Knitcircus has gone digital!

 I'm so pleased that Jaala Spiro, the Editor-in-Chief of Knitcircus magazine, is here today to share some exciting news. After 2 years of paper success  Knitcircus has gone digital! 

So the whole reason you're here is to get the word out that Knitcircus is going digital. Can you tell us a little about this decision? What sorts of things do feel you'll be able to do now that you weren't able to do in print? 

 

 We’d been in print for two years and had grown a lot in our ability to create a solid magazine and to reach great designers for interviews, etc, but we distributed the magazines by ourselves and through one yarn store representative, and making contact with each individual store just took a lot of time. We love LYS’s and ethically really liked working with independent stores in Wisconsin and around the country and hope to return to print with some books in the future. We just wanted to reach more readers and to give our designers more exposure; going online allows us to do that plus saving us huge amounts in glossy paper and postage costs. We really like the environmental aspects of an online format, too; I could never quite feel right about the trees and solvents that went onto the paper magazine, even though we all love a copy to throw in your knitting bag or read in bed. Now people anywhere in the world can see the magazine instantly and we can really stretch out, showing lots of luscious, full-page knitting pics.

I had a chance to see the current issue and I must say I love the way it looks!

 

We tried to make the online format as close to the print magazine as possible, with subscription and single-issue pattern collection purchases matching pretty closely the print magazine and subscription models. But now we can offer all of our articles, interviews and reviews for free—how fun! The approach we’re taking, with the limited-time pattern collections, still protects our designers’ rights and we’re able to offer more patterns for the customer at the same price as the print magazine.

How have your readers responded to the big changes?

 

Since many of our readers picked the magazine up at their LYS’s, we weren’t sure how they’d react, but the response has been overwhelmingly positive. People like being able to print out just the pattern they’d like to knit and applaud the environmental responsibility of the move, so that’s been terrific. We’re glad to have that support as we’ve been putting all of the pieces together for the online issue, a completely different animal on our end.

 

You know I'm obsessed with knitting and crafting for kids. I'm always disappointed with magazines that don't include kids knits and am happy to report that Knitcircus has had a nice variety of kids patterns. How does Knitcircus decide whether or not to include kids stuff?

 

For us, since both me and Ms. SABLE  have kids at home, it was pretty much a given that we would include patterns for little people. We both knit for our kids and feel that teaching kids to value handknits starts with making some for them to wear. My daughter is now eight and knitting a hat in the round, so the plan is working!

 

Plus part of the vision for Knitcircus is to make it accessible and useful for people all ages and genders, so we make sure to include patterns for children, babies and men in each issue.

 

OK... let's have a look at some of the kids designs from past Knitcircus issues...

 

Ooh, this is fun! We’ve been happy to feature several toddler designs by Cutie Pie Fashions’ Jenny Snedeker, including Kayla in our current issue...

 Spring Daisy from Issue #6...

 

and Mossflower in the fall 2009 issue...

  

We did a Kids’ Special last summer with Issue #6. One of my favorite designs was the Roughhousing Vest, a handsome and durable choice for little guys like mine always on the move...

 

 The Mushroom Hat from that issue works for babies and big kids alike...

 

 

As a treat for your kid-knit-loving readers, we’ll offer this pattern as a free download on Ravelry for the month of February!

Click here to download the Mushroom Hat!

For bigger girls, Sweet B’s poncho from Issue #8 is a great transitional layering piece...

 

And, of course, the cover design by Harpa Jonsdottir works for a child or tweenager...

 

If you’re looking for cute baby knits, it doesn’t get any sweeter than the Baby Janes by Michelle Miller from Issue #5...

 

or the Stella Cardigan from Issue #6...

  

And from Issue #7, our designer Bianca Boonstra for the Netherlands whipped up this adorable for-boy-or-girl pattern, the Mini Mochi Hat...

 

Another great baby/toddler pattern from Issue #6 is the Super Duper Soaker, by Kathryn Ashley-Wright...

 

That's a lot of great stuff and a wonderful variety! What does Knitcircus look for in kids designs? What do you hope to see in the future?

We look for good design, ease of wearing and if possible washing, and a project that knitters can complete before the kids grow out of them! We’re always on the lookout for kids (rather than baby and toddlers’) designs because there seem to be so few of them out there.

 

Another great thing about Knitcircus is that there's more than just knitting. What other sorts of kids projects have there been?

 

We do love our sewing and fibercraft projects! A favorite kids’ one is the Mess-Proof reversible baby bib, which is available on our site as a free download! 

 

 Jaala, thanks so much for stopping by and sharing all these great projects with everyone. Good luck with the big digital transition and I'm looking forward to upcoming issues of Knitcircus!

Thanks so much, Marie Grace! It’s been a pleasure.

I also want to mention that Jaala has been working her way around a full blown blog tour. Its not over yet so if you've missed any stops here's the full schedule including a few upcoming dates...

 

Jan 25:  Knit with KT

Jan 27: Mystery House

Jan 29: Caffeine Girl

Feb 2: Vegan Craftastic

Feb 4: KnitThink

Feb 5: No Patterns

Feb 6: Rhythm of the Needles

Feb 9: Crafty Christina

Feb 10: Otterwise

Feb 11: Phat Fiber

I hear theres all sorts of give-a-ways and fun stuff going on so check it all out and don't forget to click over to Knitcircus and check out the very first digital issue. There are craft book reviews including Jaala's review of Design it Yourself Clothes which I don't mind telling you I own myself and LOVE. There's some awesome yarn blab... I spied some talk about Shepherds Wool! And I just about fell over when I realized there's a whole article with Liesl Gibson of Oliver and S!

Plus Elizabeth tells about her visit to Rainbow Fleece Farm and lots more!

Comments

[Amber H.]

I came across your blog last night while trying to figure out a way to pleat suiting. And I clicked on a link to your tutorial for pleating for smocking and ended up mesmerized for about three hours as I went and started from your latest blog until I started to get heavy eyelids.

I have to say I have never come across a fun blog that's about any type of crafting before done in the way you have done. Your style is honest, refreshing, thought provoking, witty and it has compelled me to re-examine my own style and has actually inspired me to blog more.

Thanks for being so... human and creative.

Amber H

[bezzie]

I will admit, I enjoy the fact they focus on bigger kid knits moreso (or so it seems) than other mags out there. Great interview!

[Jaala]

Hi, Marie Grace,
This looks terrific! You had more moving parts to synthesize than anyone else on the tour and you made it look so easy!
You're a pro.
Thanks so much,
Jaala