6/2/07

Magazines

Terry over at And Sew It Goes just posted about her magazine collection and that got me thinking of what my favorite magazines have been over the years.
When I first started seriously beading in 1991 there was only one magazine that consistently carried the high end seed bead work and that was Ornament (not surprisingly, since it was formerly called the Bead Journal) and the coveted october issue of Lapidary Journal.
Then in february of 1994 we saw the first issue of Bead & Button (and I have it and all the subsequent ones) and in fall of 1996, the first issue of Beadwork by the Interweave press which publishes so many of the wonderful fiber arts magazines. (I have all the Beadwork issues too).
Around 2000 I stopped buying every issue of Ornament as it seemed they had gone heavier into clothing design and away from beads, especially seed beads. I have always assumed that the entry of Bead & Button and Beadwork into the arena pretty much drove them out of the seed bead coverage. I still check them out of the library though and now and then they do cover a seed bead artist and then I pick up that issue.
I've got some American Craft, again especially looking for seed bead artists, and FiberArts, Surface Design, Metalsmith, Piecework, Belle Armoire, Expressions, Somerset Studio, Quliting Arts and Threads.
I've mostly just looked through some of the newer bead mags since so many seem to focus on stringing gemstones and larger glass beads and that's not my major interest....so I have the occasional Bead Style and Step by Step Beads. However, it looks like Step by Step has been taken over (or bought) and the last couple of issues have had some very interesting bead weaving projects and patterns, so I'm keeping my eye on it.
Those are my major influences, especially before the web came along!
Now, along with the mags and books, some of you are becoming part of the bead world I keep my eyes on.
Bead On!

2 comments:

The Lone Beader® said...

You know, I used to read the mags religiously. I still subscribe to both B&B and Beadwork, but now I rarely read them... I just look at the pics! LOL.

Unknown said...

LoL Diana! I pretty much just peruse the pics now too. (not so fond of the slew of advertisements anymore...)

For beadwork, I've really liked Belle Armoire as well. And I've got a pretty good collection of French beading mags going.