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Breaking: F+W Media to Acquire Interweave Parent Company

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fw mediaI just saw on Twitter news first reported by Publishers Weekly and confirmed via a press release from F+W Media that the company, which publishes craft titles under imprints such as North Light Books, Krause Books and Memory Makers Books, has acquired craft publisher Interweave Press’ parent company, Aspire Media LLC.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed, though F+W CEO Daivd Nussbaum said the deal will add 30 percent to the company’s revenue.

Interweave was founded in 1975 in Loveland, Colo., and was acquired by Aspire Media in 2005. That company is backed by private equity firms Frontenac Company and Catalyst Investors. Clay Hall has served as CEO since that time, and he and CFO Troy Wells will leave the company after the sale.

Interweave owns and operates 15 consumer art and craft magazines and has more than 30 special newsstand publications, has published 350 craft books, hosts 33 websites and 10 online communities, has 10 e-commerce stores, puts on 11 consumer events and also produces video workshops and three craft television programs that air on public television, according to the press release.

F+W Media itself has 20 ecommerce sites geared to different craft genres, and says its customer database will become the biggest in the industry with the acquisition. In addition to craft titles the company publishes a wide array of do-it-yourself titles, including imprints such as Adams Media and Writers’ Digest Books.

No one knows yet what this will mean for Interweave, any of the staff other than those at the top, or the publications or events put on by the company. The press release does indicate increased production of digital products in the near future: “Immediate plans for the Company include: an increased number of digital magazine/content launches through the popular Interweave digital newsstand; an expansion of the e-commerce, ebook, and digital pattern business; and an expansion of the live and online education and event business.”

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Summer T-Shirt Knitting Patterns

Knitters are always looking for ways to continue to knit and to wear their knits even when it’s hot outside, so there are tots of great T0shirt knitting patterns to choose from. I love knitting short-sleeved shirts because they feel so much faster than sweaters, and you can wear them on top of dresses or even longer-sleeved items when it gets cooler.

There are lots of different styles of knit tops, from the basic to the more detailed. On the more basic side are things like the Perfect T-Shirt from Originally Lovely, a basic raglan tee with nine sizes and worked in worsted weight yarn; Paper Bloom by Yvonne Hugo (free on Ravelry), available in six sizes and worked with cotton and silk yarn for extra coolness; or Iris H’s Amelia Top, also on Ravelry, a slim fit, DK weight top with nine size.

Jazz it up with a bit of lace like on the Athens Lace Hem top by Sarah Hatton (Ravelry). This otherwise simple project has a bit of lace at the bottom, which is an easy way to make a project more interesting without a ton of work. This one uses fingering weight yarn and comes in nine sizes.

Another simple embellishment is to emphasize the lines of your top with different stitches. The Spring Lines top uses twisted ribbing at the center front and V-neck and along the raglan lines to give it a slimmer fit and more interest. This design from Turquoise Toque Designs has 11 size options and is available on Ravelry.

Silfurberg by Joji Locatelli uses both of these elements, with lace panels at the center front and back and purl ridges throughout to make it a little more fun to knit and to wear. The pattern uses fingering weight yarn and comes in 10 sizes. Learn more on Ravelry.

Keep it simple or add puffed sleeves (and/or long sleeves) to the slim fit Knitty Committee top by Lily Kate France. This one has two length options, waist shaping and optional bust darts to fulfill all your curvy top dreams, and it comes in nine sizes. You’ll find it on Ravelry.

Take it even more romantic with the Daphne Top from Friday Knits, which has puffed sleeves and applied I-cord to emphasize the bust and sweetheart neckline. It comes in eight sizes and uses DK weight yarn.

Or add some sweet flowers with the Gigio pattern from Emilie Luis. This pretty pattern found on Ravelry has cable panels running up the front with the option for adding sweet embroidered flowers. You can also add decorative buttons if you like. It comes in 11 sizes and calls for sport weight yarn.