sliding off! I'm showing them on my in-progress cowl from my January KnitCrate.
I was enamored with the bonus pattern from this month, so I decided to use my yarn from this month to make it. I loved the patterns from Hannah's first book, Slow Knitting, and I can't wait to see what she has come up with for her second book, Seasonal Slow Knitting. I think it's so neat that KnitCrate subscribers got early access to one of the patterns before the book even comes out!
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I made one modification to the pattern, which is that I used a provisional cast-on (the white stripe at the beginning of my knitting). I like this method for infinity-type cowls because I will be able to graft my two edges together instead of sewing them at the end, which will eliminate any sort of seam that I'll have to be aware of when I wear the cowl. The pictures above show my progress after completing one repeat of the chart.
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Here is my progress after three chart repeats! This pattern looks really complex, and at first, it definitely takes a lot of attention to do all the correct stitches. It's comprised of two different sections - the "stems" on either side, and the "seeds" in the middle. There are lots of twisted stitches (worked through the back loop), cables, and lace, which makes for a really interesting texture. Like the title of the book suggests, this is definitely slow knitting! In these uncertain and anxious times, I'm actually really grateful for this project - when I'm working on it, all of my focus and attention is on my stitches. It's really nice to have something mentally challenging but still relaxing to work on right now!
Verdict: I thought this was a wonderful KnitCrate box! I love getting a large amount of yardage, and I liked being able to try new types of fibers. If you are a knitter or crocheter who is open to trying new types of yarn, this would be a great subscription box to check out! For $24.99, we received two skeins of yarn, 5 knitting and crochet patterns, two sets of needle point protectors, and 10 stitch markers with a total value estimated around $88.00 (not including the value of the extras). I think this is an amazing value for what you receive, since high-end, premium yarn is usually around $25-35 per skein in a local yarn store, and most patterns on Ravelry are $5-10 each.
A few other things that are good to know: If you follow KnitCrate on Instagram or join their Ravelry group, they reveal spoilers at the end of each month (usually around the 15th) before the subscription renews on the first. They then release all the details on the yarns and patterns on the 1st of the month. April's reveal post is here. If you are pickier about what fibers you like to use or want to avoid certain colors, these would be great to check out. Otherwise, you won’t know what the theme, yarn, or patterns will be before they renew your subscription for the month.
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? You'll likely receive the April box (while supplies last).
Value Breakdown: At $24.99, here’s approximately what you are paying for each item:
- Le Brebis Yarn - $6.82 per skein
- Booklet - $11.36
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What did you think of the March 2020 KnitCrate Membership Crate? Let us know in the comments!
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