I just got my spring issue of Vogue Knitting in the mail. Many of the patterns don’t include all of the charts, and some don’t even include instructions for all sizes! This is all available on the web, but that’s not why I buy the magazine-- to then have to go on-line for the rest of it?! What if I decide to make something 10 years from now and they no longer have it posted, or even possibly have gone out of business? Yes, it would take another couple of pages, but I would be willing to pay an extra $1 per issue for that priviledge. This has left me fuming. :grrr:
I agree! The magazine only provides “teaser” patterns which are unuseful and stupid. If i wanted to go online for a pattern I wouldn’t have bought the darned magazine! My grandmother subscribes so she can look atpatterns without internet acess. I helped her cancel her subscription last month and I was wondering which magazines would be a good replacement?
Wow. That’s not a good way to run a business. Not everyone is on the computer!
I love Interweave Knits and I’d suggest that as a replacement! 
I’ve noticed that a lot of magazines are now offering “online magazines”. I want to hold the magazine in my hot little hands I don’t want to sit in front of the computer more than I do already and “read” my magazines that way.
So I wonder if we are slowly being weaned from paper magazines and having us look for the patterns online is the way to eventually get us to their website.
I’d boycott them for you but as a male there are never any wearable male patterns out of the extremely rare times there are ever [U]any[/U] male patterns so I guess I’m already boycotting.
I haven’t even bothered sending back the free issue stickers.
Hi Fellow Knitters,
I agree with you on the Vogue Knitting magazine not having a range of sizes and charts. I do subscribe to Vogue Knitting and Interweave Knits, which is by far a wonderful knitting magazine. Since I am a veteran knitting article collector from the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s, I have noticed over the years, most of the currentknitting magazines are chock full of yarn company ads, which are fine. But, I like the ones that offer a free on-line pattern…one you can print and file for future use. There is another knitting magazine that I’m thinking about subscribing to. Knit n’ Style…any thoughts on that one?
For those of you who can relate to the days when Good Housekeeping, Family Circle and Women’s Day printed issues with articles of beautiful sweaters, hats, scravres, etc and offered an opportunity to send away for about $2.50 the instructions…don’t you just miss them! From time to time I refer to some of those great articles.
Have a happy knitting day!
Veronica
I also get the magazine but they’re to complicated for me to do anyways. But I know exactly what you mean about doing the pattern in the future and not having what you need to complete it.
Interweave Knits always has a free online pattern or two. 
I fully agree with everyone here.
Nothing picks up a bad day for me like ending work and finding I have a knitting mag in the day’s mail I work on a computer all day and sure don’t want to sit BACK down to one and hunt through an online to find a pattern.
Has anyone let Vogue know how we feel about their shoddy work?
joellen
I think it is more that because they are trying to reduce costs by not having to print so many pages. :shrug:
Several newspapers around here have switched to four or five day printings to save on costs and I have heard about a couple of magazines that have switched to online only for the same reason.
Huh, I mentioned this to my boyfriend who reminded me of the walkthrough for a game we have. It’s a game from a series and the only one that has a walkthrough that does this so far as I know. It’ll give you a short description of what to do … then a code. So you can go online and get an ACTUAL WALKTHROUGH.
So yeah, I know how irritating this can be and I agree. I want paper copies! If I don’t want to do a sweater now because I don’t think I’m able to, I won’t print out the pattern, then it’ll probably be gone when I want to do it.
I don’t subscribe to any of the knitting mags. What I like to do on a Saturday or Sunday or even a rainy weekday is head to my local library and page thru the mags there. Its quiet and relaxing. They have internet access there and if needed, I can jump on and go to the mags website. The library doesn’t charge to go thru the magazines ,I don’t have to buy a subscription, and the internet access if free. For those of you with kids, its a great way to get them to the library and get them interested in reading again.
I once thought that when computers became popular, it would save trees by not requiring so much paper. But sadly, looking at the mountains of paper patterns I alone have collected online, doesn’t bode well for trees, does it?
What will we breathe when all the oxygen-generating trees are gone? (oh sorry for getting off-topic).
Perhaps you could write or phone Vogue and ask what gives?
I like to operate by this adage:
if you don’t like what I’m doing, tell me. If you like what I’m doing, tell others.
I agree, although I decided to not even think about picking one up cuz of the comments that they have made.
I am so grateful you brought this up! You know, now that I think about it…I’ve had to go online, too, for the chart for one of Elsebeth Lavold’s sweaters. I thought it was an isolated incident!
Vogue Knitting Magazine, Fall 2008. Pretzel Cardigan #32.
I saw this new ‘teaser’ thing back in the HOLIDAY issue last year. It had several REALLY BEAUTIFUL patterns, and all of them were available online only.
Here is what I think they’re doing:[B]
they’re reserving their ‘page real estate’ for their [COLOR=Red]ADVERTISERS. [/COLOR][/B][COLOR=Black]
The magazine is just as thick, but with [U]more ADS and [/U][U]fewer pages [/U][U]devoted to the patterns.
[/U] [/COLOR]
You’ll notice, we certainly don’t have to go online to see the ADVERTISEMENTS, do we!! Could ya just see this as an AD:
[B]“Fiber Wash. Wow. Works Great. Go to online www. to see the rest of this AD!”
[/B]
Also, by ‘teasing’ the patterns, they are forcing their readers to [B]pay[/B] [B]for the ink and paper[/B] to print the remainder of the pattern.
This is an alternative to raising their subscription prices, which no one will tolerate. So they are looking for ways to give less for the same amount of money, and at the same time, by giving their advertisers more pages, they are RAISING MONEY at the same time. They are slightly deceptive in promoting for example: “50 Patterns Inside!” It should read:[B] “50 partial patterns inside! Most need internet access”.
[/B]
For those who are concerned about the items not being available [I]online[/I] down the road, you could save the docs to your computer, and print them when you need them.
I think we’ll see more of these [B][COLOR=Red]‘money saving’[/COLOR][/B][B], [/B][COLOR=DarkGreen][B]‘money making’[/B][/COLOR] decisions in the future. [B]If VOGUE gets away with it,[/B] if their numbers don’t go down, then you can BET that all the other knitting magazines will follow Vogue’s lead. They’d be financially stupid not to. Everything these days is about the bottom line. Doing what you can to stay in business.
I won’t be re-subscribing to VOGUE. I’ve been looking for ways to trim my budget, and this is all I needed to [I][B]OFF[/B][/I] one of my subscriptions.
I’ve never subscribed to any magazine. I figured I would probably never get around to making any of the patterns, and the knitting magazines available in the shops near me are usually really basic, come with free items I don’t want (another plastic pair of 4mm needles anyone) or nothing in it interests me. I end up using the internet (usually ravelry) or browsing the pattern booklets in the LYS.
I’ve heard that “Women’s Way” in Ireland has knitting patterns in it again, but I haven’t seen them
I didn’t like Vogue’s style too much, so i’m not subscribed. I do have a 2-year subscription to IK, because it’s much cheaper than getting it here in Israel from the shops. I also know that Verena have an online subscription that looks like the printed one, but only the pattern pages and it’s much cheaper. I definitely would not buy a magazine with incomplete patterns, it looks like a total rip off. I do like Verena’s idea, because i’d love to get the online version here in Israel, without worrying about the mail issues and to feel that i’m saving a few trees.
I am all for reducing the amount of paper being used and since most people do have computers, It’s a good idea to try to bring people in that direction. Having said that, I think maybe Vogue could come to some sort of arrangement whereby they could print on demand with complete instructions, and should anyone need a print copy, they could request one. Again, in this computer age it shouldn’t be too difficult for them to do. Many magazines keep archives so you can request back issues so why not with current issues?
I love my Vogue knitting and I’m always eager to get the newest issue. After reading the post and looking at my magazine I have found that many of the patterns need a chart which is more than what is usually published. I understand both sides of the argument. Vogue needs advertisers to keep the cost of the magazine down and readers need to have everything handy for them. Personally I would rather print the charts that I want and not pay the increases cost of the magazine printing them all. I also understand that many people find the patterns difficult but that is what I love about Vogue. I love a challenge and I love fashion. I wrote about Vogue in one of my blog posts:
“[COLOR=#333333]One thing I particularly like about Vogue Knitting in general is the emphasis on fashion as opposed just to knitting. There are all kinds of knitting magazines and all kinds of knitting information, some trendy, some traditional. I think traditional knitting skills and patterns are great, but what I often see in knitting magazines is that they are often not particularly geared to what is going on in the world of fashion. Vogue also gets my applause for featuring so many plus-size patterns that I would actually make and wear.[/COLOR]
[COLOR=#333333]Now I know that fashion is not for everyone, and not everyone is interested. They don’t need to be. It is true that what most people wear in their day to day lives has little to do with the world of fashion. But I find it interesting. I like the way this issue combines traditional knitting patterns and skills with some very interesting ideas that are pretty trendy and stylish. Also most of the patterns are technically interesting and wearable, at least in some variation by someone. I think there is very little here that someone wouldn’t want to try. In fact I can envision someone wearing almost everything here, not necessarily me. Taste is so variable, as is style.”[/COLOR]
Very well said, Dreamsheryl! You are absolutely SPOT ON!
With the addition of their newest “feature”…which is the 360* fashion show…
I am going to renew afterall!
The latest email from VK has a link to the virtual fashion show!
It is incredible! It isn’t a ‘runway’ fashion show. It is a single model, wearing the garment, slowly turning full circle to allow us to view the sample from all angles and closeup, too!
I see that you spotted my thread about this new feature!!!
I fell in love with some designs that did not turn me on in the magazine cuz I didn’t know just how BEAUTIFUL and creative they were until the ‘virtual’ fashion show!