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:
- Quick-to-Stitch Knit & Crochet Club: $29.99 per month, for two skeins of their in-house premium yarn, exclusive knit and crochet patterns in a booklet, and an extra
- Sock Knit & Crochet Club: $24.99 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 Quarterly Club: $49.99 per quarter, for a box curated by Malabrigo and KnitCrate that includes delectable yarns, notions, and exclusive knitting patterns
- Mrs. Crosby Travels the World Club: $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 Quick-to-Stitch Knit & Crochet Club for $29.99 per 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: $29.99 per month (for the eco-friendly packaging option)
The Products: 2-4 skeins of premium yarn, a pattern booklet (contains 3+ patterns!), and an extra
Ships to: The U.S. for $7.95 and international for $11.95.
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 February 2021 Review
The KnitCrate Quick-to-Stitch Knit & Crochet Club is the flagship box from the KnitCrate brand. It's the perfect box for knitters looking to further develop their knitting knowledge or expand their yarn stash! The yarn they send is from one of their in-house brands, and it’s always very high quality.
KnitCrate recently implemented a new sustainability campaign, where we have eco-friendly mailer bags instead of the cardboard boxes of the past. You can still request the traditional cardboard box if you are attached to it (it will cost you slightly more though). Also, the information card that comes in the box highlights their partnership with One Tree Planted, a nonprofit dedicated to global reforestation. A downloadable version of the full Inspirations booklet is available through a link to a private section of the KnitCrate website.
KnitCrate Information Card
The theme this month is Unwind, which features 2 skeins of Audine Wools Calm, a blend of 80% Wool, 10% Mohair, and 10% Silk. Each skein includes 231 yards of DK weight yarn. It's a great lightweight yarn for these late winter/early spring days.
KnitCrate has "Color Vibe" options, where you get to choose which color family you would like to receive. For the first time ever, KnitCrate offered multiple options per colorway, which meant everyone got a surprise. The All-Natural colorways are Mousse, a rich, earthy chocolate brown and Pillow, a soft cool gray; Energize Me features Tranquility, a light spring green, Matcha, a warm green and Sun Salutations, a bright yellow; and Chill Out includes Epiphany, a heathered navy and Exhale, a dark teal.
KnitCrate always sends a knitting pattern and a crochet pattern to go along with the yarn, which makes this subscription great no matter what your preferred craft may be. This month's patterns showcase transitional patterns that can be worn into spring. The knit pattern is a pair of cabled fingerless gloves, and the crochet pattern is a twisted cowl. Two bonus patterns will be posted to the KnitCrate website later in the month.
This month was a little rough for KnitCrate subscribers. Here's a quick summary of the drama. These yarns were originally scheduled for the March boxes, but after the Valentine's-themed yarns for February were delayed at the mill, KnitCrate communicated to their subscribers that they would be swapping the yarns for their February and March Membership crates in order to get yarn to their subscribers sooner. But further delays ensued, and the new February boxes didn't reach subscribers until early March (with the March crates, which will feature the yarns originally scheduled for February, set to ship later in the month). Shipping delays are totally understandable during these challenging times, and the KnitCrate team did a great job keeping subscribers in the loop as to what was going on. But one unfortunate side effect of the delay was that the Unwind yarns sold out in the monthly Double Down sale before subscribers received their boxes and knew which colorway they were receiving. This meant if you had hoped to make a larger project that required more than 231 yards of yarn, you didn't know which colorway you'd need to purchase in the Double Down sale. This was frustrating to many subscribers, since getting to choose your colorway is one of the benefits of KnitCrate that other knitting subscription boxes don't offer. It was bad luck that KnitCrate chose to experiment with surprising everyone in a month with so many shipping issues. Hopefully, things will get back on track with the March boxes.
Now, onto the good stuff – the yarn!
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Audine Wools Calm in Matcha – Retail Value $56.00 ($28.00 per skein)
This month's yarn is Audine Wools Calm, which is a blend of 80% Wool, 10% Mohair, and 10% Silk. It's slightly scratchier than the last few yarns I've received due to the higher amount of wool in the blend. The DK weight is a great choice for mid-weight garments or transitional accessories.
I opted for the Energize Me colorway this month because I knew I'd be happy to receive any of the three fantastic colors. As I watched fellow knitters post photos of their boxes in the KnitCrate Facebook group, I began to cross my fingers for Matcha, since it was such a rich, gorgeous green. I was so excited when my wish came true!
"All You Need is Yarn" Retractable Tape Measure (not available for sale)
This month's freebie was clearly meant to accompany the original February boxes, but even though it's late and not aligned with the theme of the box, I am thrilled with this adorable tape measure! I am notorious for losing tape measures, so I love that I can wear this one around my neck. Like most retractable tape measures, it's easier to get the tape out than it is to get it all the way back in, but it's still cute and convenient.
This month's featured knitting pattern was a pair of fingerless gloves that looked like a fun challenge, but I didn't think I'd wear them or could find someone who'd enjoy receiving them as a gift. Knowing a finished product will be used and loved is my number one priority in choosing a knitting project. I loved the look of the twisted cowl that was offered as a crochet pattern, but I don't crochet. So I decided to replicate the fun twist in the cowl by making a twisted headband. This is a great project for newer knitters, but since I've already made a few of these, I decided to experiment by combing the double stockinette stitch found in this pattern with the cable technique in this pattern, since I find using a cable needle makes for a more dramatic twist.
The double stockinette stitch is an easy, 1-row pattern, but you have to pay attention to what you're doing because if you accidentally purl a stitch (like you were doing a rib) instead of slipping, it'll be noticeable. Also, if you use a cable needle to create the twist, you'll have to reverse the order of your stitches on the second half of the project (sl 1 purlwise, k1 instead of k1, sl1). The stitches do get tight in your first few rows after the cable row, but if you make any mistakes, they're likely to be covered by the twist.
Once you've reached your desired length, you just have to seam it up.
Sewing isn't my strength, but you don't need to worry about creating a beautiful seam on this project since it will be hidden under your hair.
Once it's sewn together, just turn it inside out to reveal your twisted headband!
I can't wait to wear it on St. Patrick's Day, even if I'll just be celebrating at home. But I have plenty of yarn left over to make more of these for my friends and family when we're able to gather together again next year.
Verdict: This KnitCrate box was worth the wait! It wasn't the softest yarn I've received from KnitCrate, but the color was gorgeous and matched my green eyes perfectly. For $24.99, we received 2 skeins of premium yarn, an online pattern booklet with 2 patterns, and sew-on gift tags for a retail value of $56 for just the yarn. KnitCrate just announced a price increase to $37.94 ($29.99 + $7.95 shipping), but even if the new pricing had applied to this month's crate, you would still be paying almost $20 less than retail for the two skeins of yarn, while also getting the patterns and tape measure. I think this is a really good 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. March's reveal post is here and while it was originally meant to align with Valentine's Day, these colors look beautiful for any season. 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? No, you'll likely receive the March or April box (while supplies last).
Value Breakdown: For $24.99, you're paying less than half the retail price for the two skeins of yarn, while also getting the patterns and tape measure. That's a pretty good value!
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What did you think of the February 2021 KnitCrate Membership Crate? Let us know in the comments!
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