Are subscription boxes worth it?

Posted on by Teresa

It really depends. I’d ordered a Liberty Box from Fat Quarter Shop and really liked it, so I asked for a Sew Sampler Box subscription for Christmas last year. All the gift cards were redeemed and my 7 month subscription started in late December. For $37.00 each month, a small turquoise box of sewing/quilting goodness magically appears on my doorstep.

Four of the five boxes received so far have offered projects that appeal to me. Snowdrift is almost finished. Hot Cross Buns will be my next EPP project and fabric for Waterfall has already been pulled. This month’s Dahlia pattern will be made in a different colorway. I’m making the tote bag option from Sherri McConnell out of the included dessert roll instead.

There’s also a separate year long BOM program that’s exclusive to the Sew Sampler boxes. Apparently this is a big deal for many subscribers. Each month has a new block pattern. I like the first block in the new BOM.

Additionally, you’ll find 1-2 useful sewing notions in each box – pins, sewing machine needles, EPP needles, thread, rotary cutter, rotary cutter replacement blades, etc. Some of the gimmicky stuff like the clip-on charms, fabric sticker labels and mini-vacuum I could do without. I’d rather have a set of Sarah Hearts labels to sew in my projects instead. Even better – one box a year where ALL the supplies needed to complete the quilt top & binding are included in the box without any of the other knick-knacks.

My Sew Sampler Box subscription has been fun to try. The June box will complete my Christmas gift and I have no plans to continue the monthly subscription. Why? I already have a sizable stash and an abundance of projects in various stages of completion. I do not need to add any more projects, fabric or doo-dads at this time. If I lived in an area with limited access to sewing and quilting supplies, then this subscription box would be absolutely worth it. Same goes if you’re someone who can’t get to a quilt shop due to transportation or health issues. Even new quilters wanting to build their stash and tool collection, will find value and convenience in a subscription.

If you’re curious as to what’s included in a Sew Sampler box, click here to check out the past few monthly boxes or head over to YouTube to see any number of unboxing videos from different quilters.