Beware The Craft Kit Belt

[Granny Faye]

I bought my daughter a kit for a knit belt. Got it home and it was for a crochet project. She doesn't crochet ------ she knit's!

Well, after getting really mad, calming down and thinking hard, I decided to crochet the belt for her.

This kit sucked! The crochet hook felt like a under cooked noodle and the yarn was dirty. It came with 6 charms for the belt. They are so tiny --- it ain't funny. Can you see them in the pic?

If they are going to sell kit's for beginner's, they could at the very least put better supplies in the kit. I've been crocheting for 100's of years and I couldn't work with that hook. If they put better supplies in these thing's maybe more people would stick with a new craft and not get discouraged and give up.

Sorry for the rant.

 

Well, here's the finished belt.

[yarncat]

Despite the bad hook,the belt came out pretty!

[mva5493]

the finished belt is pretty. But the charms are almost non existant. They look like they should be on a bracelet not a belt.

[JCB]

Your belt came out really nice, but if the quality is so questionable, I would complain to the store (or online site) where you purchased it.

 

Joan

[Phoenix]

Oh, I've seen that kit!! Or one very similar. I picked it up off a store shelf one time when I was considering learning to knit, and for some reason I checked the listing of what was included- and saw that it came with a crochet hook (noodle ) and not needles! I put it back and ranted about it all day.

 

That was years ago...if I'd been a member of the 'Ville then I might have come on here to do that rant. Maybe I could have saved you some frustration. Sorry I didn't warn you!

 

However- you did a very nice job.

 

How dirty was the yarn?

[craftybutterfly]

Nice belt even with the problems. I'd complain to the company that's putting the kits out. There's not much the store can do except stop selling them. Complain to the folks who are marketing the kits. Even so, I like the belt, but yeah, the charms are a bit to microscopic Good job!

[Granny Faye]

Pheonix

My hands turned black. I don't know if it was from the silver stuff in the yarn or what. It didn't look dirty.

 

My 13 year old daughter actually bought the kit. After we got home and she started to make herself the belt we realized it was for crochet. I didn't look at it in the store, since it said "KNIT THIS" in big letter's. I paid her back her money and made her the belt anyway.

 

I think it made me soooo mad because it upset her. That and the fact that it was such a cheaply made kit. She paid $8.00 for it.

$8.00 to a 13 year old is like $50.00 to me.

[Phoenix]

Your hands turned black! Oh, that is awful. That's gotta be from really cheap filament or something.

 

Yeah, the packages say it is a Knit kit- some *genius* who did the packaging probably didn't know his hooks from his needles. The only way to tell is from the items included in the kit- and who the heck checks that? I've just gotten burned on kits that said they had "everything' you need but left out hooks, needles etc.

 

Yeah, $8 wasted at that age would have broken my heart. Your a good mama to make it for her and pay her back.

[angel]

Despite the problems with the kit, the belt turned out quite nicely. It's never nice to feel as if you have wasted money, $8 or $80 - I am glad your daughter will get her belt, and even better that it was handmade by mum

 

-- Michelle

[Debbi-a1]

I'm sorry too that this happened to your daughter. Don't let that stop her from learning to knit (maybe crochet later). Maybe suggest an inexpensive how to book, needles you can her can pick out, and some nice yarn to make something.

 

The belt turne dout nice though, from the pic. But the charms are small. Still looks nice.

[Riohnna]

Great belt!!

[lhasaapsolady]

At least you finally got it finished and I'm sure she'll love it. You are correct though about the materials they include in the kits, even in kits for advanced crocheters sometimes the material seems to be second rate.

[Granny Faye]

After the whole "Knit Kit" thing, I've been thinking. I may just make up different kit's to give as present's:

 

For crochet:

Brightly colored chinese take out boxes with a hook, a skein of yarn and a pattern.

Total cost - around $10.00 depending on the yarn.

 

For knit:

A cute wine bottle box with a pair of needles, a skein of yarn and a pattern.

Total cost - around $10.00 depending on the yarn.

 

The chinese take out carton's and the wine bottle boxes are sold at Michael's.

[Shell]

After the whole "Knit Kit" thing, I've been thinking. I may just make up different kit's to give as present's:

 

For crochet:

Brightly colored chinese take out boxes with a hook, a skein of yarn and a pattern.

Total cost - around $10.00 depending on the yarn.

 

For knit:

A cute wine bottle box with a pair of needles, a skein of yarn and a pattern.

Total cost - around $10.00 depending on the yarn.

 

The chinese take out carton's and the wine bottle boxes are sold at Michael's.

 

FABULOUS idea!! and so much more personal and you can be assured ofthe quality and skill level required. Good thinking!

[flybabytina]

I have also seen printable gift boxes around the internet; try a google search for printable gift box and see what you can find.... Seems the printables change every year; one year I printed off a TON of gift tags... and now I can only find a few.....

 

That is a great idea BTW, I just might do this for my 10 year old that is learning to crochet.

 

Thanks!

 

Tina

[Phoenix]

Ooh, what a great gift idea!

[christinascrochethaven]

Cute belt...sorry about all the problems:hook