Frequently Asked Questions

When will my order ship?

Ordered on a regular old Tuesday?

Most colors on most bases and all of our accessories are ready to ship within 1-2 business days. If we run out of a certain colorway, or do not have enough matching skeins to fill your order, we will dye it to order and it will ship in 7-10 business days. During special events, or at especially busy times, shipping times may be longer. When this happens, there will be a notice at the top of the main page letting you know. That information supersedes our regular shipping time info listed here.

Please be aware, shipping time refers to the length of time we estimate it will take to get your order packed and ready for USPS to pick-up. Once your package has been picked up by USPS, we have no control over it. We only have access to the same tracking info as our customers and have no ability to affect what USPS does, the route your package may take, or how long it will take to arrive. USPS has been under great strain since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, and while most packages have arrived quickly, some take longer than usual. Happily all of our Domestic packages eventually reach their destination.

I’m really ready to craft all the things! Where is my yarn?

Below we have a few guidelines for what each term means when checking your order status:

Pending - We have received your order and are working on getting it to you!

Pre-shipment - A label has been generated for your package and is awaiting pickup by USPS

Shipped - Your order is being processed by the postal service. If you are a U.S. customer, you will receive an email when USPS accepts your package that contains an invoice and a USPS tracking number. You can use this tracking number at usps.com to track your package’s current location and plan for its arrival. Are you an international customer? Please take a look at our international shipping policies below.

Pre-order - If you are interested in pre-ordering, there will be an estimated shipping date on the listing page for the item.  Pre-ordering creates a spot for you in our queue for that specific product. Pre-ordered items will ship in the order they are received.

Ordered during our Semi-Annual Sale?

Due to high order volume, please allow 4-6 weeks processing time for your order. Our dye team is working its hardest to get you your completed order as quickly as possible (and preferably way sooner than 4-6 weeks), but we’d highly appreciate your patience while we do so! Please note that sending emails to enquire about the status of your order will receive an automated response forwarding you to this page. Any emails sent enquiring about order status with a pertinent issue for receiving their order (i.e., change of shipping address, order changes, etc.) will receive a prompt response Monday - Friday between the hours of 9am - 5pm EST.

What is your International Shipping and Customs Policy?

International orders are shipped via USPS  then transferred to your local postal service. International delivery can take 1-8 weeks depending on the country. You will receive a tracking number so you can monitor its progress; however, once the USPS transfers a package to the local postal service our ability to track it is limited. If you have any questions about your International package’s current location once it arrives in country, we recommend you contact your local postal service or customs office for a more accurate assessment.

Additionally, some countries may hold packages at customs, check their contents, and/or charge duties for these packages. Magpie Fibers is under legal obligation to declare all items shipped by us as “merchandise.”  Magpie Fibers is not responsible for any taxes, fees, or duties levied.

Depending on your country’s import/export policies, International customers may be subject to fees, taxes, or duties. International customers are therefore encouraged to research your country’s customs policies. For further questions, please contact your local postal service or customs office.

What is your return/exchange policy?

We will accept returns of any unused, unwound skeins of yarn (not including subscription or one-of-a-kinds) purchased from the Magpie Fibers website within 30 days of date of delivery. Simply mail your yarn back to us at the address below. We will refund the credit card account originally used as soon as we receive and process your return. All shipping costs are the responsibility of the customer. Note: Should returning all or part of an order put that order total under the $200.00 free shipping threshold, $9.95 will be deducted from the refund. 

We do not offer exchanges; please place a new order for your replacement yarn.

Magpie Fibers 

5711 Industry Lane, Unit #36

Frederick, MD 21704

If you have any additional questions about your return/exchange, please reach out to us using our Contact Page.

What if I need to cancel my order?

If your order has not yet shipped we will be happy to cancel your order and issue a refund. If your order has shipped you are welcome to return it. See above for info on returns.

I forgot to order something! Can I add it to my existing order?

While we cannot add an item to an existing order, we are happy to combine multiple orders, providing the original has not yet shipped. Send us an email through our Contact Page to verify that your order is still in shipment processing, then go ahead and place your additional order. Let us know once you’ve checked out; we will combine your orders, issue a refund for any additional shipping costs, and get the complete order out to you as soon as possible.

Is there a way for me to see all of my past orders?

We would love for you to create an account with us on our website to enhance your shopping experience. With your new account, you can view recent orders and save payment and shipping information for even faster checkouts.

To open a new account with us on a desktop, simply go to mapgiefibers.com and click on “Sign In” at the top of the page. This will open a pop-up box asking for login information. Click “Create Account” at the bottom right of the pop-up box, enter your information, and you should receive an email confirming your new account.

 If you are accessing our website from a mobile device, click on the navigation bar at the top left to access our menu, then click on “Sign In,” and follow the same steps detailed above.

After creating an account, you will be able to build a profile that contains saved addresses, payment methods, and order history.

For your order history to be saved each time to your account, you must be logged in when making a purchase. Unfortunately, if you forget to log in, we are currently unable to retroactively add a purchase to your order history.

I love my website account, but I changed my email address. What do I do now?

If the email address that you originally created an account with is no longer active, you will need to create a new account with your current email address. We cannot add your old purchase history to your new account, but this will still give you the same benefits previously stated and will send your shipment notifications to the correct email address.

How can I visit your store?

Magpie Fibers Flagship is our yarn & fabric shop. Here you can find Magpie Fibers, hand-dyed yarns, commercially dyed yarns, fabric, & notions from companies we respect and love!    The Flagship is located at:

154 North Market Street, Frederick, MD 21701

Shop Hours

Mon-Tues: Closed

Wed-Thurs: 11am-5pm

Fri-Sat: 11am-6pm

Sun: 12pm-4pm

Shipping

Customer service

What is hand-dyed yarn?

We’re so glad you asked! Each skein of Magpie Fibers yarn is created by dyeing small batches, usually 4-6 skeins at a time, in our custom colors using acid dyes. Every skein is handled at least a dozen times as it makes its way from raw yarn to finished product. From color design to hand winding, we pride ourselves on the attention to detail we put into each handcrafted skein. The result is a beautiful richness and tonality that is unique to Magpie Fibers.

Will the color I see on my screen be accurate to what I receive?

We hope so, but there are many reasons why it may appear differently. We make every effort to take pictures that are accurate and true to the colors that we dye. With that said, calibrations of monitor screens, smartphone screens, or web browsers may represent colors differently. Even the lighting that you view a picture in can distort colors. If you are unhappy with the colors  you have received, please feel free to refer to our Return/Exchange Policy.

If I order multiple skeins of yarn in one color, will they all match?

Our goal is to offer a consistently beautiful crafting experience to our customers.

If you are ordering more than one skein of yarn in a single color, we make every effort to match skeins as closely as possible. If a cohesive order is not available from our shelves, we will dye it to order to ensure consistency.

With this said, hand-dyed yarn will always have variations from skein to skein. If you are using multiple skeins of a single color, we always recommend that you alternate skeins.

What does “alternating skeins” mean? Do I have to do it?

Alternating skeins gives a uniform blending of multiple skeins that will give your hand-dyed yarn project a more consistent look overall. We strongly recommend that you alternate skeins on any project that uses more than one skein of the same color. 

If you’re unsure of how to do this, we’ve included a link to a video demonstrating the technique here.

How do I wash my project made with Magpie Fibers yarn?

Most of our bases contain superwash Merino wool. This means they have undergone a de-scaling process to remove some of the microscopic scales on the outside of the fiber to prevent it from felting when exposed to heat and agitation. This means that these yarns can be washed in a washing machine without felting. However, we recommend hand-washing to keep your project looking its best for years to come. 

Bases containing non-superwashed yarn cannot go in the washing machine and must be hand washed and laid flat to dry.

To hand wash your knits, simply soak in lukewarm water with the wool wash of your choice. Agitate gently with your hands to release any dirt, remove excess water by rolling in a towel, then lay flat to dry. 

We work very hard to ensure the colorfast-ness of our yarn using many times the normal amount of acid to set all of our colors. A small amount of color in your wash water is normal and won’t affect your knits. If you are using very high contrast colors, we recommend adding a Shout Color Catcher and a little white vinegar to the soaking water just to be on the safe side.

Yarn

What does a bi-monthly subscription mean?

Bi-Monthly subscriptions renew every other month, for a total of 6 boxes throughout the year in 2-month increments.

How do I access the Members Only Society Page?

When you sign up or your subscription renews, you will receive a confirmation email that contains a link to the Society page, a password to enter, and your discount code. These will be active for 2 months; please save this email for easy reference. In addition, active members will receive a Society newsletter with the same information.

Your Magpie website account is not linked to the Fiber Society. That password will not work to access the Fiber Society. Please use the password provided in your confirmation email and/or the Society Newsletter.

How do I curate my subscription?

Go to The Society Page using the link provided in your confirmation email and/or the Society Newsletter. Use the password to gain access, then click on the “Curate Your Collection” picture.

Each session we create unique colorways, both speckled and variegated, that are exclusive to the Magpie Fiber Society for six months.

The subscription includes two skeins of yarn. Depending on the session, there may be a combination of speckles, variegated, or solids. Society Members are able to select from a variety of options in order to curate their collection. Please only select one of the options available to you on the “Curate Your Collection” page. 

If you’re in love with more than one option, you may use your special Society discount code to purchase any extra skeins you desire.

How do I order extra skeins of the current session’s colorway?

You may purchase additional skeins of the current exclusive colorway by logging into the Society page and clicking on the picture that says “Purchase Additional Skeins.”

To purchase skeins of the complimentary colors please go to the appropriate page on the main website. Remember to use your discount code.

Can I purchase past Magpie Fiber Society colors?

Our exclusive Fiber Society colors are available for a limited time through our Society page. Each color will be available as a dyed-to-order item for an additional session from the time of release. Any remaining skeins will be available on our Society page until sold out.

What happens if I don’t curate my collection?

If you do not choose a combination for your Society subscription, we will randomly select for you an option available for that session. Some of our Society members actually prefer this, because they get to be surprised when their collection arrives!

Do I need to enter my address every time I curate my collection?

Yes, please! Because of the interface between our website and subscription processing software, it is absolutely imperative that your name and address be entered at checkout when curating your Society shipment. You will not be charged, as this is a $0.00 item. 

This must be done every session in order to ensure you receive the correct selection to the correct address. We cannot guarantee you will receive your desired selection if you did not enter your name and address at check out.

If you have forgotten to enter your address, please go back and checkout again, including all of your information in your new order. We are unable to manually edit orders with missing information.

When can I expect my collection to arrive?

Magpie Fiber Society collections ship the middle of the second month of the session. For example, if you are participating in the February/March session, you would curate your collection by February 15th. Your collection would then ship to you during the middle of March.

Society Members will receive a shipping confirmation email with a tracking number per our normal shipping policies. For questions about our Domestic and International Shipping Policies, please refer to our shipping policies above.

To what does my free shipping benefit apply?

Free shipping applies to your Magpie Fiber Society subscription package. Unfortunately, we cannot combine other orders with your Society curation. If additional skeins are purchased, that order will be charged shipping and will ship separately.

Why haven’t I received my separate order of additional skeins yet?

Additional skeins of the current Society colors will ship after Society packages have shipped, usually within 1-2 business days. Anything ordered along with the current Society color will ship at the same time. If you do not want to wait and would like your other items to ship immediately, please place separate orders.

How do I use my discount code?

When you sign up or your subscription renews, you will receive a confirmation email that contains a link to the Society page, a password, and your discount code. Active members will receive a Society newsletter with the same information. We recommend saving these emails so you always have access to your current discount code. At checkout, there is a box that says “Gift or Discount Code.” Enter the current code, and press “Apply.”