Review: Yarn Crush 2015 December Unboxing

As mentioned in earlier posts, Joanna from Yarn Crush contacted me in late January to ask if I'd be interested in reviewing their latest subscription boxes. But trust me when I say that although this video may be slightly belated, it's well worth the read (and clicking to subscribe!)

The Goodies

The Yarn is a delectable hank of Yarn Indulgences Zed Luxe Sock, of which I received the Steel Teal colorway (the other surprise option was the Paisley colorway, which is more of a neutral purple and just as lovely). I can't even begin to describe how soft this yarn feels, although I can already tell that the twist will make for an extremely sturdy project (sock or otherwise). Made and dyed in Canada, Zed Luxe Sock is 400yds of fingering weight 70% SW Merino Wool, 20% Cashmere, and 10% Nylon.

The Patterns: If you haven't yet heard, Yarn Crush subscribers now get both a knitting and a crochet pattern. I love this. Although knitting is my craft of choice, crochet was my love for many years and, like a middle child craving attention, I always felt left out of a fiber world catered to knitting. But not with this subscription! December's knitting pattern is the Hellebore Clutch, an elegant evening bag adorned with a rosette and studded with Swarovski crystal beads (don't worry - all the supplies you need are included!) The crochet pattern is the Origami Clutch that boasts a roomy interior with sparkly, beaded flowers.

The Yummies: This month's extra goodies complete your project. A rhinestone clutch frame is the perfect finishing touch for both patterns and a bag of 48 Swarovski beads pair beautifully with either color yarn provided. PLUS we got coupon codes for 20% off any yarn purchased through the Yarn Indulgences website and 25% of our entire crochet pattern purchase from ACCROchet on Ravelry.

The Price: I've said it before and I'll say it again: one of my favorite things about Yarn Crush is that you know the retail value of each item in your box (it's published along with the description of the box's contents). Why is that important? Because you know exactly what you're getting for what you've paid, and let me tell you: it's always a steal. The retail value of December 2015's box was $50.97, but the monthly subscription price is only $32.99 in comparison.

The Rating

How could I possibly give Yarn Crush any less than 5/5 stars? The answer is: I can't. The yarn is just too pretty and the projects too fun for me not to rave like a lunatic about the contents.

How to Get It

There are a couple subscription options and multiple ways to pay. For example, you can subscribe to a monthly box or bi-monthly box and then select how often you'd like to be charged. You, of course, save money with a 3- or 6-month payment plan; I love when subscriptions cater to both our needs and our budgets, especially for those of us trying to be more conscious of what we spend in the new year.

If you're ready to learn more, click the button below to either subscribe or select the subscription option that's right for you:

Finished: Galactic Hat

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Apparently in my world, February is for knitalongs, a social experience where a bunch of knitters cast on the same project and enter to win prizes when said item is complete.

The first KAL I completed was the Galactic Hat KAL for Julianna's Fibre. The concept was simple: knit the Galactic Hat pattern as many times as you'd like throughout the month of February, then post your photos in the Ravelry group or on Instagram using pre-defined hashtags. They're pretty low-maintenance instructions, which I love in a KAL because they're supposed to be fun and a distraction from the barrel of monkeys that is everyday life.

And I should say this hat was definitely a nice distraction. I started it during the Super Bowl on Sunday evening (not that I actually watched the Super Bowl - more like listened to podcasts and ate junk food) and had finished up by Monday evening. With 28g of yarn to spare!

Oh, and do you like my new MIRA scale? My other digital scale only measures in ounces, and not only are ounces not as accurate as I need them to be, they made my baking life pretty terrible if the recipe was written in UK terms.

The yarn is Malabrigo Rios in the Lotus colorway, which I purchased this past weekend at Conversational Threads in Emmaus during an outdoor winter festival. Of course, the aforementioned yarn shop was close to Funk Brewing, so you know I stopped there for an additional liquid treat, as well. All in all, a productive weekend, if I need to say so.

I did block the hat, which I'm kind of regretting because the garter reallllllly stretched when wet (I should've known better). I'm sure it will be fine; I just hadn't intended it to be slouchy. I don't mind slouch hats, though, so I'll survive. It's worth mentioning that the Malabrigo was divine to soak. It was so soft and squishy and wonderful that I didn't want to leave it alone. If I could fill a bath with hot water and Malabrigo, I'd be a happy camper. Also a psychopath.

In the meantime, I'm:

Knitting: Constantinople Shawl + Filemot
Reading: Lolita
Watching: Gossip Girl (you don't have to judge me; I've already judged myself)

Finished: Duchess of Devonshire Shawl

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For Christmas, I'd received a couple gift cards to the LYS near my parents' house: Gosh Yarn It! in Kingston, PA. I'd been fairly good with my latest yarn acquisitions by having a project in mind when buying new yarn, and I partially succeeded in sticking to that when I visited the shop in December.

The only project on my mind at that point was Kay F. Jones' Duchess of Devonshire shawl, a paid-for pattern that can be downloaded on Ravelry, so I immediately began looking for yarns that would lend itself well to the gorgeous lace.

Despite the almost endless options available to be, I couldn't resist buying more Cheshire Cat from Frabjous Fibers, part of their Wonderland Yarns collection, this time in the Little Busy Bee colorway. It's a different color than I'd typically choose, and I was mindful of that, as I gravitate toward jewel tones: pinks, purples, teals, you name it. I wanted something different while also knowing I'd love knitting up the yarn. Hence the final result you see above.

Plus, the shop was having a store-wide sale. #winning

The pattern itself is 90% easy potato-chip knitting, and 10% "pay attention to the applied border or you'll be sorry" knitting. In other words, if you're like me and can't work on a project that makes you fall asleep, then this shawl is perfect for you. There's enough to keep your interest while ensuring it's easy enough to complete quickly without lulling you into a coma.

If you haven't checked out Kay's knitting patterns yet (or if you haven't heard of The Bakery Bears Podcast, which she co-hosts with her husband, Dan), then I suggest you crawl out from under your obscure rock and get to watching!

In the meantime, I'm:

Knitting: Constantinople Shawl (are you noticing a project theme, here?)
Reading: Lolita
Watching: Orange is the New Black

Review: Curls: Versatile, Wearable Wraps to Knit at Any Gauge

Behold: the project that solidified the fact I'm a process knitter, not a project one.

I was looking for something extra special to knit with my newly acquired KnitCircus yarn in the Kaylee colorway. I'd been dying to dip into said yarn since returning from VKL a couple weeks before, but didn't want to "waste" it on something too simple or boring.

Looking through projects made using the Greatest of Ease base, I stumbled upon this particular Filemot, a lacey pattern that accomplishes its look using only yarn-overs and twisted stitches (believe me, it appears more complicated than it is). I knew at that moment I had to have it. And when you see it, I think you'll agree.

Published in Curls: Versatile, Wearable Wraps to Knit at Any Gauge by Hunter Hammersen, Filemot is only available in book form, as opposed to a single, downloadable pattern. But that's not a detriment:

The book contains 14 astronomically gorgeous patterns designed to be knit at any gauge. That means you can use any yarn and any needle, knitting each chart for as long as you need to accomplish the look you want. Want some extra drape? Use fingering weight and larger needles. Want a more defined pattern? Drop down to a size US4. Bulkier fashions can be obtained by using your favorite worsteds. It's really up to you.

What's great about this method is you don't have room for untidy, space-consuming scraps. Because you can keep going for as long as you like, you really have the opportunity to use up all the yarn you've chosen for the project.

Which is why Filemot is perfect for slow-forming gradients like those dyed by KnitCircus.

If you're interested in buying the book so you can knit your own Filemot (or one of the other drool-worthy patterns), here's some fair warning: each pattern is charted. The charts work best for these type of patterns because of how the rows repeat; it's easier to see what you're doing, so I can't entirely complain. But I have to gripe about some of the charts being on the opposite page of the stitch definitions. I find myself flipping back and forth constantly to remember how certain twisted stitch decreases are done, which is more than a bit tedious. So although the charts are clear and easily explained, I wouldn't recommend this book for the novice chart knitter. That said, you can easily photocopy the special stitches and keep them handy; don't let it stop you! Just be prepared.

Full disclosure: I was not prompted in any way to write this review, nor was I compensated by the publisher. I found the Filemot pattern on Ravelry and purchased the book from Amazon using my own money because the patterns were gorgeous and the price was right!

Review: Yarn Crush 2015 November Unboxing

In keeping with this year's apparent theme of "it never gets less exciting", Joanna from Yarn Crush emailed me a couple weeks ago asking if I'd review two previous boxes of literal "yarny goodness" (for real - it's what the sticker says on the box's wrapping).

I know, I know: it's a tough job being a yarn-hoarding blogger, but someone's gotta do it. Not one to shirk such "obligations", I was more than happy to volunteer my unboxing skills and give a full-blown, honest review.

The first box I opened was from November 2015 and it didn't disappoint.

The Goodies

The Yarn is simply to die for. Hand-dyed exclusively for Yarn Crush subscribers, this Cat Mountain Fiber Arts yarn contains five coordinated colorways in a variety of bases. There are sparkles, loops, and fuzz, which will all work together to create a fabulous project (and it's perfect for this months' patterns).

The Patterns: We now get a knitting and crochet pattern in each box, so your crafty needs are sure to be met with this subscription. The knitting pattern is the Midnight Lane Cowl (seriously such a perfect choice for the included yarn) and the crochet pattern is Constellation. My biggest problem? Deciding which I want to make with this yarn, since they're both stunning.

The Yummies: November's box also included everything you need to complete Constellation, like more than enough jump rings to join each star and a jump ring finger tool. The latter has be super excited, not necessarily because I dabble in jewelry-making from time to time, but because I have a tendency to break any and all jewelry I already own. This will make repair a breeze!

The Price: I've said it before and I'll say it again: one of my favorite things about Yarn Crush is that you know the retail value of each item in your box (it's published along with the description of the box's contents). Why is that important? Because you know exactly what you're getting for what you've paid, and let me tell you: it's always a steal. The retail value of November 2015's box was $50.96, but the monthly subscription price is only $32.99 in comparison.

The Rating

How could I possibly give Yarn Crush any less than 5/5 stars? The answer is: I can't. The yarn is just too pretty and the projects too fun for me not to rave like a lunatic about the contents.

How to Get It

There are a couple subscription options and multiple ways to pay. For example, you can subscribe to a monthly box or bi-monthly box and then select how often you'd like to be charged. You, of course, save money with a 3- or 6-month payment plan; I love when subscriptions cater to both our needs and our budgets, especially for those of us trying to be more conscious of what we spend in the new year.

If you're ready to learn more, click the button below to either subscribe or select the subscription option that's right for you: