Zweigart's new magazine

It is disappointing to me that yet another magazine in the U.S. is going to feature mainly cross stitch projects and not be well rounded. How I wish I read Italian.

Dianne

Bea wrote:

Huh, I see punch needle, blackwork and pulled thrad, hardanger and redwork as well as crochet listed as projects even if the bulk is cross stitch. And what about Piecework?

And Italian is similar to Spanish and French, all share Latin roots. While I couldn't speak it, I could manage to read a menu and such while we were there. A Italian-English dictionary would be a starting place. I use a similar method with a German publication I get at the Euro Deli when DH has a craving for childhood treats.

All those you mentioned - except crochet - will be down the road. The bulk is cross stitch. I would like to see a magazine in the U. S. that is even handed in its approach. This new magazine is not. (sigh)

Piecework's designs are simple and meant to compliment an article. It is not the same type of magazine.

Dianne

"Dianne Lewandowski"wrote ..

This is why I enjoy Classic Stitches, published in the UK--a variety of techniques. Dawne

It is the only well rounded needlework magazine that I am aware of in English language. I am presently adapting a recent blackwork sampler design to my own taste. I have often used parts of their patterns for smaller projects or some of their embroidery designs I have adapted to blackwork. The Classic Stitches web site started about 18 months or so ago offering cyber classes to which they have added many techniques in the past year. Ruby Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.

I agree - Classic Stitches is great. Also Stitch, which gets in to fabric work as well. I really like Mary Hickmott's New Stitches which seems to cover most forms of surface work and some hardanger, but otherwise, no cut or pulledwork.

I really like the companion pieces that Piecework has with the articles. Most will give you enough of a taste to decide if you want more.

Cheryl

Stitch is one of my favourites but I only buy it if I see something I like. I like their series of withdrawn needlework and also the raised embroidery techniques . Still value for money you cannot beat Classic stitches. New stitches has featured some lovely pulled thread projects in the past and some nice blackwork. ruby Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.

But that's not good enough for those of us who want something besides a "taste". Many of us hunger for a magazine that is well-rounded in approach and not just centered around cross stitch and blackwork. "Inspirations" does a valiant job, but their focus is different than Ric Amare or Rakam.

There is no reason the U.S. can't support such a magazine. It's just that nobody is doing it.

I had quite a conversation with a yarn manufacturer. I have proof graphs for several designs (embroidered aghan crochet). They won't reissue these designs, even though many people are asking for them. The volume simply isn't high enough. My answer is: the volume isn't high enough because nobody is creating the designs! We can't "do" what isn't available.

Dianne

I really think it comes down to a business mindset issue. While there are lots European publishers that seem happy to support many niche magazines and newsletters for low profit - smaller areas of interest like bog gardens for example - American publishers, of which there are fewer, seem to want hit the broadside of the barn and not hit the many individual smaller markets. I know a couple of woodworkers that have similar complaints to yours. I'll bet there are other crafts that have the same complaint.

NOW - I know many different societies support newsletters that cover those odd little niches; my experience is mostly with gardening issues (hardy plants and daylilies) and a friend had one on "Painted Ladies" (Victorian home care). And those newsletters can get pricy to cover the postage and printing fees and the authors don't get paid most of the time (I never did).

SO - if you want it so badly, why not write an article with an sample graph or design and submit it to the various magazines.

BTW how is embroidered afghan crochet different from just doing surface work over the afghan crochet?

CPI

Cheryl

Cheryl Isaak said

IMNSHO, it's a chicken and egg situation -- companies won't produce a nonXS centric magazine because they say no one would buy it ... people can't buy a nonXS centric magazine because none are being published.

That is true as well.

A college friend, last seen 10+ years ago, went into work for a large publisher. If it was "(fill in the blank) issues, it was hot and lots of new magazines were tested or old ones re-vamped to fit the "fashion".

I'd like to see just how many copies of British /Australian /Italian /German "craft" magazines get sold in the US on a monthly basis, including subscriptions. It would be a good place to get a handle on what the market might really be for a more diverse magazine.

Cheryl

What is withdrawn needlework?

This is often the problem in the US. We're so focused on profits that big companies never want to take a flyer on something totally new and different. The little guy (someone like Dianne) will see the need, and even be motivated to fill the need, but simply doesn't have the money available.

Going back to my days doing a specialty newsletter, I had to charge as much per year for a 20-page quarterly as the big guys charged for an

80-page monthly. They could use the cheaper method of printing and the cheaper bulk rate mail; I didn't have enough subscribers for those to be cheaper, so I had to use photocopying (which looks tacky) and first-class postage. I didn't have enough subscribers to get advertisers. I couldn't afford the $400 to take out an ad in the big guys' magazine to get more subscribers. Couldn't get a business loan because I had no collateral. Vicious cycle.

But how many people won't buy the imports because they can't justify $10 for a magazine (which I just paid for one) or have nowhere to buy them?

I know those people exist, but they are harder to count! LOL

(sorry, I've been hanging around with DH's buddy David too much - I've learned more than I ever wanted about marketing)

Cheryl

You are assuming that these magazines are "niche". That is not the case. They are simply well-rounded and appeal to varied interests.

- smaller areas of interest like bog gardens for

I'm not certain what the market would be for bog gardens, but I know that I have seen articles on it. It would seem that you are saying that I would like a magazine to have *only* drawn thread (for instance). That's not what I'm saying at all. What the U.S. doesn't need is another cross stitch magazine. It needs, and I believe can be supported by consumers, a well-rounded embroidery magazine such as "Inspirations" (Australia), or Rakam, Ric Amare (Italy), or Anna (Germany). I know that Anna is distributed in the U.S. It's still not what I'm looking for. :-)

I know that Better Homes and Gardens does quite a bit of single-issue magazines on various crafts.

It would appear that you are assuming that I want a special interest magazine. That is not what I'm talking about.

I've already been published. Twice.

The word embroidery encompasses anything that is done on top of a ground of some sort. You can go here to see what I'm talking about:

mainly cross stitch, at least one of these designs uses surface embroidery. You'll see my design as well.Dianne

Eggsactly! :-) Dianne

Considering how expensive "Inspirations" is, I would bet the market must be sizeable in order to sustain such a high quality mag over time.

Dianne

Cheryl Isaak wrote: