Tuesday, June 27, 2017

Do you buy or subscribe to quilting magazines

For years I subscribed to American Patchwork and Quilting magazine. I have quite a collection of their earlier editions. But then something changed. Heidi Kaisand was no longer the editor. Not only did the magazine itself change, it seems the subscription staff changed as well. After years of being a loyal subscriber, when my subscription ran out, I was not notified. No endless letters or offers. So with that, I decided to just let it go. If I wanted a certain magazine I would just buy it.

But truthfully it was rare that I would purchase a copy.  Until this August.


The mini quilts designed by Carrie Nelson caught my attention. As did the articles on pre-cuts.

Would I subscribe again? I don't think so. I've subscribed to another magazine for several years, and it seems like every issue is just a reformulation of the same quilts that we have been making. So when this one runs out, I won't renew. I recently went through all of my magazines, kept the ones I "might" make, and gave away the rest.

How about you? Do you subscribe or just buy a copy that catches your interest?

20 comments:

Julierose said...

Sad but true that I feel the same way..I no longer subscribe to AP&Q or any of the others that I used to...and the Arty quilt mags are so far out that I cannot see myself doing any of their contents...Once in a great while I buy an issue if it has a quilt I really like (colorways, or pattern or new method of sewing) but for the most part, I get my ideas from blogs, and online tutorials
or Youtube videos (which I really enjoy a lot). I find that most of the mags are a re-hash of what they've already presented...
Hugs, Julierose

Rebecca said...

What yous said sums it up for me plus the fact that all they seemed to be doing was "selling" whole fabric collections.
I occasionally pick up Quiltmaker but that is about it.

sunny said...

I don't subscribe to any quilt mags, and buy very few. I already have more projects than I'll ever be able to make. Quite often, friends give away their old magazines, and I'm happy to look through a few of them for inspiration. I rip out the projects I'm in love with, and they go in a binder for someday. I do have a copy of the one in your post, however!!

Cheryl's Teapots2Quilting said...

I haven't subscribed to a magazine in years. I pick up a copy if it strikes me, plus, my secret sister has been supplying me with copies this year. Our bi-annual quilt show has a book and magazine area, where we can get used copies for next to nothing. I wait till Sunday morning (last day of the show) and get 4-6 for $1.

Susan said...

I don't subscribe, but do pick up one now and again when I see a project I want to make.

Angie in SoCal said...

Sadly, what you say is true for me also. I have many from the nineties, but few from recent years. The arty ones are to way out for me, and the modern don't do anything for me, either. I find a lot that interests me on the internet and classes online. For everything there is a season...

Jocelyn is Canadian Needle Nana said...

I now only get Quiltmania in the mail...expensive but includes the full size patterns for whatever they showcase so I think is good value. I also get lots of magazines at the library as I love looking. Btw, loved your log cabin quilt, exactly the colours I've chosen for my bed quilt to be.

Donna said...

I quit subscribing years ago because so many of the magazines didn't even have one quilt I wanted to make! Now I go to a Barnes and Noble every so often, look through all the quilt magazines and buy the ones I want! Sometimes they have them plastic wrapped and you can't look through them but that is the company's loss! I'm not going to buy a magazine site unseen!

Donna~~ said...

I subscribe to Quiltmania. Expensive, but I always get ideas from it. Although lately I've been wondering if having a million ideas is a good thing, since I never finish anything.

Barb said...

I stopped buying quilt magazines a long time ago when my collection got to big for me.

scottylover said...

I have subscribed in the past and last year signed up again for one of my favorites from the past. I did not renew when the time came. Like you said, it seems to be a rehash of the same patterns over and over again. If there is a pattern that I just love when I flip through I will see how many more there are that I like. If there are several, I will buy the magazine, but it takes a lot to get me to that point!
Sandy A

claudia said...

I subscribe to a couple of magazines and buy others when I see something that catches my eye. Like you, lately, I have noticed it's basically same thing, different color! I was just thinking about just letting the subscriptions go and buy something once in a while if the mood strikes.

margaret said...

no subscriptions for me either though they were offering a free small swing machine in exchange for subscriptions on some magazines recently, machine retails at £99 but not tempted! Do but Stitch magazine comes out very 2 months from the Embroiderers Guild but that is all. Check out at the newsagents sometimes but so many magazines are now in a sealed bag so you cannot have a sneak peek and see what is in them will not buy them in protest!

Maureen said...

I used to get AP&Q, but let my subscription lapse. I can now get it at my local library.

Norma said...

I have stopped getting subscriptions accept for one. I like the tips and tricks in Love of Quilting. But other than that, I was accumulating way too many magazines. As you pointed out, they are usually a remake of the same quilts I have patterns for already.

Anonymous said...

I don't subscribe to any quilting magazines. I usually go to the library and review them there and check out the ones I might enjoy.
nikilsend(at)outlook(dot)com

Elaine Adair said...

Up to a year ago, I was taking 5 magazines - LOVING the mail when something was just for me, but then I got to feeling pressured to read them all, make a few items, and finally, now, I don't take even one. I have kept pages from many of the mags, in a separate folder, of quilt I like to LOOK at. I know the magazines are taking a huge hit - "things change and then we change things." I hope we are not on the tail of the quilting "thing" but perhaps it will come.

FABBY'S LIVING said...


I used to subscribe to so many decoration magazines, cooking, Godd Housekeeping, etc. Now I just Pin what I like and presto!
I would love to quilt, it's so much fun. When I was young with a baby girl I did some, but not like you do. I'd love to go to classes and this makes me want to go and find out about one.
Enjoy your weekend ahead.
FABBY

Allie-oops Designs said...

I used to subscribe to them all. But - not only was I seeing the same patterns over and over, it was always to introduce a new line of fabric. I keep some of the older mags, but mostly find inspiration online or at Craftsy. I'm partial to applique, which isn't always the same old stuff, lol.

GO STARS! said...

I still subscribe to quite a few. I save them up for long car rides. I have started to notice repeats - how many versions of a churn dash can one make? It's become more obvious that they're trying to sell kits and promote fabric lines. Some of the magazines designate almost half of their pages to the same basic techniques every issue.