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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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Apple Knitting Patterns for Fall and Back to School

It feels like it’s too early to be thinking about back to school, but as I write this my daughter has just a couple of weeks of summer left! So let’s get in that school and fall knitting spirit by looking at some apple knitting projects. 

If you have a 22 needle circular knitting machine, knitting an apple is one of the easiest things you can do. I have an apple pattern over at Our Daily Craft that will take you just a few minutes to knit and they’re a great addition to your fall decor. 

Apple hats are a classic, and whether you want to knit a hat that looks like an apple or one with apples on it, we’ve got you covered. For hats that look like apples check out the rolled brim version from Emma Crochet Design 4 U, which uses worsted weight yarn and comes in sizes for kids of all ages; and the ribbed brim version from Hand Knit Hugs. This one also calls for worsted weight yarn and comes in four kids sizes. Both include a stem and leaf. 

If you’d rather have apples on your hat, try the Red Apple Hat from Little Red Window. This one is sized from newborn to 2T and calls for four colors of worsted weight yarn. 

How about apple socks? You’ll find Ariel Chang’s Apple Picnic Socks as a free download on Ravelry. These use three colors of sock yarn and come in three sizes. Stone Knits also a pair of stripey apple socks that show the inside of the apple. These also have three sizes but they use six colors total, with the main color being a self-striping yarn. 

If you want a little apple accessory for the house, the apple potholder from Nifty Knitter Designs is cute and a great way to practice double knitting. It uses two colors and you’ll find the colors in the reverse on the other side. The pattern only uses about 50 yards of each color of worsted weight yarn, so it’s a great use for odd balls, too. 

Once you’ve got your double knitting skills sorted you can also try the double knit apple scarf from Crow and Chai Shop. The Winter Apples scarf is shown in red and gold, but you can use whatever colors you like. There are apples, stars and random stitches in the design, which calls for DK weight yarn. There’s also a matching fingerless glove pattern.