Darn Good Yarn - Headquarters — Local services in Portsmouth

I don't like writing bad reviews, but two stars is fair here. I ordered two ankle-length skirts and they sent me one knee length and one ankle length. No reply to my Facebook message to them, so four days later I posted on their wall to ask if they were going to reply. Then they sent me an email, asking me to describe the problem I'd already described in my original Facebook message. Then began the series of hoops they wanted me to jump through.

First they wanted me to send them a picture of the skirt with a measuring tape beside it, I guess to prove I wasn't making up my complaint. I told them I didn't have one available but sent a pic of the two skirts side-by-side. They said that was insufficient and they needed a measurement "to show our distributors the problem." I borrowed a tape from a friend and took the required photo-- first time a company has ever challenged me to prove my issue before they would agree to correct their mistake, but OK. Then they replied that they could make the exchange and sent me a return form. I replied that their policy said returns must be made within 30 days, which at this point was the following day, which was my husband's birthday and I would have to cram in a trip to the post office, and I needed their assurance that they would still take the exchange (knowing I may not be able to get there until evening, and would it still be postmarked that day?). They did not address this in their reply, either to tell me they would give me a couple extra days or at least to say in writing that they'd accept it, just told me a return label had been sent.

So after 1) they made a mistake with my order, 2) I had to press them to reply to my message, 3) they wanted evidence of the issue, 4) now they want me to go to the post office at the last minute without assurance that they will even accept this exchange, I gave up. Why did they require pictures of measurements if they were just going to make me send it back anyway and could measure it themselves? The last time an online company sent me the wrong clothing item, they said just to keep it or give it to charity and they sent me a new one with no hassle.

It's unfortunate because I started out eager to make this right because I like the style and wanted it to work out so I could order more from them. Instead, I felt like they wanted to make it as difficult as possible for me to help them correct their mistake. Not nice. I love supporting small businesses and that's part of why I ordered from them in the first place, but I don't like it when small businesses treat you worse than a big box...

Darn Good Yarn has pretty much become one of my favorite small businesses with a real heart and conscience that I love to purchase from.

For me, it's a wee bit of a trip on the imaginary happy train in the best possible ways of genuinely feeling good about what I'm getting and trying to support.

I love the variety of skirts that are offered. I love the selection of different lengths available. I love the usuage of more natural based fibers versus synthetic.

I love that this company is trying to network and provide better sustainability and decent work to women in India and Pakistan. It's an even bigger plus that it's recycled/reclaimed remnants of material. The uniqueness of each skirt to me is a kind of art masterpiece.

Every length of skirt, every particular material (silk, cotton, satin) tends to be flattering to most if not all body types. All the ones I have received have been relatively durable. Most if not all requests I have ever made has been answered and fulfilled.

They have pretty much become a bit of my "go to" treat for myself. These skirts are really easy to dress up or dress down. I personally tend to wear them more casually. They're super comfortable.

Like most things, in order to get the most use and longevity, proper care and handling goes a long way. This is where I suggest knowing to wash in cold and like colors, add a capful of white vinegar, etc...

I have always received more compliments and inquiries from people out and about as to where I got my skirts from.

It's a purchase that makes me feel good all the way around in terms of how the product comes together and what it supports. It's a real craft and art. It's a good way to add a bit of exotic style to any person's wardrobe.

I would highly recommend any of their skirts. If you might be someone who is more fixed on the "exact as pictured" type of purchase, I would recommend the route of ordering from the cotton skirts. Those are pretty straightforward. In the event you may be more adventurous the silk blend saris are fun as there's always a bit of a surprise because you don't know exactly how it will look until it arrives.

They are constructed and well made. I will without question be making future purchases from Darn Good Yarn. They're my kind of business that makes me feel good to...

Four stars instead of three because in the end, I actually love the project I made, but it was a very long road to get there, which was not my expectation with a kit box.

I gave the mystery box subscription a try. My first reaction was the color was not anything I’d pick, but that’s part of getting a mystery box.

First and biggest problem: each of the three skeins had around eight knots. And they were bunched so it wasn’t like the yarn had a maximum yardage before needing a join.

I dived right in on the pattern included for the yarn. Next problem: the pattern was a reprint of a pattern on their website meant for a different yarn with no variation for this yarn. It was a scarf so I didn’t bother swatching. I got well into the pattern and thought the fabric felt a little tight for a scarf. That’s when I looked at the band and saw the recommended needle size was bigger than the pattern indicated. Ripped it out, started again. Got more than halfway through and simply hated it. The pattern was selvedged on only one side and so it curled in and the color variegation clashed with the pattern’s stitch definition. I cut my losses and ripped it out because I knew I’d never wear it.

Long story short: I could not shake the feeling that they took the yarn, looked through their own catalog for a pattern with a similar weight yarn, and put them together in a box without knitting up a tester.

In the end, I ripped out three skeins worth of work.

So why the Four Star review? Once I found a pattern that worked, the end result was a scarf I have worn every day. Let’s just say I kissed a lot of frogs on my way to something that I love. The four stars here represent the destination, not...