I have been blessedly out of touch for the most part the past couple of weeks as I recently attended the Knitting & Stitching show in London. I had the best time! I attended the show for three days, saw incredible exhibits, talked to artists, watched them in action, and met up with old friends.
Cas Holmes proudly displaying her new book in front of her mixed-media stitched piece “Medway Gap.”
As a show attendee with little responsibility, it was fantastic to enjoy the show for the sheer love of going and marveling at everything. I did write a full show report for The Craft Industry Alliance, and you can find my report of the show here with pictures of what I saw.
Just before I left, I got the news about Cloth Paper Scissors, Modern Patchwork, Quilty, and KnitWear, all being shut down immediately by F&W.
To say this was a total punch to the gut is an understatement and I am sick and heartbroken about it. I am saddened for consumers who are passionate about these publications and just feel awful for the staff who lost their jobs.
The Cloth Paper Scissors Facebook page, however has recently posted that there is a potential buyer, and I guess we will see how that plays out.
I have thought so much about the publishing industry of late, watching magazines shutter, including legacy pubs we’ve counted on for years (think Quilter’s Newsletter Magazine). It is never fun to watch something we cherish that has been a part of our lives go out of print. We all know the digital age—as great as it’s been in its ease to access free content—is the dagger that’s killing print.
But to me there is nothing like laying down on my sofa, dogs at my feet, and tuning out social media to tune into what reading about I love: stitching, quilting, and making. Especially in this political climate, it’s how I keep my sanity and find goodness in the world.
So I am curious and have a question…what do you pay money for these days for print publications?
I’ll start. I subscribe to Curated Quilts, UPPERCASE, and Quilt Folk. I also grab Simply Moderne as well as Flow when I can. I am a frequent newsstand goer and also nab others that appeal like Modern Dog (too cute!) and sometimes soup magazines (what can I say…soup is my thing).
So what do you buy copies of or have subscriptions to?
Quilting Arts been a subscriber since the premier issue and have every one of them in binders. It is the only publication I subscribe to now.
So sorry to hear about CPS enjoyed reading it now and again. Books more than magazines I subscribe however to Embroidery Magazine (only one I really read), Tate magazine and pick up a Crafts and Selvedge Magazine when I can. Same with Flow, Cloth Paper Scissors and the odd Somerset studio on my travels. I subscribe to textileartist.org and Mr Xross Stitch. I cannot say I always read them but rather seek out interesting article’s.
Hey Pokey.
I subscribe to Cloth Paper Scissors (along with Quilting Arts) and buy Quilty religiously (I often wished I could subscribe). I also pick-up any and all modern quilt magazines that I see (seems to be limited where I live). I am saddened by the lack of appreciation for the printed word. I love getting engrossed in my new publication and flipping through the pages. So sad about those that will lose their jobs/income. Ugh!
I love magazines. Art Quilt Quarterly, Art Quilting Studio, Bon Appetit, Cloth Paper Scissors, Cooking Light, Eating Well Fiber Art Now, Modern Haiku, Quilting Arts, Sunset, Vanity Fair, Writer’s Digest. So sorry to hear about CPS
I agree. Print is best for total submersion in a topic. Believe it or not, I still subscribe to our regional newspaper, Threads, Fons & Porter Quilting, Quilting Arts. Recently added an e-version of Better Homes and Gardens and Real Simply but I am definitely not enjoying them as much. I find myself skimming over information, but when I have a printed article, I savor every detail.
This is very sad news. Cloth Paper Scissors is one I treat myself with when I’m in the city. I love going to the book store and grabbing this and other favorites. I’m a sucker for a good magazine on my favorite topics – Quilting Arts, Magnolia Journal, Modern Quilter and Taste of Home are my favorites.
I love the SAQA publications. They are always so informative and have excellent photos. I like to read the Somerset publications, too. I always feel like I get my money’s worth from them. I loved Quilting Arts before it got bought up by F & W. It always had a good leaning towards art; not just the making of art quilts. To sum up what I look for in a textile magazine: articles about textile art that are a little on the new and different, articles about the elements and principles of art, articles on creativity, a little about technique but not cookbook style articles. Good photography, and a nice, thick publication to be worth buying.
I subscribe to Quilting Arts and have saved every issue. I also get Art Quilting Studio. Both these subscriptions are wonderful eye candy and I love seeing them in my mail box. I also love to pull out old issues and look through them for inspiration.
I still subscribe to Quilting Arts, have since the beginning. Every time a renewal comes up I debate because less and less of it appeals to me. But so far, I still do.
I get Sunset although that too has less and less but gardening articles are local.
The only magazine that I truly enjoy and keep and go through time and time again is the British Country Living. Photography is beautiful. It’s expensive, not easy to find, but I enjoy it.
Guess I am just the wrong demographic for most magazines!
Hey Pokey,
So pleased you were able to attend this function and enjoy yourself.. I am the daughter of a newspaper editor, so print is vitally important to me.. Selvedge magazine is my focus, along with Saveur, an Italian Garden /cooking focus..Threads has been a long time favorite..
Quilting Arts is the last magazine that I have always subscribed to that is still left. I miss Quilters Newsletter and especially Machine Quilting Unlimited. I need some new suggestions!
I’m only subscribed to American Craft at the moment. I really enjoy it because it covers such a wide variety of artists. I have subscribed to UPPERCASE and Cloth Paper Scissors before and think both are beautiful print magazines. Reading online is just not the same!
I have subscription to Fiber Arts Now and Selvedge. For years I had a subscription to Quilting Arts and was sad when it went under. Glad to hear of potential buyer and, just like you, I relish tuning out social media (and tv) and sitting down to enjoy a stitch magazine. Nothing better during this dark political climate…
I subscribe to Quiltmaker, and (boo-hoo) Quilty and Modern Patchwork. I had previously subscribed to American Patchwork and Quilting, Love of Quilting, and Quilting Arts, as well.
Love Quilting Arts, CPS, and Selvedge. One by one they hit the dust, sadly.
E-magazines and e-books aren’t my “thing.” Need to be able to hold the paper and turn phyical pages back and forth. Like feeling fabric/textiles/fiber.
I mainly buy Cloth Paper Scissors and Quilting Arts with the odd decorating mag. (Once a year) and Canadian Living.
I get Quilting Arts, Uppercase, Selvedge, Curated Quilts, Quilt Moderne,Somerset Studio and What Women Make. So sad about CPS.
I subscribe to Quilting Arts, American Quilter, Quiltfolk, and Primitive Quilts and Projects.
I try to pick up Art Quilting Studio at Barnes and Noble. I would much rather hold a magazine than read it digitally.
I have been a long time subscriber of both Quilting Arts and Cloth Paper Scissors. I was so disappointed to hear the news about CPS, but hold out hope that someone will take it over. I have a subscription to it until 2020. The only other subscription I have is to UPPERCASE. Twice a year on vacation I go to the book store, halfway to my destination and purchase a bunch of magazines….. usually Taproot, Magnolia Journal, Art Quilting, Anything new from FLOW (love love love them), also whatever else catches my eye. I spend way too long choosing and probably spend way too much money, but its a small indulgence a couple of times a year, There is nothing like curling up with a new magazine and tuning out the world for awhile.
I too like the printed word, but find I have limited time to put my feet up and read. I mostly scan articles and photos online. I love purchasing the books written by favorite artists, like Cas Holmes’ book above. I subscribe to Quiltfolk, but I think I will look into some of the periodicals mentioned in the comments above for some new outlooks.
The New York Times, daily.
Sunset Magazine.
San Diego Magazine.
Audubon Mag.
Smithsonian, some years.
CLOTH PAPER SCISSORS, PAGES, QUILTING ARTS STUDIO, SEW SOMERSET.
I too enjoy sitting with a cupa and leafing through the pages. It is very different than the digital world and I feel would be a loss to those who enjoy the meandering through the pages while pondering possibilities.
I haven’t subscribed to anything in at least five years — got so frustrated about the overwhelming percentage of advertising and such few pages of actual content! I do check the magazine racks every month but only purchase individual issues if I see something interesting.
Most often I read Smithsonian and Archeology, and I always check out Selvedge (when I can find it), quilting, and European knitting mags.
I subscribed to Threads for YEARS until they switched from a couture/expert focus to beginners, so it’s useless to me now. Besides, they have a tendency to regurgitate the same old instructions and tips year after year. I loved subscribing to Quilting Arts from the early days and still hoard them, but at some point it became overwhelming and frustrating to see upteen new projects or techniques in every issue yet have no time to attempt them! Now that I’ve got more free time, I’m going back through and making a shopping list in order to try some of it out. Maybe one day I’ll have tried enough to feel I’m ready for more… 😜
Hi. I pay for Quilting Arts, Cloth, Paper, Scissors, Noro Knitting, Vogue Knitting, Fiber Art Now, I belong to SAQA and SDA and get both of those periodicals. Once in awhile I pick up Quiltmania, I used to by Textiles Down. Under, but I just heard they closed their doors, once in awhile I buy Stitch from England, and once in a blue moon I buy Selvedge. I LOVE my magazines!
Hi.
I subscribe to Handwoven, Quilting Arts, Cloth Paper Scissors, Fiber Art Now, machine Quilting. Saqa member,
Modern Quilt Giild
Member. Time, Sports Illus. Cooking light.
Sad to hear about CPS!
I subscribe to Quilting Arts and the New Yorker. Until recently American Craft, too. I occasionally buy copies of Art Quilt Quarterly, Cloth Paper Scissors (sob), and Quilt Mania.
I also love magazines. My favorites are Quilting Arts and Art Quilt Quarterly. I also occasionally purchase domino, Aspire Design and Home, House & Home, Galerie, Phoenix H&G, and Quiltfolk (although I thought they left out some amazing quilters such as Sarah Vedeler and shops such as Bernina Connection when they wrote the Phoenix edition). My daughter buys me Selvedge for Christmas. While I love the feel of Where Women Create I purchase only if there is something I am really interested in due to the cost.
I subscribe to Quilting Arts, Southwest Art, Western Art & Architecture, Quilting Arts Studio, and Cowboys & Indians. I’m a Minnesotan in love with the west and its art. I would never want to give up buying magazines and books.
Quilting Arts and Cloth papaer Scissor are the only two I currently get through the mail. Simply Moderne I sometimes will purchase. Now that I am loosing CPS I will subscribe to Simply Moderne. Love Love Love holding reading mateial in my hands!
I am so sad to hear this news. Like many of you I haven’t recovered from the loss of Quilter’s Newsletter. I still by Quilting Arts and then pick and choose at the magazine stand based on what catches my eye. I recently started getting Quiltfolk, and I buy an issue of the Somerset magazines every so often. I also get Southern Living, Victoria, and English Country home. I love magazines but have to control my addiction. That’s becoming easier because so many of the magazines formats don’t appeal to me anymore.
Handwoven, sometimes Bon Appetit, used to love Quilting Arts, not so much any more.
Quiltmania is my one and only magazine now. Quilting Arts was my favorite for years, but it lost its appeal to me many years ago…same with AQS, Fiber Arts, American Craft, and so many others. My arsenal of ideas was at tipping point and I needed to stop reading about it, and just “do it”.
I’ve subscribed to Quilting Arts and Cloth Paper Scissors for about 12 years now. I am heartbroken to hear that CPS is ceasing publication. I just received a notice with my current issue saying that my subscription was expiring. I was planning to renew it tomorrow. After hearing this sad news, I will wait to see if they are purchased (fingers crossed) and renew at that time.
I also purchase Somerset Studios, Quilting Arts Studio, Art Journaling and the like every now and then. If CPS is not purchased, I suspect I’ll be buying them more often!
For me, there’s nothing like a cup of coffee and a QA, CPS or other creative magazine in my hand. Like you stated, it’s a welcome break from all the worldly drama!
Take care,
D~~~~
It’s always a sad day when another magazine is closed. I’ve always believed there’s room for lots of different magazines—we each have our own particular point of view and special niches. I’m grateful to see some UPPERCASE subscribers chiming in on this post—it is the support and enthusiasm of subscribers that keep my magazine going year after year. Thank you!!!
Totally agree, Janine, and so glad to hear you piping in on this! LOVE UPPERCASE, you do a phenomenal job!
Hi Pokey!
I have every issue of Quilting Arts and Cloth Paper Scissors since you started publishing it/them way back in the early days! 1996?
They are the only publications that I still subscribe to. I do hope someone picks up CPS. I used to subscribe to almost every quilt magazine that was available for years, but there aren’t that many any more and I’m more into mixed media/art journaling these days. I do try to pick up “Art Journaling” by Stampington and their “Where Women Create” and now their new “In Her Studio”.
So very sorry to hear that the F&W publications are being closed down. I still subscribe to Quilting Arts, and have since the beginning. Others are Simply Moderne, Curated Quilts, Quilt Folk, and also Vanity Fair, Where Women Cook, WW Create, Architectural Digest, and Dwell.
Like you, I enjoy curling up with a magazine and I stalk my mailman when the next issues are due. I have subscribed to QA and CPS since the beginning. I love the UK’s Stitch Magazine. It always has eye candy and great interviews. I really liked Machine Qltg. Unlimited even though I don’t machine quilt. Again, it was the great articles. I’m not interested in how-to traditional quilts or patterns. I know how to do that. I am much more interested in reading about people who create. I subscribe to Where Women Create and the new In my Studio, and Art Quilt. I also grab new to me mags at the bookstore. I hate to see print media of all sorts close. It isn’t the same to “curl up with my laptop”.
QA, Uppercase, Sunset, SAQA Journal. I am a big fan of beautiful magazines. I loved Threads for years and saved every issue, then they became a dressmaker sewing magazine and left all the other wonderfully artistic needle arts behind. Those early years of Threads are the closest to my idea of the perfect magazine. Even those little black and white ads in the back tended to be sublime.
Quiltfolk, Simply Vintage, Quiltmania and Quilt Sampler (when I hear about local quilt shops being featured). Of course, I am still a sucker for Better Homes & Gardens, Sunset and Good Housekeeping in the supermarket lines!
Hello Pokey *
Now I again subscribe to Quilting Arts though I have never quilted. Subscribe to Fiber Arts Now and as a member or Embroiders Guild I receive their publications. Years ago I found Piecework magazine on the newsstand and then Cloth, Paper, Scissors there too. I subscribed to Piecework for years and have kept all of the print copies. I have a good number of CPS too. It seems F&W has not truly served the interests of the fiber arts community, what has been the problem? Now I browse the newsstands at book vendors, craft & textile vendors and grab up any of the issues that interest me in the moment. As I said, I have 3 bookshelf units jammed with magazine collections, books, and print media. I can’t lug around a computer, even a laptop or tablet everywhere for reading or using as a source for inspiration & directions. Textile artists are tactile people-Give me a book any day!
Fons & Porter Love of Quilting & Quilt Folk