Walls for the wind and a roof for the rain and drinks beside the fire ~
laughter to cheer you and those you love near you and all that your heart desires.

Thursday, February 07, 2013

Oh crap!

Just when you think all is well in the stitchy world, someone drops a bomb. Has anyone else noticed something different about their Sampler and Antique Needlework Quarterly (SANQ) magazine? It is no longer published by Hoffman Media. Apparently, both it and Just CrossStitch magazine have been sold to Annies, a publisher of craft and assorted other mags. Now i`m sure Annies is a fine publishing house, but Phyllis Hoffman started Just CrossStitch....she is a stitcher, and I think that is what made both SANQ and Just CrossStitch so great. She knew what we wanted and it was served up regularly and we were rarely disappointed with an issue of either magazine. It remains to be seen if the magazines survive or dwindle away into less quality publications. But what really pisses me off (pardon my language) is that there was not a word in the previous issue of SANQ about the change. Their publishing anniversary was being discussed, with a skein of new DMC to celebrate.

ETA: It was in the last issue of Just CrossStitch that the anniversary was being discussed, not SANQ. Does anyone know if Just CrossStitch will continue to be published? I have heard that it isn`t. But then why would Phyllis Hoffman start a multipart sampler with the pattern to be published in 6 issues? If I had started that sampler (and I was very tempted) I would be irked, to say the least!

Does anyone else feel hosed, or is it just me?

Keep stitching ladies!

16 comments:

Margaret said...

Oh that's interesting. Well, it's better than the rumors I had heard that SANQ would just stop publishing altogether. At least this way we have a chance of it continuing as a good publication. Fingers crossed the quality stays high.

Kerri said...

Hi - I saw your blog title on the SL blog and had to find out.

I think it was handled very poorly. I work in acquisition for a fortune 100 company and these things take months to complete. I hope things don't change, but as shown by when Stitcher's World was sold to BH&G. They trashed a once quality publication. I renewed my subscription to both in November and feel totally deceived. But, I will see what their first issues hold and see what happens.

Peggy Lee said...

I don't care for the way this was handled either. I'll give it a chance though...I hope the integrity of my favorite magazine isn't compromised!
We shall see......

Giovanna said...

I sure hope SANQ doesn't go down the drain, I so enjoy it... thanks for the details, it'll probably be ages before I get hold of a copy.

SamplerNut said...

FYI,

It's too bad that SANQ didn't tell the public what it told both shops and designers about the upcoming change. There were quite a few posts on designer boards and shop boards about the change, but it was still only a couple of months ahead of time.

On a brighter note...Christy Schmitz who has been a past editor of SANQ and Just Cross Stitch has gone with the magazine as editor. She moved to where Annie's Publishing is located (just now can't remember where) and is editing both magazines. She is really dedicated to keeping the quality of the magazine up and to continue with the same great articles and projects as in the past. I am hoping that she will be able to accomplish this over the long haul and that this magazine will still be available in the future. So, don't panic yet...all may be well.

Gloria

Gabi said...

Thanks for letting us know. I had no clue they switched ownership. Just hoping the quality stays the same.

Nicola said...

I had not heard. It would be a terrible loss to us all if this wonderful magazine closed or changed in any way.

Anonymous said...

Does it really make a difference who is publishing the magazine? We should all be thrilled that they are still publishing it and offering us such great articles about the industry and sampler patterns to enjoy. It would be a shame if they discontinued it, that would be a reason to complain.

~mj~ said...

I am concerned about the quality of the magazine diminishing...we shall just have to wait and see I guess. And I think that Hoffman Media owed us a 'heads up'. It is our money we send in for subscriptions. Don`t they owe us at least the courtesy of telling us about the change?

Anonymous said...

I suppose the quality of everything should be a concern these days. I buy the 4 issues the magazine releases each year as well, and do work very hard for my money. I also know that change is not good. Look at where this country is going? We import all of our goods, given away our #1 trade status to China, sent good jobs out of the country, have the worst economy in history, and folks out of work for 3+ years, food stamps at an all time high. Change is not good. This magazine is the least of my worries. I worry about the higher taxes we are going to have to pay, higher healthcare costs for all the the folks coming here illegally to this country. Life is way to short to worry this much about a magazine. These things come and go all the time.

~mj~ said...

Yes, it`s true there are bigger worries in the world, but stitching is my refuge, and I dislike people messing with my one area of the world where I am content!

Jo who can't think of a clever nickname said...

I quite agree MJ, just because there's bad stuff going on in the world doesn't mean we can't worry about the smaller things which affect us too.

There are lots of worse things than losing a favourite magazine but does mean we have to keep quiet about anything which isn't a major national disaster? Can I not moan about the bad cold I had recently because some people have terminal illnesses? Can I not moan about my job because so many people don't even have one?

A change in publisher can make a huge difference to a magazine. I am comforted by the Sampler Nut's comment that the editor is staying the same. Some good news there!

Sydney said...

I had called Hoffman about a month or so ago, because I was trying to get the partial kit for the anniversary sampler. The lady I spoke to had no clue who I should call, though I could still renew my mother's gift subscription to SANQ with her (which I did) and she had the information for my JCS account and asked if I'd like to go ahead and renew.

Has anyone been able to order (and receive!) the sampler items yet? ho should be called for it? Outside of that, I'm just glad they are still publishing these magazines!


Deb said...

Thank you for the info. My subscription ran out, this month, on JCS> Have been receiving subscription offers and so assume JCS will continue to be published.

Anonymous said...

Equally frustrated with the changes. I'm also a quilter/sewer. Annie's has bought up the Clotilde sewing notions/patterns/fabric company and several needlework companies, with no announcements of aquisitions. VERY unhappy with the Annie's catalogues I've received in mail, and with her websites. I would not hold my breath for consistency in counted cross stitch either!

Clare said...

I was told the magazine was finished, so where I was getting SAN from are not getting supplies any more :(