Knitting Magazines

Week 4 = Catalogingm Books, Magazines and Pattern
Day 5 = January 26, 2014

 

My grandma's knitting bag

 

There are quite a few knitting magazines out there. I have subscriptions to:

• Cast On (TKGA membership required)
  
• Creative Knitting
  
• knitscene
  
• Knitter's Magazine
• Love of Knitting
  

     Cast On is my uber favorite and is the official publication of The Knitting Guild Association. You must have a current membership with the TKGA to get this magazine. I have received 3 issues: and 2 issues had 16 new patterns and 1 had 18 new patterns. Every issue has several sections each is listed below:

• Product Reviews - with items like yarn, knitting needles, project bags, beads, accessories, kits, etc.
• Book Reviews - are very informative.
• Stitch Anatomy - dissects a stitch and builds it back up. Throughout the article (and the new patterns), there are technical tips and designer notes that are bold printed in red so that they are easy to find.
• Finishing with Confidence - has great pictures to go with the directions.
• Fashion Framework - explores the things you need to know before you start knitting.
• Knitting 911 - an in-depth article about fixing mistakes with detailed photos.
• On Your Way to the Masters - an article about the TKGA's Master Knitting program, with a list of program graduates.
• TKGA Guild News - a section for news from local guilds across the US.
• Crossword Puzzle - in 2 of the 3 issues that I have. 

     Two final notes about Cast On magazine. One is the notable lack of advertisements in each issue. There were less than 15 ads and several were for their own events and programs... love this. Two is the information about the pattern and the pattern it self are together, not continued later in the magazine like some knitting magazines do.


     I have 2 issues of Creative Knitting with 24 and 29 patterns respectively. Highlights for Creative Knitting:

• There are more than twice as many ads  than Cast On, but most of them are relegated to one section of the magazine.
• Product Reviews
• Book Reviews
• Information and patterns are printed together (just like Cast On)

     I have 1 issue of knitscene and Knitter's Magazine which are new to me and both had 22 patterns. In knitscene I liked the materials section, i.e., product and book review, designer profile and blogspotting article. In Knitter's Magazine I liked the "knitter's to knitters" section (again product and book reviews) and the lengthy, detailed patterns.

     For the 2 Love of Knitting magazines that I have, I love their overall layout the best. They have broken their magazine into easy, definable sections:

• techniques & more
• projects for every knitter
• accessories & fun stuff
• home dec
• kid's projects
• in every issue
• web bonus

    They have an stitch dictionary article, which is similar to Cast On's section stitch anatomy. They also have the standard product and book review sections. Both issues had 20 patterns.

     There are many other knitting magazines. Here are some that I have bought in the past:

• Debbie Bliss Knitting Magazine
• Interweave Knits
• Interweave Knits Weekend
• Knit 1 2 3
• Knit'n'Style
• Knit Simple
• Knitting Today
• Natural Knits
• Vogue Knitting
• Simply Knitting (an UK knitting magazine)

     It looks to me like knitting magazines are another sign of us knitters preferring items in print rather than online. I just love the feel of paper and the joy of getting each new issue in my mailbox!

Question of the day

What do you like about your favorite knitting magazine?

Knitting and leafing through the evening,


Victoria