yarnbox - Daniel Kenneth

September 7, 2017

September 2017 YarnBox Socks

I was excited to open the mailbox again yesterday when I saw my YarnBox bag waiting for me.

Then, I opened it. :/

I don’t mind pink, I’ve gotten several pink skeins in the last few months. But they were always something funky, like pink with chartreuse, they weren’t just pink. This has some notes of other colors, but they’re all muddy colors, and not enough to be interesting.

I looked at Apple Tree Knits and they have some beautiful yarns. Now, if I would have been sent the ‘Jimi’ or Zigi colorway in their Purl Jems line I would’ve been ecstatic. But this solid-ish pink just isn’t for me.

So, I emailed YarnBox because their site mentions an exchange policy, which I could not find anywhere. To their credit, they responded pretty quickly, I just didn’t happen to like their answer. Basically, if you don’t like what you get you can join a forum and attempt to trade it with other YarnBox people. Not much of an exchange policy, is it? They have an overstock section on their site that you can buy previous yarns at a discount, I don’t get why I can’t just exchange for one of those.

I updated my preferences on the site for NO PINK but I am still trying to decide if I will continue buying. I accept I won’t always get something I want and several times I didn’t, but there should be options when that happens. I’d rather just hit Etsy or find a local dyer and splurge on something pretty once in a while and actually get something I want. It won’t be a big surprise, but YarnBox’s support is on this issue is very meh.

It looks like I’m stuck with this one. I may have to do a giveaway.

August 9, 2017July 17, 2020

August 2017 YarnBox Socks

I was pretty excited when I realized the bag in the mailbox was my YarnBox shipment. Or maybe I should say YarnBag shipment. I ripped it open right in the car. To be honest, I wasn’t that excited once I saw it. Last month, I really didn’t appreciate the skein I got until I started knitting it up, then I absolutely loved it. So I hoped that would be true of this month’s yarn as well.

This month’s skein comes from Lucky 13 Fibers out of Chicago and is dyed Purple and Gray (which doesn’t show up that well in my photos). I’ve never been a fan of the colors mixed with gray, it usually comes off looking a lot like it is worn out or some of the colors didn’t take. Purple, on the other hand, is the best color on the planet, but I don’t really wear purples in my wardrobe.

I put it right through the sock machine last night and stitched up the toes during lunch today. I know, my socks are pretty boring and basic, but this is what I like to wear.

It came out better than I was imagining and they are nice looking socks, but they still weren’t anything exciting. With that said, the purple is on the darker side and the gray does tone it down a bit putting it more on the masculine side, so I can appreciate that. Most commercial sock yarns are very bright so it’s nice to get a yarn like this now and then.

July 14, 2017

July 2017 YarnBox Socks

A month or so ago I signed up for yarnbox and I received my first shipment a few days ago. What attracted me to the service was that it sent me yarn (yassss!) and second, they had a sock box (double yassss!). I also hoped it would be a great way to get the yarn I either wouldn’t normally get for myself or get yarn that isn’t available to me locally.

This month’s “box” was a generous 434-yard skein of “Corrie Sock” yarn from Flying Goat Farm. I say “box” because it was really one of those gray bags that many magazines are sent in. Most box services I see are done really cute and presented well, but this was very much just yarn in a bag.

The yarn itself is not something I would normally buy, which made this even more interesting. I have nothing against it, but this is not something I would consider my style. So, I guess I got exactly what I was hoping for! I also wouldn’t buy this because it’s $28 and I’m more of a $5/pair of socks type of guy. My socks are for utility and allergy relief, not beauty, though I do like when they end up looking unexpectedly nice. Since the sock box is about $20/month and this is a $28 skein, I think it’s still a deal.

I also noted that the yarn was noticeably thicker than any sock yarn I’ve used, so machine knitting could be problematic but I was sure I’d get through it. I’d just be pushing the limits of my 72 needle setup.

I cranked away at the sock machine with only a few issues and I was pretty happy with what I saw being knit:

I was surprised how the striping came out and now I’m even more glad I ordered sock box. I definitely never would have picked this skein up off a shelf or internet store, but now that I have the sock in hand I can say I’d totally wear it… and I will. Tomorrow, most likely.