Knit in a Box

What's in the box: A wrapped box with quality yarn, an exclusive pattern, buttons or tools where needed, and a few small surprise extras.

Knit in a Box is a UK knitting subscription built around a mystery box. Each box arrives wrapped and holds yarn, a pattern and the extras you need to finish the project, so you can open it and start knitting without a trip to the yarn shop. Its main strength is the range of collections. There are ladies' boxes for knitting something for yourself, plus lines for babies, girls, boys and children up to about six years old. Some come monthly and others every two months, and the site says you can choose how often your subscription arrives. That makes it a good fit for parents, grandparents or anyone who likes knitting small garments for family. Boxes ship in the first week of each month, and orders placed by the 28th go out with that month's shipment, so it's easy to plan a gift. Worldwide shipping is offered. The shop also sells ready to go kits, patterns and accessories, and it runs a VIP club and a community area. The mystery format is the main trade off. You won't know the yarn, colour or design ahead of time. That suits knitters who enjoy a surprise but may frustrate anyone with firm tastes or a particular project in mind. Prices aren't shown at a glance, and the 'UK's No. 1' label is the company's own description, not an independent ranking.