1. Fons & Porter's Love of Quilting is a favorite. Used to subscribe to it.

2. Yes, I have made a few of the quilts featured.

3. I keep them forever?

4. see #3

Also have bought some of the Better Homes and Garden quilting magazine.

I go by the rule of 3: if there are at least 3 projects in a magazine or book that I think I would make, then I get it. This does not apply to technique books, however. Mostly I get my quilt ideas from the internet and my head!

Teresa

Fons and Porter is definately my favorite. I've made lots of their projects and I keep the magazines. I buy the other mag. sometimes but I really enjoy Fons and Porter

I am very interested in the responses you will get to this thread as I am considering a subscription to a magazine but have no idea how they compare. (I'm hoping it will curb my need to keep buying quilt books!)

Do not feel bad about tossing the stuff. At some point you have to. In the past with any magazine I'd hang onto it and think "Some day I'll want to read this again..." But they just pile up. The smart thing to do is what you did -- get the articles you'll actually use and let the rest go.

I get a lot of ideas from the internet but like to sit and hold a book/magazine. One FREE magazine I get is Connecting THread's catalogue. They sell a lot of books and have tons of pictures of beautiful quilts and color combos in their sales catalogue. I save pages from that all the time!

1. Quilters Newsletter Magazine has always been my favorite. I have every issue since No.1.
2. I have used the patterns, and yes, lots of inspiration.
3. Forever, and I often refer back to earlier issues for inspiration or techniques.
4. Someday, I suppose I will have to give them all up, and hope someone else can enjoy them.

1. Fons and Porter Love of Quilting for me, too. I subscribe. I like the quilts, the laid back style, and that they feature at least one technique in each magazine and thoroughly explain it.

2. I haven't made quilts from the magazine, but have borrowed parts of quilts or used techniques. And certainly use the pics for inspiration.

3. I keep all these (but see note below).

4. Ah, getting rid of quilting magazines. I used to subscribe to several, and also buy everything I could find. Each month. Yikes. At one point, drowning in magazines (and not doing any quilting), I went through each one. I photocopied quilts and directions if the mag had less than 3 I liked (which, by the way, was most of them). I bundled the rest of them and planned to sell them on ebay, but donated them to the Friends of the Library instead. They were *very* happy to get them, and said they have lots of requests. I have kept all the F&P, though, for the reasons listed in #1 above.
"I feel your pain!"

Cheryl

At one time or another, I think I've subscribed to just about every quilting magazine, or it seems like it, LOL. The one I consistently renew is Quilters Newsletter, and I do keep all the back issues, by date, in magazine holders. Right now I am also subscribing to BH&G's Am. Patchwork and Quilting, and I also like their special issues, and pick up a few of them on the mag. stands, especially the "Quilt Sampler" issues, that tell about the various quilt shops around the country. I save those. I also get the magazine that is included in A.Q.S. membership, and it is a good one. Most magazines are about half ads, so if you've enjoyed looking at them, and removed and saved an article or two from each of them, you've gotten your money's worth, and recycle the rest of it. We only have so much space, and I'm becoming a little choosy lately in what fills it.
One thing I've done with magazines that I know I'll never need again, is take them to our guild's quilt retreats that I go do, and put them on the "free" table, and they always find a new home! (Found a few there myself that I enjoyed looking at.)
I prefer magazines that have a few interesting articles in them, as well as beautiful quilts to look at, and occasionally I see a pattern I'd like to try, or a picture inspires me with an idea, but lots of time I just enjoy looking through it, again and again.
Have a safe trip home - looking forward to meeting you!

While I find most of the quilt magazines have very interesting articles and I love getting them in the mail, I do not currently suscribe to any. I have gotten 3 different ones in the past. There is just so much on the
internet and this forum and I currently have more patterns than a person could use in a life time.
Yes, I'm one of those people that keep things as Teresa says "forever".
Not only the ones I've gotten but a friend so generously
gave me several years of mags that I did not have (she didn't have room). :) Ha.
Sorry, this is probably little help. JMO Treat your self and try one for a year.

Sally

I currently subscribe to Better Homes & Gardens American Patchwork & Quilting Magazine. I used to buy it at Joann's with my coupon, but then I received a special introductory price on a subscription. Most of these issues are keepers. Some have been nice to look at for a while, then give away. Depends on whether there is a pattern I would actually follow.

I take magazines to the weekly hand sewing group at the LQS. Someone will take it home. Every now and then, someone else brings in magazines, patterns, etc. They pass around the table. We take whatever we think we can use. We also have a scrap basket--add or take out scraps whenever you like.

I had a lot of Quilter's Newsletter Magazine, but decided that only the applique patterns interest me. So I took out only those pages, put them in plastic sleeves in 3-ring binders, and passed the magazines on to others.

I have also purchased Fons & Porter Love of Quilting. I especially like it when the magazine content and the latest episode of their TV show go together.

There are many free patterns available on the internet. I also save digital photos (some from forum members) to serve as inspiration. There are sewing/quilting shows on TV. Quilting books at the local public library. With all these FREE sources of ideas and inspiration, it is becoming less and less appealing for me to buy any more books or magazines or patterns. I think I am ready to start drawing my own patterns for applique.

I have subscribed to quite a few over the years. It seems to be based on what I'm in the mood for, or something. I was getting one for a while where every pattern had a version worked in a different color scheme...I really liked that a lot! Their pattern tester's name was Laura Boehnke (probably not correct spelling). I can't seem to find that particular mag again - I thought it was McCall's Quilting, but I'm getting that one now and it's not there, or they've stopped doing it. Anybody know which one I'm talking about?

I get F&P, too. I've got a lot of issues of QNM but I'm not currently subscribing. I've gotten Quiltmaker and Quilter's World in the past, too. QM tends to have easier patterns, so I'd classify it as more of a beginner level.

One thing I don't care for with McCall's Quilting is that they have so many projects that aren't "quilting", like pillow shams and hand bags and stuff like that.

I will chime in about one that I WON'T be doing again...I joined the American Quilter's Society (I think it's about 20 bucks) mainly to get their quarterly publication, and after getting several of them I am not impressed. The main reason I buy quilt magazines is for the patterns, and American Quilter is mostly about shows (theirs), and features about quilters and teachers, and about 1 pattern. So, not my thing.

Donna

I subscribe to Fons and Porters magazine. My very favorite is Quilters Home. You cannot subscribe to it. You have to buy it where magazines are sold. They have decorating and recipes in there not just quilting.
I pass my magazines on to my daughter, Claddaghgirl, unless there is something in there that I absolutely love. Those I keep. Colleen

Donna, the one you are looking for is BH&G American Patchwork and Quilting. I get that one, Quilter's Newsletter Magazine and Quilting Arts Magazine. I don't really like Quilter's Newsletter at all and will not renew it. I got it for less than $10 thru Publisher's Clearinghouse so had to see what it was like. Not my style. I love Quilting Arts and have gotten it for several years. I have the first two years of Am Patchwork and started getting it again about two years ago. I have never duplicated a quilt from any magazine, but do get inspired by some of those featured in them. I keep them all (along with several garden magazines).

I have never subscribed to any, though I toy with the idea. Other magazines I subscribe to, like computing and home decorating magazines, I generally cut out and save articles I love, that either "feed my soul" to reread or contain ideas I might use some time. The rest of them get recycled. I would do the same with quilting magazines.

Thanks, Grad - I had a subscription to that one, too...I'll have to look into subscribing again. I guess maybe I shouldn't subscribe to 3 at a time! It makes it harder to figure out which to keep getting! :)

Donna

I used to subscribe to BH&G American patchwork and quilting magazine ,Fons & Porter and a few others over the years.At this time of my life i've stopped them all.I recently cleaned and weded out my sewing room and have several brown grocery bags full of books and magazines to dispose of.I have all months of some of the american patchwork& quilting,some quilt works mccalls quilt magazine and hard back books.Havn't decided yet how i;m going to get rid of them except i know it won't be the goodwill as i heard they throw magazines that are donated away.Which i believe,as i've never sen any in there in years.

The only magazines i get now ar cross stitch and birds and blooms.

I didn't want to become one of those old people that are found buried under their magazines and stuff.LOL
Kathi

I sounds like we all need a plan. I subscribe to several of the above. When my BHG quilting mag expires, I'll not renew it. I found the BGH Quilt Lovers' Favorites. These are yearly (7 out so far) and contain the favorite patterns they have published in the mag. I love this book. Each one is a hardback spiral with several patterns I hope to do. They are about $30 new, but I've been able to find them on ebay if you watch for them. Otherwise, I keep all my magazines in large 3 ring binders and frequent them often when looking for ideas.
Carolyn

kathi mdgd - That's what I kinda fear, myself - someone someday will have to weed through my "stuff" and so I'm trying to do it all now. I actually have a friend who has a big problem - never seen the inside of her house, but her car has so much stuff in it that there's only room for her - and it's a large car!

Many senior citizen centers will accept quilt magazines, too, and don't forget the Library (or Friends of the Library.)

I haven't subscribed to any. I have picked up various ones at the magazine stand..but I look through them to see what's in it. If there is a pattern or idea I like, I'll get it.

When I purge, I also rip out articles/items I like and file them in 3 ring binders. My friends get first pick. The rest gets tossed. Also, if I can get the information free on the internet, I toss it.

Favorite Fons and Porter----can't git rid of them---DD will have to tend to that I'm thinking. What a horrible thing to do to her. Perhaps I should start sorting?? This is a very thought provoking topic.

I find most of what I need on-line. That said, I do occasionally buy a Fons and Porter mag. I won't subscribe. Most issues don't have anything I would actually make, LOL. I peruse them in the bookstore. If something really, really catches my fancy, and I think I might make it, I will buy the magazine.

My DH and I have a monthly bookstore date. I can look and buy any magazine I want, of course. But my current goal is to keep the clutter out of the house. I have never looked at a mag older than 3 months - just becasue if it's that old, I have forgotten what's in it, LOL! I just don't want to devote part of my life to organizing and storing it all.

I find plenty of inspiration in catalogs. Hancock's of Paducah has wonderful photos of quilts, and I can usually figure out how to piece one from a photo without having to have a pattern.

Tomorrow the folks from the library are coming to pick up 4 brown grocery bags and 1 box full of books and magazines,and a few vhs tapes.So glad they are going to find a good home.

Today i cleaned out one of the fabric closets,and added some stash to the bag for the AM vets thrift shop.
Kathi

My favorite is also Quilter's Home. It is more a lifestyle magazine for quilters. I am chomping at the bit for a subscription. I can find all the patternes I need for free on the internet or cheaply at my LQS. I sometimes pick up the magazines dedicated to patterns if I see something I like (usually on the cover).

I did subscribe to Quilting a few years back but didn't renew. Now I go to the local Border's book store where there is a nice comfy couch right across from the craft magazine section. I just sit there for an hour or two and peruse them at my leisure.

I've subscribed to Quilters Newsletter Magazine for abt 10 yrs, I love it, also to American Quilter's Society for the last few.

I keep them all forever, for re-reading, inspiration, guidance in techniques, etc. Tho' I DO have a clutter problem (w/ over 200 plants & 12 yrs. worth of quilts on the walls), oddly all my magazines are well organized & put away, as they're important reference materials for me. I was aiming to start de-cluttering this yr, then things got complicated, Dad became terminally ill, life took over. The quilts progressed, I decided to make one for Dad, unfortunately I decided too late, lost him after Memorial Day, but in the rush to finish his quilt, everything else fell by the wayside, esp. decluttering, ackkkkk!!!

Am newly subscribing to F&P, it's a bit more craft-oriented than I like, but am trying it.

I had started to subscribe yrs. before the Internet. I like to make a single repeat of a block from a magazine quilt, to try it on for ease of assembly, if I like the mechanics, etc. It's largely how I taught myself to quilt, working thru individual designs & motifs that caught my fancy. VERY instructive & helpful!

I'm another mulitple-magazine subscriber who keeps them all and re-reads them for inspiration. I find it fascinating that I can look at a magazine from several years ago and see something in a quilt pattern, color combination, or technique that I did not see or appreciate quite the same way the first time I looked at it.

I no longer require that a magazine "redeem" itself by including patterns that I might actually make someday. I simply enjoy reading and re-reading and looking for inspiration.

Right now, I like Quiltmaker (good instructions) and American Patchwork & Quilting because they include: a full photo of the quilt laid flat, so I can see the entire design in fabric (not just a layout diagram/drawing, but the entire actual quilt), sample color variations of the same block pattern, and the quilting motifs used to quilt the quilt in the article. AP&Q just recently started including quilting motif info at the request of readers.

I'm getting annoyed with magazines that have one Artsy F**tsy photo of the quilt draped over a chair or something, so you can only see a small part of the layout and that's the ONLY photograph of the quilt; there isn't even ONE other PHOTO of the quilt anywhere in the entire article, only diagrams and drawings.

Eye candy, it's all eye candy, so I want lots of PHOTOS.

CMC

I subscribe to several: BH&G Patchwork and Quilting, Quilter, Quick Quilts, and McCall's. I've tried Quilter's Newsletter Magazine but found it not to my taste. I keep all of my magazines and very frequently grab a stack and go through them again and again. Your tastes and technique comfort change as you progress so things you may have seen in a mag a year ago that seemed to hard or not to your liking take on a whole different view. While I've never duplicated a quilt from a mag I do get lots of ideas and inspiration from them.

Melissa