Treads magazine

Samplebe wrote: > I'm thinking about subscribing to Threads Magazine. My question is, Is it > worth the cost. Is it a good magazine. I could always use good sewing tips > and sharpen my sewing skills.

YES!!!!!! YES!!!!!!!! YES!!!!!! YES!!!!!!!! YES!!!!!! YES!!!!!!!! YES!!!!!! YES!!!!!!!! YES!!!!!! YES!!!!!!!! YES!!!!!! YES!!!!!!!! YES!!!!!! YES!!!!!!!! YES!!!!!! YES!!!!!!!! YES!!!!!! YES!!!!!!!! YES!!!!!! YES!!!!!!!! YES!!!!!! YES!!!!!!!! YES!!!!!! YES!!!!!!!! YES!!!!!! YES!!!!!!!! YES!!!!!! YES!!!!!!!! YES!!!!!! YES!!!!!!!! YES!!!!!! YES!!!!!!!! YES!!!!!! YES!!!!!!!! YES!!!!!! YES!!!!!!!! YES!!!!!! YES!!!!!!!! YES!!!!!! YES!!!!!!!! YES!!!!!! YES!!!!!!!!

GET IT!!!!!!!!!!! I am encouraged to strive for excellence and inspired by every single issue.

I subscribe to both Threads and SewNews, both of which are an absolute necessity to an avid sewist. Emily

Emily thoughtfully penned:

I dont read either.

I got bored with Threads yeaers ago after being a first edition- on subscriber. I am just not interested in designer pockets, couture hemlines and other such thing. Occasionally I check it out from the library to catch a specific article. My sewing interests are piqued by an issue about once every two years or so.

Penny S

I'm not so wild about Sew News personally (I'm not into sewing the latest and greatest fashions but rather into something classic and elegant and when I subbed to SN, they had mainly fashion stuff -- they may have changed recently), but I sure would get Australian Stitches if my budget afforded it.

I take it you weren't taught to sew in the time-honored "Get the cheapest thing that will work and use it" method that leaves you wearing garbage and looking horrid. :)

not at all... my sewing interests are just not covered by the magazine is all. They run an technical gear wear article rarely, seldom cover true industry techniques, I find the machine reviews very fluffy... I need infor that I can use: technical fabrics ( what is the difference between capilene and cool max alta) how to tension a cantenary tarp; technical zipper closures, etc. I can't see paying for a magazine that doesn't cover MY needs. That doen'st make it a bad magazine.

penny s

Unfortunately, my mom did it just that way. In addition to that, she NEVER made ANY alterations to ANY pattern. I was over at her house a few days ago, and I took my muslin to work on while my daughter got into my mom's pool. My mom found it amusing that I was trying to alter the pattern. She laughed and said, "You don't have to do that! You just cut it out and sew it up according to the directions! I've been sewing for more than 50 years, and I *never* had to alter patterns." Don't I wish she had!

I never got "store-bought dresses" till I was in high school. I'm sure you can just imagine what we kids looked like in our home-made clothes (back then, wore cotton clothes (mid-1950s to mid-1960s). Mom didn't (and still doesn't) believe in prewashing fabric before cutting it, either, and you know how cotton shrinks after you wash it. She gets another laugh at me when I insist on prewashing EVERYTHING.

Karen C./KY

I quite like it, and did subscribe for a while. Like Penny S I find that it doesn't cover everything I need to do. I don't sew quite as much outdoors stuff as she does (I can't think of anyone who does! ;D ), but I do sew a very wide range of things they never seem to look at. Their basic pattern and fitting ideas are sound, but I occasionally need things like how to fit a historical garment, and just *EXACTLY* which stitch to do something to get the authentic finish used in some time period long gone, or how to make fairy wings, and other esoteric stuff.

If you aim to be a good home sewer looking for nice tips and ideas, it will help. If you aim for true professional couture finishes or detailed technical help with outdoors fabrics, it falls short. Where I find magazines a REAL help is not in the articles at all, but in the advertisements!

Where I

I love Threads, and have just resubscribed for another two years. I like its approach to fine sewing. It has more articles on fitting than I need, but I like the inspirational stuff - pleating, embroidery, design challenges, seam finishes, etc. Unlike Penny, I love couture hems! Taunton also publishes many wonderful books, to which there are links on the site.

Kate is right about those ads - I've discovered some great suppliers there, for patterns, for fabrics, for notions, etc.

I don't know SewNews (anyone know if could subscribe online?). But the other mag I love, which an English friend sends me, is Belle Armoire. That kind of craft-come-heirloom sewing is right up my street. In return I send her 'Marianne Maison', as I live in France, where we are spoiled rotten for quilting, cross-stitch, craft and sewing mags, though you do have to understand French of course...

:) Trish

Treads magazine

Yes, thanks for understanding that I am not trashing the magazine, it just bores me these days. I much prefer "outdoor retailer" . :-)

yes, good points.

Penny S

Kate, that's because you and Penny have specialized knowledge that would make you eligible to be Threads AUTHORS!!!!

You're both exactly the kind of people they look for to write articles--give them a try! Both of you surely write enough here "for free"!

Tell 'em Karen sent ya!

Karen Maslowski in Cincinnati

Thanks to all. I will give it a go . BTW I'm "Sew Like Crazy". I took out my old hard drive and now everything is screwy on my pc now.

I've subbed to SewNews since it first came on the market, and really enjoy reading many of the articles though these days my sewing is limited to keeping a fourYO(going on 15) DGD in clothes she likes and myself. Now DGD is beginning pre-K next month and will be wearing a Catholic school uniform. Emily

Same here!