Affordable Yarn Shopping Websites
Online Retailer "Knit Picks" Carries Affordable Knitting Products
This is the second in a three-part series on Web retailers that reliably deliver knitting products of terrific quality for a manageable cost.
While a new knitter might expect to pay top dollar for luxury or novely yarns, the cost of high-quality basics comes as a surprise. Knit Picks has found its niche in offering those basics – along with innovative signature needles--at affordable prices.
The site's motto is "Passionately Committed to Affordable Luxury Knitting"--and it shows. Knit Picks started as an online retailer selling knitting products at affordable prices. They soon began working with yarn mills directly, leading them to their current model of direct-to-knitter sales; eliminating the middle man is what keeps their prices so reasonable. After several years in business, they began selling their own line of needles, now much-beloved by many knitters.
Yarns
Knit Picks sells basic yarns in a variety of fibers and weights. Their solid-color 100% wool yarns come in several varieties in weights from lace to bulky, and some lines come in up to 48 colors. Blends in silk, alpaca, and cotton round out the offerings. The majority of the yarns are composed of natural fibers; some blends do have a small amount of a synthetic added, often as a binder cord.
Some less basic yarns include some tweeds and boucles, a super-bulky alpaca blend (the only type in this weight), some hand-painted lace-weight yarns, a couple of novelty yarns, and a self-striping sock yarn.
Knit Picks also offers several of their wool yarns in undyed form, allowing customers to experiment with creating their own colorways.
Needles
After several years in business, Knit Picks developed their own line of needles, now offering both nickel and their stunning rainbow-colored Harmony wood. Their Options line of interchangeable needles, in sizes from 4 to 17, also come in both nickel and the Harmony wood. Fixed circular sizes are farily limited, offered mostly to fill gaps left by the Options line (some tip sizes and cable lengths aren't compatible with the interchangeable design). The needles are of excellent quality, and are sold at prices 50% or more below comparable brands. Knit Picks also sells a large offering of double pointed needles, as well as a few varieties by other manufacturers.
Accessories and Patterns
Patterns are varied and interesting. Many are offered in an instantly-downloadble .pdf format, while some patterns shown with various yarns come from the books sold by Knit Picks (also at terrific prices and with concise, informative reviews). There is a good number of free patterns, and the others are offered for a nominal cost.
A selection of knitting and crochet accessories, from ball winders to dyes to design software, is also available.
Website and Customer Service
The site is professional and easy to navigate. Some key features include:
- Pattern suggestions for each yarn line
- Several free patterns in a variety of categories
- A project configuring feature that matches pattern and yarns, calculating total yardage needed and final cost
- Tutorials on topics from dyeing yarn with Kool Aid to magic loop sock knitting
Shipping is reasonably priced, and is free with a minimum purchase. Customer service is professional and accomodating – replacements for defective products are sent quickly, with no questions asked.
