Best Knitting Subscription Boxes of 2023

Knitting is making a comeback, and it’s easy to see why: The popular pastime has many benefits and is great as a relaxing hobby. Signing up for a knitting subscription is an excellent way to support small, eco-minded businesses, and it's great motivation for learning new skills. Plus, you'll get a surprise project with unique yarns to try!

Many knitting companies include eco-friendly yarns in their kits or are taking additional measures to move towards sustainable products. Here we rounded up the best knitting subscription boxes, so you can get started.

Our Top Picks

Best Overall: Darn Good Yarn
Best Quarterly: The Spinning Hand Luxury Yarn Subscription Box
Best Variety: Knit Crate
Best for Sock Yarn: Southern Skeins
Best Unique Yarn: Kelley’s Knit Club: (from Alpaca Direct)

Best Overall: Darn Good Yarn

Why We Chose It: Darn Good Yarn’s mission is to support sustainable jobs through ethical sourcing in underserved communities.

Pros

Affordable
Yarns are made of recycled fibers
Philanthropic element to purchases
Good for beginners

Cons

The projects are basic and small but make a good starting point

If you’ve never tried a knitting subscription before, Darn Good Yarn is a great place to start. Its handmade eco-friendly yarn is gorgeous, colorful, and lightweight. Included patterns are ideal for beginner projects (think headbands, mittens, drink holders).

Purchasing a box also provides sustainable employment for those who need it. Yarns are made of recycled silk or natural fibers and handspun and dyed by women in India, while the boxes are packaged by a group of adults with developmental disabilities.

Each box costs around $10 per month plus around $4 shipping and includes yarn and patterns; members also receive exclusive discounts on other items. There’s also a special mystery gift inside each box for a fun surprise each month.

Best Quarterly: The Spinning Hand Luxury Yarn Subscription Box

Why We Chose It: The shipping boxes are reusable and recyclable and filled with post-consumer packaging. Plus, yarn skeins are wrapped in a bag sewn from upcycled sari fabric. These bags are made by female artisans from a collective in Bhopal, India.

Pros

Thoughtful boxes and attention to detail
Offers more than just knitting products
Products come from local shops
Shipping boxes are reusable

Cons

Slightly more expensive than some of the other options

If you’d like to sign up for a knitting subscription but a monthly delivery is too frequent for your busy schedule, The Spinning Hand’s half-yearly subscription is an excellent match.

The kits include one to two skeins, patterns for the included yarn, as well as a handcrafted project bag, and a small gift. These gifts typically consist of fresh teas or skincare products like aloe vera lotion, lip balm, and all-natural hand salves (often sourced from black-owned and women-powered businesses).

The Spinning Hand takes a different approach to the yarns by including skeins that are considered "dead stock.” This means the yarns are purchased from local shops that have closed down, thus utilizing existing yarn (rather than producing more) and allowing subscribers to receive premium quality yarns below market price.

Subscription boxes cost around $47 per month for 6-month option or $50 for a one-time box delivery.

Best for Sock Yarn: Southern Skeins

Why We Chose It: Southern Skeins offers all-natural, farmstead wool that’s undyed, brought in directly from a herd in Northern Florida, and shipped out in eco-friendly bags.

Pros

Reasonably priced
Hand-dyed yarns
Extra items included in addition to knitting products
Great value

Cons

Yarns are made with some nylon

If you prefer to master a similar project every month and love hand-dyed yarns, Southern Skeins Sock Yarn Club is a solid membership option. The independent company based in Florida arose out of one woman’s passion for oil paints and colors. That same passion was then applied to yarns, and the company now creates soft, hand-dyed yarns at affordable rates.

The Sock Yarn Club includes a 100-gram soft sock yarn, a matching 20-gram mini skein, a themed progress keeper, tea, and some extra small surprises (like lotions, soaps, or wool washes).

Yarns typically consist of 75% Superwash Merino and 25% nylon and are hand-dyed. Standard monthly subscriptions cost around $35 with shipping included (and there are add-ons like extra skeins or project bags), making this membership ideal for budget knitters.

Best Unique Yarn: Kelley’s Knit Club (from Alpaca Direct)

Why We Chose It: We selected Alpaca Direct because it's a women-powered, independent business that offers unique yarn options.

Pros

Fabulous alpaca yarns and detailed patterns
Women-powered
Access to social groups

Cons

The packaging the kits arrive in

If you’re looking for a subscription with unique yarns, consider Kelley’s Knit Club from Alpaca Direct, a small business based in Idaho. Alpaca is an ultra-soft, yet sturdy yarn from Peru’s Andes Mountains that comes in numerous natural shades or can be dyed. It’s also hypoallergenic and extremely warm.

Yarns included in the kits are high-end or exclusive to Alpaca Direct (often hand-dyed) and match a seasonal theme (such as heavier yarns in winter, lighter in the spring). The owner personally tests each product and works directly with suppliers in Peru. In addition to alpaca yarns, the service also offers bamboo and Merino wool.

Each kit contains an in-depth instructional pamphlet with the project pattern (usually designed by Kelley herself). Membership costs around $35 per month (plus shipping) and also includes access to digital resources such as members-only instructional tutorials to learn new techniques and a social group to share photos and interact with other knitters.

Final Verdict

Choosing a knitting subscription box will depend on your skillset, budget, and types of yarn you're comfortable using. For an eco-friendly box that’s also cost-efficient, Darn Good Yarn is our best overall pick. If you’d prefer a quarterly delivery, go with The Spinning Hand.

Compare the Best Knitting Subscription Boxes

Company	Cost	Difficulty	Projects	What’s Included
Darn Good Yarn Best Overall	$10/month (yearly subscription) plus shipping	Simple	Cup holders, headbands, mittens	A small eco-friendly yarn skein, patterns, mystery gift
The Spinning Hand Best Quarterly	$47 per quarterly delivery	Easy to Moderate	Shawlettes in the first subscription	Yarn, handmade project bag, pattern, mystery gift
Knit Crate Best Variety	$30 plus shipping	Moderate	Fingerless gloves, scarfs, socks, shrugs	Yarn skeins, mystery gift, patterns
Southern Skeins Best Sock Club	$35 per month	Moderate	Socks	Sock yarn and mini skein, pattern, progress keeper, tea, extra gift or two
Kelley’s Yarn Club Best Unique Yarn	$35 per month plus shipping	Moderate	Hats, slippers, scarves, cowls	Yarn skeins, patterns, mystery gift

Are Knitting Subscription Boxes a Good Way to Learn How to Knit?

Although knitting subscriptions are a good way to learn new techniques, if you’re brand new to knitting, it’s best to learn some basic skills before signing up for a subscription. Many of the knitting companies selling subscription boxes also offer tutorials and tips, but there are plenty of free knitting classes available online. We Are Knitters, for instance, has a selection of free tutorials that can help get you started with some common methods and stitches.

How Much Do Knitting Subscriptions Cost?

Knitting subscriptions cost between roughly $10 and $60 depending on the length of the subscription (discounts given for longer sign-ups), as well as the type of box. Some cater to smaller projects or offer discounted yarns while others provide a larger quantity of yarn (or higher quality) for larger projects. Some bundle shipping into the cost, while others do not.

How Do Knitting Subscription Boxes Work?

Knitting subscription boxes are delivered to a member's doorstep each month (or bi-monthly or quarterly depending on the company). A payment method is automatically charged. A typical box includes yarn skeins, patterns, and often a small gift. The contents of each box vary each month and are usually themed depending on the season. Some boxes have different options and preferences that the customer can adjust accordingly.

Can I Cancel the Subscription Anytime?

Most subscription boxes are very flexible and allow you to cancel or pause at any time. If a monthly knitting project is too time-consuming, several subscriptions offer additional shipment options and the option to change your membership.

What Are the Benefits of Using a Knitting Subscription Box?

Besides the joy of receiving a surprise package in the mail, knitting subscription boxes help to keep subscribers actively working on projects. Various social clubs and online forums encourage knitters to share photos of their finished works, so subscriptions are an encouraging way to keep knitters involved in their hobby. It’s also a great way to challenge yourself and add new techniques to your knitting knowledge.

Methodology

In order to curate this list of the best knitting subscription boxes, we compared subscription costs with the quality, quantity, and variety of what was included in each order. We also prioritized small businesses, those that gave back to the community, participated in sustainable efforts, or utilized recycled packaging and yarn. We factored in existing customers’ reviews, flexibility, the variety of subscription options, and timeliness of deliveries.