Yarn Subscription? Yes, please.
I love going to yarn stores. It is such a joy to see new yarns, finished projects, notions and needles. I get a lot of inspiration from visiting my favorite yarn shops, but the convenience and excitement of a monthly yarn delivery sounds like a dream come true! Plus, with a young baby at home (and trying to adhere to her nap schedule!) I don't make it to yarn shops as much as I'd like. So, I thought I'd try out something new. KnitCrate is a monthly yarn subscription box where they send you yarn with a corresponding knitting and crochet pattern.
Getting yarn in the mail makes me a little giddy and getting yarn in the mail when you don't know what it is going to be is dance worthy. I was a more than a little excited to open the KnitCrate box and see what I got. I oooohhhhed and ahhhhed the moment I touched the yarn. It is so soft! It has 10% cashmere which of course led to me rubbing it all over my cheek. At first glance, I wasn't a huge fan of the color I got. However, I have decided that is a good thing, because I always buy the same yarn colors when I go to the yarn store, so it is nice to branch out. The color is a super saturated jewel tone and I think it will make a great shawl.
For me, getting a surprise yarn gift in the mail once a month is well worth the subscription fee of $24.99 a month. Especially considering it's enough yarn to complete a project and a pattern is included. And even if you're not that into the yarn, the patterns are by amazing designers like one of my faves, Taiga Hilliard. The yarn from my first box is soft and fluffy, however, I have found it splits when working with it. This can happen with any plied yarn, so I just need to be careful working with it. KnitCrate also offers an Artisan crate or a Sock crate. The Artisan crate comes with yarn from indie dyers and the sock crate, well... the name explains itself! There is also an ArtYarns option that comes quarterly and includes luxe yarns and one pattern. One of my knitting buddies is addicted to making socks so that Sock crate subscription might need to be her next birthday present!
If you find yourself at a loss for what knitting or crochet project to make next, the KnitCrate subscription is a wonderful option. You get beautiful yarn and patterns delivered right to your door. I've spent hours perusing Ravelry for patterns, which I love to do, but sometimes I want to stop hemming and hawing over which project to pick up next and just make something! There is a KnitCrate Ravelry group for each subscription and you can chat with other Knitcraters about your projects. So even if you live far from your knitting friends you can still stay connected.
