Big news in the knitting world a bit earlier this week involved the uncertain future of some long-established crafting magazines. Specifically, F + W Media is filing for bankruptcy. F + W is the parent company of Interweave Press, publishers of Interweave Knits, Interweave Crochet, Knitscene, and Spin Off, among other books and magazines. For more details on the whole thing, see this Forbes article, and this article on the Craft Industry Alliance website.
The company cited a lot of reasons for their need to file bankruptcy, but one was the decline in readership, and that many readers prefer to get their content online rather than in print. And that got me thinking. I certainly do like to access a lot of content online, but I also really like magazines.
I definitely get a lot of content and do a lot of shopping for patterns and yarn and so on online. I check in at Mason Dixon knitting every day along with a lot of blogs and other sites. On the other hand, I do have a long-running subscription to Vogue Knitting, and just got one for PomPom. When I am in Barnes & Noble, I do like to poke around the knitting magazine rack to see if there are any good patterns in whatever is around. Sometimes I will buy something there, sometimes not.
So here’s an informal poll on this topic Are you a magazine reader? If no, where do you generally get your knitting content? Paper or online? Do you subscribe or just buy a magazine here and there? Inquiring minds want to know! Feel free to answer in the comments or take this topic to your own blog. If you do that though, please add a link to your post below so we can check it out!
Quite A Yarn 
The only knitting magazines I have looked at are when they are available on Amazon Prime online for free. I don’t buy any actual magazines any more and haven’t for a many years. (I used to get Oprah’s magazine and Gardeners’ World). They just become clutter and I am not very good at reading the whole thing but equally used to keep them to read eventually. They’ve all been recycled now in last year’s big decluttering.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Very true – they can certainly become clutter, especially if they aren’t something you refer to often!
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s a shame to her another magazine company may be going under. I am afraid I am more of a sporadic knitting magazine buyer – not a regular subscriber, mainly because for a while all the articles and patterns just seemed too similar in the mags I used to see. I do love it when I buy a premium (price and style) magazine now – saving myself to buy occasionally and to savour contents. I dislike the way a lot of magazines are going on line – call me old fashioned but you can’t beat a paper copy and I prefer to thumb through rather than squint and scroll !
LikeLiked by 1 person
I agree – for actual reading, paper is the way to go!
LikeLike
I enjoy a knitting magazine though I don’t buy them regularly anymore. In my opinion people are using Ravelry and blogs to scout out individual patterns more. I have a large collection of magazines but rarely look through them when I want some ideas. One thing I love about magazines is the yarn reviews. Seeing what’s new or comparing similar yarns across multiple brands isn’t duplicated anywhere else.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I feel the same way. Online is easier for individual patterns, definitely! But you don’t get the content – reviews and knitting news and so on.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Depends on the magazine. Knitting/crocheting magazines I buy here and there. But, only if they have more than one pattern I am interested in. Most of my patterns I obtain online. I have subscribed to one crochet magazine before computers were an everyday household item. (I just gave my age away LOL) There was one knitting magazine I subscribed to a couple of years ago but seldom found a pattern that caught my eye.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Similar – my threshold for buying is 3 or more patterns I would make, or an interesting article.
LikeLike
I prefer online. I have a bookcase shelf full of magazines. That’s after 2 destash attempts. What’s there is likely going to stay there, but I can’t say that I have knit all that much out of the editions. Likewise with books. Now I just go online when I see a pattern on a blog and buy it to download. Much easier to store and find!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I do sometimes knit out of my books and magazines, but it’s true most of the things I knit have been from online patterns.
LikeLike
I’m not a knitting magazine subscriber, but I occasionally buy an issue or two. Like you, I enjoy the physicality of the magazine. Same with books from the library. #oldschool
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love knitting magazines. I only subscribe to Interweave Knits, but I’ll pick up magazines that call to me. I have knit out of a magazine in the past, but I usually look for patterns on Ravelry. I like to get inspiration and ideas from magazines. I am still heartbroken from the loss of Cooking Light, so if Interweave ceases to exist I’m not sure what I’ll do.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hopefully it will do OK. From what I read, it and the other Interweave titles are somewhat profitable, and the company is looking for a buyer. It is a good magazine!
LikeLike
I subscribe to Interweave Knits and Knitscene, and really enjoy getting magazines in the mail. I read the in bed before I go to sleep. I do buy most of my patterns online and do a lot of reading on Instagram. But I can’t see buying digital magazines and having to print out the patterns, when I could already have a physical copy in a print magazine. It’s also not as relaxing for me to read for pleasure online.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I really do enjoy reading a paper magazine! I do the same thing and enjoy it as well. I agree that it’s nice to have a physical magazine, for lots of reasons 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person