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Publisher F+W Media Files for Bankruptcy Protection

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interweave parent files for bankruptcyF+W Media, the publisher of many craft and hobby related publications, including Interweave books and magazines, filed for bankruptcy protection, citing changes in the industry and mismanagement for their financial problems.

The company has said it plans to sell off parts of the company in order to pay its creditors, including its communities group and its books division.

There is no word yet on whether any of the company’s magazines will cease publication, though it was reported that subscriptions across its properties have dropped from 33.4 million in 2015 to 21.5 million in 2018 (and ad revenue dropped from $20.7 million to $13.7 million in the same time period).

And while a lot of the crafting community has moved online, that hasn’t been a successful proposition for F+W (which also publishes titles like Writers’ Digest and Popular Woodworking). In just the crafts sector, the company spent $6 million in its online efforts and only generated $3 million in revenue.

It will be interesting to see what happens. Of course we always hope for the best for crafting publications and the industry as a whole, but as things continue to change companies will have to evolve in ways that are profitable and effective and inspiring for crafters.

Comments

  1. I’m still getting several emails a week encouraging me to subscribe to their magazines– Beadwork, Interweave Crochet, and several for which I have no interest in the crafts they feature. And they all require I be on an “automatic renewal” plan….

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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.