It’s been less than three months since the soft launch of WeCrochet, the much-anticipated sister company of KnitPicks, and the new brand is already creating its own image and its own niche in the market. While many features of WeCrochet and KnitPicks are shared (yarns, hooks, web format, etc.), WeCrochet has spun out several unique features that set it apart from its knitting-focused counterpart; one of these is the brand-new WeCrochet Magazine.
First off, it’s a bit of a misnomer to call this a magazine. When I first began submitting to WeCrochet, I assumed that they would retain the system that KnitPicks uses of assembling themed pattern collections in book and ebook format; the WeCrochet magazine seems intended to replace this system. The magazine uses the exact same high-quality paper type, cover type, and binding as those themed collections—in effect this is a softcover book, and a coffee-table-worthy one at that.
The overall effect of a casual flip through this magazine is quite bright, clean, and pleasing, without the clutter and sensory overload of most craft magazines. While KnitPicks has usually tended towards more subtle color stories, WeCrochet’s products and current publications so far have had a more vibrant, punchy atmosphere; the colors throughout are bold and energetic, but the clean lines keep it from becoming garish. Even the table of contents is laid out in an engaging, accessible manner. This doesn’t mean, however, that the publication is lacking in content.
Page after page of patterns and tutorials make up the meat of the magazine; a total of 14 designers have been featured in this debut issue. The patterns center around three themes—Modern Brights, Classic Neutrals, and Luxury Crochet, but within these there is an astounding variety of designs using lots of different techniques and skill levels. All photography is tasteful and clear, and the tutorials cover a wide range of topics from tassel making to tunisian crochet.
And Facets got a whole page! (I’m trying to remain unbiased, I promise! Really!)
The first several times I looked through the magazine, something else seemed different than any other knitting or crochet magazine (or any other magazine, in fact) that I’d ever seen; at some point, hours later, it hit me—no ads.
No ads!
Usually ads are accepted as a part of any periodical and ignored; but they make a huge difference in the way a publication is perceived, read and enjoyed. While occasionally useful, most of them take up valuable space that we wish were filled with content, and they are massive contributors to the aforementioned visual disarray that makes it difficult for the brain to focus on the desired material. They’re designed to compete for our attention with the forty-eleven million other ads that will most surely be placed alongside them, usually all forty-eleven million-and-one ads do just that.
The closest thing that I saw to any kind of ad was a page of external pattern features (more on that below), a few pages featuring staff members’ favorite books and notions, and full-spread rundown of WeCrochet’s most popular luxury yarns. This page is actually quite helpful if you’ve never tried these fancy fibers before; and because it’s laid out in the same visual style as the rest of the magazine (which most traditional ads are not), it becomes a seamless part of the publication rather than being distracting.
No doubt it’s more costly to produce a magazine this way; but likely it is more expedient for WeCrochet in the long run (they are a yarn and tool company, after all, not just a publisher). Whatever the reasoning behind it, it’s a wise aesthetic choice and makes the reading experience much more pleasant.
The most outstanding feature of this publication (and possibly of all WeCrochet’s media and products) is the emphasis on networking and collegiality between crocheters. Two pages are devoted to project inspiration photos from WeCrochet designers and staff members, while the next page is chock-full of independent patterns by designers that were not published in the magazine. A large spread is also devoted to WeCrochet’s charity Brava Beanie CAL, with instructions on how to join and connect with other crocheters making the same hat for the same cause.
In addition, there are profiles and interviews of notable people and organizations in the crochet world; designers, business-people, charities, and more. I was particularly excited about the brief interview with Dora Ohrenstein, beloved crochet designer and author of the Crochet Every Way Stitch Dictionary, which is high up on my crochet wish list; I would have loved to have seen a longer, more in-depth interview, but the handful of questions and answers published here are insightful and worth reading.
All in all this is a highly satisfying and useful addition to any crafting library; while KnitPicks’ themed collections were and are a fantastic resource, the more laid-back and community-oriented magazine format seems to suit WeCrochet admirably. I’ve already purchased another copy and am looking forward to what future issues have in store. Well done, WeCrochet!
Print copies of the WeCrochet Magazine, Issue 1, can be found here; digital copies here. All opinions expressed are my own.
