I’ve dabbled in knitting and crocheting at different points in my life but never made anything more complicated than a potholder or scarf. When The Woobles sent over some crochet kits to test last year, I was really excited to try them out. I’m great at following directions, so I couldn’t wait to get started.
The kids were also very excited at the prospect of getting new stuffies to play with and were very encouraging as I set about figuring out how to make cute penguins, dinosaurs, stingrays, and even milk cartons.
I spent quite a bit of time during the dark winter evenings learning how to do the single crochet stitch and half-double crochet stitch, how to add stitches and how to decrease stitches, and how to create a magic ring. At the end of it all, the kids were delighted with their stuffies, and I would now consider myself an intermediate crocheter.
When The Woobles Toy To The World Advent showed up, I was just as excited as the kids to open it, and it didn’t disappoint. This is one of the cutest gift ideas I think I’ve ever seen.
Toy to the World Advent Calendar
What Comes in the Toy To The World Advent Calendar
Specifications
- Packaging: One large box that holds all of the smaller boxes.
- Contains: 4 full-sized Wooble kits, 6 accessory kits, 1 custom crochet hood, 1 custom tin, 2 special surprises.
When you open up the Workshop, you’ll be met with 12 boxes. Each contains either a full sized Wooble crochet kit, an accessory kit, or a special surprise.
- 4 full sized Wooble crochet kits with hooks.
- 6 accessory kits.
- 1 custom crochet hook.
- 1 custom tin.
- 2 special surprises.
The real fun of the advent calendar is the surprise when you open each box, so I’ll keep some things under wraps. If you want to see everything that comes in the kit, you can view it on The Woobles website (and some of the surprises are in my review video).
Each full-size kit comes with an ergonomic crochet hook and stitch markers. It also comes with plastic eyes and stuffing to make the final product. The accessory kits come with the yarn you need to complete the item.
Pros
- Easy for beginners.
- Incredibly cute and creative.
- Relaxing and fun.
- You can learn a new skill.
- Great gift.
Cons
- Best for kids 12 and up.
- On the pricier end (though a good deal for the number of Woobles).
The Pros
Each Wooble kit has an accompanying instruction video and comes with either left-hand or right-hand instructions. The videos walk you through the process step-by-step. You can move the video forward when you’re ready to move on or backwards if you need to watch the step again.
There’s also a PDF version of each pattern. Once I got used to the stitches, I started printing off the PDFs and marked off the rounds after I finished each one. Now, I’m pretty good at counting the rows and knowing where I am in the pattern, so I just view the PDF on my phone and use the video if I come across a stitch I don’t remember.
The yarn is custom-made for beginners. It feels different than normal yarn, and I definitely found it easier to use. Regular yarn can fray or split, but Wooble yard is always smooth and easy to grab with the crochet hook.
The kit has a magic loop that’s prestarted, so all you have to do is pick it up and start crocheting.
The Cons
The instructions are detailed and the videos are a great guide, but there’s still a learning curve. The kits are designed for ages 12 and older, so if you have younger aspiring crocheters, they might be a little too advanced. My daughter wanted to learn how to do it, and while she could get the basic single crochet stitch, the rest of the stitches were too tough. When I would get to a point with a lot of single crochet stitches in a row, she would take over, and then I would jump back in on the next row.
Individual Woobles kits are typically $30 each, which can add up to quite a bit. The great thing about the advent calendar is that you’re getting four full-sized kits which would typically be $120, plus the accessory kits which I can’t find on the website, so I think they’re unique to the Workshop. You’ll also get the two surprises. All for $140 (normally $175)!
What I Love
First, this kit is put together so beautifully. It’s thoughtfully designed and comes with everything you need to create adorable crochet projects. I saw a video from one of the founders, and she said that in past years, they grouped all of the full-size kits in a row. People said that this got to be a lot if they wanted to go in order, so this year, everything is spread out a little more. That way, if you do want to go in order, you’ll be surprised by either a full-size kit, an accessory kit, or a surprise!
One of the coolest things that the kids and I discovered while completing each kit is that there were little ways to customize them. My son, for instance, directed me to make Fred the Dinosaur with angry eyebrows and a frown. He also told me exactly where to put the spikes. One of my daughters chose her pattern for the glow-in-the-dark thread on Diego the Stingray. I also had some leftover yarn from my initial kits, so I was able to make additional animals.
Once I got used to all of the stitches, I gained crocheting confidence, and I learned how to make a magic loop. Then I pretty much felt like I could do anything — crochet-wise, of course.
A Great Gift for Kids and Grown Ups
In My Expert Opinion
This advent kit would make a great gift for anyone 12 or older. You could give the entire Workshop, or you could purchase the advent calendar and separate the kits to give them to multiple people. It’s really like a whole bunch of gifts in one. I just finished one of the full-sized kits last night, and my daughter was delighted. I got an activity, and she got a new toy!
Toy to the World Advent Calendar
The Woobles website says that the advent calendar can take up to 10 days to ship and will be shipped separately from other items in your order. This is important for planning and to make sure you get everything in time for the holidays.
