Last week, I received my third KnitCrate package. The more I learned about KnitCrate in these last few months, the happier I was to be working with them. Today I want to share with you 10 reasons why I love KnitCrate.
 |
| April 2018 KnitCrate Membership Package. Yarn: DK Weight 100% Superwash Merino Wool |
1. Monthly Surprise Yarn
Each month when that bright turquoise package lands on my doorstep, I don't know what type of yarn I am going to get. The yarn weights, colors, and fiber content are a surprise every month! (Unless you are using one of their sock yarn clubs where you will get a different kind of sock yarn every month.) One of the best parts of their flagship kit, KnitCrate Membership Subscription, is that even if you see spoilers, there are 3-4 different colorways each month. Therefore, you might know something about the type of yarn you will receive, but the color in your package will always be a surprise.
 |
| My 3 Months of KnitCrate Exclusive Yarns |
2. Free Shipping, Even International!
The price of all KnitCrate subscriptions include shipping costs. International members might need to pay import duty and taxes to their home country, but they won't pay KnitCrate any extra for shipping for any of the different crates.
3. KnitCrates are Economical
KnitCrate subscriptions start at just $19.95 for the Sock Crate Membership. The KnitCrate Membership Subscription that I've been unboxing is only $24.99 and includes two 100 g skeins of hand dyed yarn, free shipping, 1 crochet pattern, 1 knitting pattern, and exclusive discounts in the KnitCrate Member Central shop and at some KnitCrate partners.
 |
| February 2018 KnitCrate Membership. Yarn: Worsted Weight 40% Merino Wool, 30% Silk, 30% Alpaca |
Members also earn KnitCrate Stash Points every month which you can save up for coupons off your next month's crate or for coupons to use in the Member Central.
4. Enough Yarn to Make a Project
There's nothing worse than buying some cool yarn and then realizing once you are home that you do not have enough to complete a project. Each KnitCrate membership kit comes with two patterns, 1 knitting and 1 crochet, and you have enough yarn to make either of the patterns.
5. Bringing Me Outside My Color Comfort Zone
When I pick my own yarns, I tend to choose purples, blues, and greens. KnitCrate helps me come out of my comfort zone by sending me a surprise color each month. Sometimes they send me the one I might have picked, otherwise it is something new, that brings me out of my color comfort zone.
6. Pattern Download, No Extra Paper
I love that the KnitCrates come with links so you can download the knitting and crochet projects either to your computer or directly into your Ravelry library. I find the patterns to be an excellent suggestion of what to make with the yarn, but sometimes the patterns inspire me to use the yarn for something already in my queue. Since I don't have to worry about keeping track of paper patterns, I can save them in my library to use when I'm ready.
The pattern download link is located on the back of the kit theme. When you type that link into your computer, it is only a couple clicks of a button to add them to your library.
 |
| The Designs from 3 months of my KnitCrate Membership. The postcard has the crochet pattern on one side and the knitting pattern on the other. |
7. KnitCrate Supports Independent Designers
KnitCrate has multiple different programs for working with independent designers (see the link to Designer Programs at the top of their website.) For patterns featured in the monthly creates, designers can pick between a flat fee or royalty program.
For the designer, being featured in a KnitCrate means that you will get more people checking you out on Ravelry. Each of the KnitCrates includes coupon codes for the designers' Ravelry shops, which provides incentive for people to check out their other patterns. If I try someone's design and love it, I am much more likely to buy another pattern from them versus try someone new.
8. KnitCrate Supports Independent Dyers
KnitCrate has two subscriptions that feature Independent Dyers, Artisan Crate and Sock Artisan Crate. I haven't tried any of these kits, but I love the idea of a surprise yarn package that features a different Indie Dyer every month.
KnitCrate offers yarn support for dyers FREE OF CHARGE and pays for shipping both ways. Dyers are paid a flat rate for the yarns to cover their time, dyes, and other materials. I assume that the info card in each package contains information about the dyer's shop so you can learn more about who dyed the yarn. (And there are likely discounts to the shop as well.)
There is also a great potential for cross promotions, KnitCrate promotes the dyer, and the dyer promotes KnitCrate. I know that the first thing I would do upon getting a surprise indie dyed skein of yarn is to look up the dyer's shop to see what other types of yarn they offer. I really like that KnitCrate makes it so easy for all consumers to see the programs for Indie Dyers and Designers, it makes me really respect the company. You can learn more about the Indie Dyer Programs by following a link on the top of KnitCrate's website.
9. Brightly Colored Packaging
When the teal mailer shows up on my doorstep, I know that it is going to be full of beautiful yarn. It brings me joy straight from the beginning!
 |
| March 2018 KnitCrate Membership. Yarn: Fingering weight 70% Superwash Merino, 20% Nylon, 10% Stellina |
10. Bare Yarns
I mentioned above that KnitCrate offers yarn support to their indie dyers, but they also let everyone in the community to buy their bare yarns. DyerSupplier by KnitCrate is an ethically sourced line of undyed yarns at wholesale prices. The prices are very reasonable and most of the yarns come in 10 packs. Singles skeins are available for select yarn lines so you can try the yarn out before committing to buying multiple.
 |
| My First 3 Months of KnitCrate! |
Disclaimer: KnitCrate sends me the monthly KnitCrates for free and I am part of their ambassador program. All thoughts and opinions in this post are my own.
