Craft:

Craft: Transforming Traditional Crafts is a new quarterly magazine, published by the same people who do Make: Technology On Your Time. I spotted Craft: on the rack at a big chain bookstore, recognizing Jess Hutch's knit robots on the cover. I'd heard a little bit about it, and wound up buying it despite the $14.99 price tag (you can find it used on Amazon but not for much less, and the subscription rate is nearly half the newsstand price). My sushi tp cozy has appeared on their blog - hey, the least I can do is buy the first issue and see what it's all about.

Like Make:, the content is not dumbed down. It is assumed that you know which end of the scissors to grab, how to read a pattern, and how to follow a diagram. The projects include lots of photos - the photos are of varying quality, and I suspect the writers are taking their own photographs. Speaking of projects, there are 25 projects in this magazine, and once again, no dumbing down - how about a tank top with blinking lights? DIY chainmail? Your own hard apple cider? If those are too complex for you, there's a corrugated cardboard cat playground and room divider painted to look like an ant farm. Don't want to spend all weekend on a project? How about a light-switch plate upholstered with fabric from an old necktie? For amigurumi fans, there's a crochet pattern for a robot doll by Beth Doherty of Gourmet Amigurumi. Readers of ReadyMade will find themselves on familiar ground; I haven't bothered picking up an issue of ReadyMade recently, so I could be wrong, but I felt it was more of a home improvement oriented magazine, whereas Craft: is all over the place (in a way that I quite like).

There are lots of short articles and essays on everything from designer Diana Eng, a Lego yarn winder, and "crafter economics". Sublime Stitching's Jenny Hart appears in an article and has a project for an embroidered skateboard. Featured columnists include Susie Bright and Jean Railla. *swoon*

URLs are sprinkled throughout the articles and projects, providing additional information, sometimes on craftzine.com.

From what I've seen of Make:, it tends to be heavy on projects that require more know-how with electronics, programming, and a workshop with power tools. Craft: was originally envisioned as a one-issue special spinoff of Make: featuring projects that were in the spirit of Make: but which required different tools (like sewing machines) and which had a focus on the form as well as on the function. There turned out to be so much out there that it's now planned as a quarterly publication. There's a submission form if you are interested in writing for Craft: or just directing them to a cool project you've seen on the web.

One thing you may want to be aware of: the robot pattern in the magazine referred to in the "stitch a robot" line on the cover refers to the crocheted robot pattern by Beth Doherty, not the ones pictured on the cover - a last-minute situation. I'm throwing in a picture of the crocheted robot below, because it's too awesome to not show you - the details are fabulous. If you love it as much as I do, you'll be as happy as I am that she's working on a book.

One minor gripe I have is a little bit of inconsistency in presenting the projects - some have a photo showing all the materials needed and an estimate on time and complexity. Everything under "Make Cool Stuff" doesn't. I can live with that, but it was a bit jarring to go from one to the other.

The subscription card for Craft: is going up on my birthday wish list. I don't know if I'd be able to justify the newsstand price for myself, and if I don't get a subscription for my birthday, I'll seriously consider buying a subscription. I'm wanting to see how this magazine will grow.

Comments

[Ellen Bloom]

Hi M.K. Monkeygrlll brought a few copies of CRAFT to our WeHo SnB last night. She went to the launch party and picked up some freebies. Thanks for the review...I haven't had a chance to REALLLLY look at it yet. Seems to me though, after scanning a few pages, that I've seen most of the projects online. Hopefully, the second edition will be fresher!

[keohinani]

i never thought to write a review, but you bring up a lot of good points that i found myself pondering as i flipped through the pages. i can't deny that i kept wondering if all the money i paid to purchase the mag was spent on all the etsy advertisements. my overall impression of the mag is that it encompasses more than just traditionally "domestic" crafting - making it more than just another knitting/crochet/embroidery type mag. in earnest, it's refreshing, but not as appealing to me personally as i thought it would be. i'm also curious as to how the magazine will pan out.

[wendi]

Hey, Kai, great review. Thanks. I have now discovered that amazing site Gourmet Amigurami!

[Amie]

I checked it out at the bookstore the other day as well. I thought there was a lot of food for thought and I appreciated that there were step-by-step tutes for some projects, more than I've seen from other mags. When I flipped to the cover, I experienced some of the same sticker shock as others. It's an expensive mag that I'd add to my Wish List before buying myself.

[pixie]

I was soo disapointed a craft magazine put that on the cover and then didn't provide the pattern. I won't be buying another copy. I had really wanted to make that knit robot!