Crafting Limbo and Ramblings about Craft Magazines

Because I'm in a bit of a limbo at the moment. Can't start any new embroidery projects (everything is boxed up), can do some designing but yes, you've guessed it majority of my drawing materials are also packed away. So I'm trying to find other ways to pass the time, before I temporarily move back home, and hopefully there, I will be able to get back to doing some embroidering again. Fingers crossed.

So, what to do, well I could learn to a new language or juggle, but instead I am still working on the paper piecing project and the rest of the time I'm reading blogs, websites, magazines and books.

It's a forced reflection period.

I don't mind it, I get to have a proper look and a catch up of what everyone else is up to. Don't often get the time to do that, and perhaps I should make myself do it more often. As long as it doesn't distract me from sleeping.

Anyway, so what have I been reading.

Today, I managed to get a copy of Crafty Mag. It's been out for a couple of weeks now (not sure of the exact publication date for the first issue) but I found out about it online. Then it was just a matter of remembering to keep an eye out for it. Which, as this is me took a good couple of weeks to remember...mainly what it was called. Weirdly could picture the cover but not the name, hey I am visual person.

Now, I know what thinking (you want a cuppa, I know I do), cause I thought it too, great yet another craft magazine...and, yes, your right it is. The name somewhat gives it away, if it was about cars then I might consider citing the trade descriptions act.

I think British craft magazines are finally getting a revival. Because lets face it most our publications, whilst nice, are somewhat lacking a modern look and don't reflect the changes and trends as quickly as they should. I've always been envious of magazines available in France, Japan and the States. I've purchased many in my time, much to the chagrin of my bank balance.

We are now, hopefully haven't tempted fate, finally starting to catch up, been a long time in the making and there is a long way left to go. But there are some really good ones out there now.

We Brits, are ravenous for them. I know I am, it's only really been in the last year that I've actually made a concious decision to nip into a stationers and have a pog at their craft magazines. It's easier now to zone out the wheat from the chaff. The section in a big Whsmiths used to be tiny, now you get a whole section. It's great, long over due.

It's funny really, in any other industry their print magazines are falling. But weirdly, or not, the craft magazines are somewhat bucking the trend. This isn't always the case, and a new publication isn't destined to survive, this only really happens if there is an effort on the editorial team to make use of all social media, such as having a dedicated blog, website and Twitter feeds etc, being updated on a regular bases during the times we wait for the next issue.

When it comes to the crafts, you need something physical and something to flick through. I like making notes on them, doodling, highlight websites, dog earring pages and ripping out the templates. I might be an avid Kindle user, but I will always buy craft literature in print and it's the same for magazines. About the only exception for me, and I am biased because I like the guys behind the magazine, and that's the UK Handmade quarterly magazine, but if and when that goes to print then I'd buy it.

Crafty Magazine by Practical Publishing International

So, what did I think of Craft Mag, I like it. Okay, I'll admit that's probably not very useful for a review. But it is only the first issue and I know it takes time to bed things down and no doubt they may well change their format. But I do like the look of it and the actual feel of the paper (smoothy/rough). Was a bit of a sucker for the packaging for the calico fabric, I like the fact it's for you to play with rather than it's for one specific project.

And speaking of which there are a lot of projects within it. Many of which I really want to do, like the Geometric flowering arranging, and making fabric bugs. So the pages are marked up ready for me to look at when I get settled again. 

There are, however, some quibbles with the projects, one there is a lack of photographs/drawn instructions to go alongside the written. That's not to say what's written isn't hard to follow, on the contrary but I find it useful to have some additional process/progress shots. Purely for referral. The templates for the insect project where printed to close to the binding of the magazine which makes it trick to photocopy cleanly or rip out. And for some of the projects a list of stockists would be beneficial. But these are minor quibbles.

As for the copy, the interviews etc, I will be happily reading through the articles especially the interview with Laura Clempson (yep, a fellow Laura), and will certainly be looking to get the next issue when it's out later this month.

So, what about you lovely lot. 

Do you buy craft magazines, what draws you to buying them. Cause they aren't the cheapest of purchases. What's your favourite?