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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.

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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….

Have you read?

Knit and Felt Some Tabi Style Slippers

The felted slipper craze that began last year doesn’t seem like it’s fading away. The Sailor Slippers, often striped knit and felted slippers made with super bulky yarn, because the project of the moment late last year (check out more knit slipper options in this post all about sailor slippers) and they’re still consistently popular with knitters.

Which makes sense because they are fun and fast to knit, and seeing them go from this giant thing to something that actually fits a foot feels a little magical. 

I have always loved felting (in fact my first book was about felting knitting) and it’s always fun for me to see people rediscover this technique. 

If you’ve knit enough plain slippers to fit all the feet you know, maybe it’s time to stitch up some tabi style slippers instead. 

Maymade Knits has designed these cute tabi ballerina slippers, made with bulky yarn and felted. They’re worked flat at first and then in rounds, and are available in 10 EU sizes (the Internet tells me add 31 to your American shoe size to get your EU size). The designer says the slippers are meant to have a close fit and you should choose a size a little smaller than your foot for the ideal fit. 

The pattern includes a video tutorial along with the written pattern. 

You can grab this pattern on Ravelry. The same designer has her own version of the striped felted slipper as well, called Sarah’s Striped Slippers. These are worked in super bulky yarn and have a contrasting foot and a striped body. These are knit flat and seamed and there are 7 size options available. Check that pattern out here if you’re looking for a more traditional slipper shape. They also look roomier so you can wear them with socks if you like. 

[Photo: Maymade Knits]