Spinnerin Yarn Ready Paks and Knit Kits

I assume we all know about Yarn Kits.   You know, an offering where you receive the pattern and materials for a complete project.  In the needlecraft yarn industry, it appears this business practice began in 1946 by Emile Bernat and Sons.  Coming in second was Spinnerin Yarn Co in 1949. 

The official 1949 description for the 12-Style Sock Pak (pulled from another ad) :  Knit any one of the 12 handsome styles for men in any one of 12 rich color combinations.  Pak includes 3-oz of non-shrink virgin wool, sufficient for one pair of mens socks" 

The concept here was your local yarn and needlework shops obtained the kits (unknown if purchased outright and resold, or handled on a consignment basis).  The individual shops then ran the advertisements themselves with the newspapers to bring in their customers.    There's a second win (an excellent marketing ploy) on Spinnerin' part.   The kit gave you 12 patterns with materials for just one pair of socks.   Thus, if you want to knit the other designs as well, you'll go back to the shop and buy additional Spinnerin Yarn.

By the mid 1950's the concept had branched out and taken off.   Interestingly enough, however, Bernat and Spinnerin remained the primary Pak (or Kit) marketers. 

This 1957 advertisement expands to show a variety of kits available.   It is, of course, presumed a store would have multiple design selections.  In these cases, only one pattern is being offered.

 In the early 1950's, Spinnerin advanced to an additional service for their 'Ready Paks'.   In this 1956 magazine advertisement, Spinnerin will 'hand-loom' the skirt for you, while you make the matching top from the 'Ready-Knit Pak".

This 1956 'shop' advertisement shows the same offer.   Apparently it did not meet with large scale
response, as the offering does not continue in the following years.

The majority of the Ready Paks were geared to womens' fashion.  Once in awhile a mans selection would show up and just as seldom was home decor ... the every famous afghan.

I'm fond of this one ... marketing to the niche -- "Club" Women.  Again, this is a store ad, not Spinnerin specifically.

Here, in this 1965 ad, is a return to the 'additional patterns'.   Although only one dress is shown, the script indicates there are three patterns to choose from.

This full page 1963 add is the only one (so far) that I've found that shows Spinnerin selling ready-paks directly to the customer. 

The newspaper ads for the Ready Paks began to decline in the early 1970's and almost disappear by 1978.   I do not know if this was due to the Spinnerin transition to their business changes, or if the 'kit' market underwent a change.   (Perhaps I'll learn the answer to that when I study Bernat). 

Should I learn more about Spinnerin Yarn Kits, I'll be sure to come back and update this post.

Thanks for dropping by,
Lorrie