Jenny’s Box of Favorite things, my review.
When I first saw the box advertised on the front of MSQC’s website for more than triple what the current quilting monthly subscription boxes go for, it gave me pause but then I decided why not? With an average value of 6-8 dollars per item, for 25 items it would be a wonderful Quilty treat. (I determined this value based on the cost of the box at $150 and the promised value of $200)
The first day was bandaids and a *rotary cutter replacement blade. Worth the 6-8 dollars in my opinion and what a clever combo. We were off to a great start. The following day was I believe a sticker, I was not as enthusiastic about it but figured some days would need to be less than the 6-8 average if some days were going to be more. As the week went on and I unwrapped more and more small items I began to become disappointed but remained hopeful that perhaps they had put all the small swag type items in the first of the month in order to put better, more substantial items toward the middle and end of the month.
By the middle of the month after opening a single spool of their thread (value $3) a fat quarter of their fabric (value $3.25) a MSQC luggage tag, a MSCQ calendar, a MSCQ nail file, a small notepad and yep, you guessed it, MSQC branded pen, I was starting to get a clear sense of the theme of the box. Instead of a quilt themed box of Jenny’s favorite things, this was feeling much more like a swag bag. You know the kinds of things a company gives away for free for advertising purposes. Or, to be more generous, a souvenir box.
Intermixed in the souvenirs were a few quilting related items. One of the MSQC patterns (Free video tutorial), A small ruler, some Lori Holt decorative pins, a pair of embroidery scissors, a pincushion kit, and my favorite item, a Lori Holt needle collection.
Also intermixed were some items that, albeit small, probably are among Jenny’s favorite things, some handmade soap and chap stick, a few cookie recipes and some earrings. The most perplexing items though are the craft type items. A small pill box (valued at $2.50) that anyone who hasn’t seen it assumes it is for holding English paper piecing parts but in reality it is only big enough to hold pills, an English paper piecing pattern with the papers but no template and a set of 2 mini 1 inch frames for needlework. These things all seem rather random and I can only assume that they are among Jenny’s favorite things and were cheap enough to make it into the box.
The final days ended with a tin of MSQC mints, a set of their MSQC notecards and the final day, a replica of what must be a well known bracelet of Jenny’s. I’m wearing the bracelet as I write this although I can barely get it on my wrist, it is definitely not a one size fits all.
Overall, I don’t think this box was worth the $150 I spent on it and I know it’s not worth the $200 they promised. It is mostly MSQC swag with a few inexpensive Quilty and personal items thrown in. Some form or communication explaining how these things are Jenny’s favorite things might have helped but probably wasn’t practical because then she would have been left trying to explain how most of her favorite things are MSQC souvenirs.
*It was interesting to note that the brand of the replacement blade is a Walmart brand, not one that MSQC sells.