Saturday, January 26, 2008

My Threads Collection


I know not the post you were expecting...but two things happened to me.

One - my bookshelf holding my magazines collapsed...yeap, shelves just folded in on themselves. Now I knew this was going to happen, because I have rescued and rearranged it several times trying to forestall the inevitable...well the inevitable has occurred and now I need to either purchase a new bookshelf and some magazine holders 'cause stacking the magazines on a shelf ain't hitting it! Or leave the stacks of magazine articles laying in my living room floor - NOT!

Two - a friend asked for an article from an older Threads magazine that she did not have...which of course having saved every Threads since I first started purchasing them...I did have!

These two events caused me to reflect on how awesome the entire Threads magazine library is that I own. I have almost every issue since December 1991-January 1992, Issue No. 38 (where the cover price was $4.75). I have about 5 or 6 issues prior to that date but they are really sporadic. I started to purchase Threads Magazine back when my daughters were babies.

I was working a job that I didn't like but it was close to home (5 minutes away), I didn't have to work overtime or weekends, I could come home for lunch and check on my children or food shop during the day, and it brought in the extra money that my family needed. A co-worker knew that I sewed, admired it and encouraged me...the sad thing is that I don't even remember her name. I was in my 30's at the time and she was in her 50's. She sewed but she primarily knitted, the most amazing sweaters! Anyway, one day as I was headed out to the local fabric shop, in those days I bought a piece of fabric and a pattern for each project, I had very little stash, she told me to look for the Threads magazine...so I bought it.

Now I would like to say that I was instantly hooked! Subscribed and/or purchased each one from then on...no, not quite! I liked the magazine but with a young family and a daughter still in Huggies, I had other priorities...sewing was pretty far down the list. But somewhere around 1992, I did start to purchase them frequently and then I got a subscription. I have subscribed off and on since then. I have been consistently collecting Threads magazines for 16 years!

Whew! What an introduction! *LOL* To the real point of this post...my Threads collection is a wonderful assemblage of sewing information...even when the issues were lukewarm, the collection taken as a whole is jam-packed with sewing knowledge. There is no aspect of sewing that hasn't been covered by the Threads staff! Of course some things that were too advanced for me when I first picked up a magazine, is on point now! And some of the things that I needed earlier on to take my sewing to the next level, don't interest me as much anymore.

But that is the incredible thing about Threads...it does try to hit a sewist in whatever stage of learning he or she is at...which is an awesome task! And one that the staff has managed to do on a pretty consistant basis! I know others have become bored with the magazine or tired of it and stopped purchasing it. However, I never did and as a result there is an encyclopedia of sewing know-how at my fingertips. For that I'm grateful and glad that I hung in there with the Threads staff.

So if you are just starting to collect Threads...and I whole-heartedly suggest that you do! Or if you've stopped and wondered why you should continue, just go back through a few years of the magazines that you have and reread some of the articles, you will be sooooo encouraged to continue to pick up new ones and maybe even buy some back issues from the Threads website, from Ebay and even periodically from Patternreview's classified section.

One last thing, I don't know how my overseas visitors can subscribe to or purchase Threads, I hope that you can. If so I am not sure what postage is but again, if you can manage it, I definitely would try to get my hands on some copies. I believe that this magazine series is invaluable to the sewist!

Also for anyone asking, I have NO affliations with Threads magazine or the staff. I just love this magazine and am so appreciative that this sewing instruction is at my fingertips due to their diligence!

24 comments:

  1. That is some collection! I really like Threads magazine!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Great Collection, I just recently purchased a series of Thread Magazines from Ebay: Distinctive Details, Fitting your Figure, Great Knits, Fit & Fabric and Jacket Coats & Fits. Spent this week just browsing and really excited by the wealth of information.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I love my Threads magazines...I don't go as many years back as yours :)...I will every now and then grab a few from years past and just re-read them and browse thru them.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I agree wholeheartedly! I discovered Threads in November '06 after just starting my sewing adventure again that September. Fell in love and became a subscriber. I was able to boost my collection by buying on Ebay.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Your post brings back memories from being a teen and going to the mall and browsing the magazine racks. I'd look through Threads and think, "When I get older, I want to be able to sew like THAT!". Funny, but I have started collecting Threads and have about 100 or so at this point.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I do have a subscription, it's easy to subscribe from the site.
    Agree with you that it's a wonderful magazine. I know no other sewing magazine with such a wealth of information on techniques. Here (Netherlands - Europe) I know of no other magazine that is merely about sewing techniques. The pattern magazines like Knip or BWOF only tell a little about it when it's needed in one of their patterns.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Threads is a wonderful magazine...our library subscribes to it and I am usually the first to snag it...I have so many sewing, knitting, cross stitching, crocheting, etc. that I am trying to manage my collectible clutter at this point in my life...too many good resources, not enough shelf space! Mary

    ReplyDelete
  8. My Hubby bought me a subscription for my birthday several years ago and he keeps it current. I love that. Originally, when I got serious about sewing again - I didn't like threads - it was too advanced for me. I used to subscribe to Sew News, which I soon outgrew. Now, I wish I had subscribed to Threads from the beginning. g

    ReplyDelete
  9. Like Sigrid already mentioned it is easy to subscribe from The Netherlands. The first issue I saw was the one my parents bought for me as a souvenir from their US vacation back in 1995 since then I have a subscription and bought a lot of the previous issues from ebay. I do agree with her and you about the wealth of information especially in the older issues.Still need to find the first 13 issues and issue 16 and 27to complete the serie.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I have Threads going back a long time too. I have some favorite techniques from old issues that I love. I wasn't happy with it for a while, but I couldn't imagine not getting it in the mail and now I'm glad I never canceled it. A few years ago my husband got me a subscription and keeps renewing it. One of these days I'll sew something for him other than hems. Well, maybe.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I can relate to the bookshelves colapsing in on themselves. That has happened to me more times than I want to remember. I did finally go out and buy new bookcases, 3 in fact. They are tall and held my fabrics too. I had one just for books and magazines. I was able to have 5 selves for the books and I think I had 6 for the fabrics. The bookcases were brought at Gothic Cabinet. There prices are good.

    ReplyDelete
  12. I have run out of storage room for my Threads magazines. I've been a subscriber since the issue that had the Bonnie Cashin coat on the cover. I think that was 1990. My sister gave me a subscription for my birthday, and I've been a loyal subscriber ever since.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I started buying Threads about 5 or so years ago and quickly realized what a treasure trove of information and inspiration it is. Occasionally, I would haunt eBay for older issues. Now I have Threads going back to the first issue with only a few issues missing.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Another feeling the Threads Love. For some reason, I got on the bandwagon from issue #1 on. I have issues 1 - 17, then am missing some up to issue 50 - then have the rest. In addition to the hard copy magazine now, there is the website, where they are posting supplementary info. Have you seen the lingerie tutorial there right now?'

    ReplyDelete
  15. I subscribe too although it is possible to purchase it locally (I'm in Hong Kong). I've had a few issues go astray, but the customer service is excellent and they always send a replacement promptly. I must admit O let my subscription lapse about 18 moths ago when it went a bit too "crafty" for me, but I'm really happy with it again now.

    ReplyDelete
  16. I'm just getting into Threads magazine but have found some of the info relative to my sewing experience so far and have found myself searching within my past issues for guidance. Thanks for this post.

    ReplyDelete
  17. I subscribe via the Taunton website. Current cost is $38 US for a one year international subscription (thats only $6 more than if I was in the US) and it gets posted to me in the UK within a few days of release in the US. Larger Borders stores also carry it here but I don't want to risk missing an issue!! It informs my curent level of sewing and inspires me to do better!

    ReplyDelete
  18. I love them too. I subscribe (to Australia) and that works out much cheaper than the newstand price.

    In fact I just reread an older one on a car trip back home (2 hours)!

    ReplyDelete
  19. I've only been subscribing for a couple of years; I am envious of your collection!

    Once in a while I grab an old issue to look at during my commute - I always find something that is helpful for my current projects that I forgot all about.

    ReplyDelete
  20. I have subscribed to Threads for a good while now. I buy it in 3 year increments so I don't miss an issue. It has such a wealth of info that I cannot imagine not receiving it. I also collect old sewing books having some going back to 1912. What can I say, I'm a sucker for a good sewing book.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Impressive collection! I subscribed Threads 5 issues back from now and I'm completely hooked! I also received some of the older isues as gifts, thanks to my sewing friends all over the world!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Thanks for this post. I checked out the current issue and it is now on my sewing shelf. I'm planning to apply what I've learned in three of the articles. The instructions and pictures are great and the techniques to be learned are exactly what I was looking for. Another convert!

    ReplyDelete
  23. I discovered Threads as a fashion student in the late 80's early 90's. I persuaded my Mum to buy me all the back issues possible for my birthday (!!! now I'm a mum I see the enormity of what I asked for!!) and I started a subscription I renew every three years so I have all but issues 1-4, 6 and 13. I really feel I learnt more from Threads than from my formal education, and now I teach sewing, I often refer to old articles. I love the high standard, and the odd stuff that goes places no other how-tos do -Richard Tyler's jacket techniques, anything by Kenneth King, and the recent "build a better bust" article. I even love it when they get it so wrong, like a recent "enlarging the bustline article" that shows how to cause more problems than it solves, and a very early article featuring a company that made highly overpriced shapeless garments using enormously inefficient production techniques.
    Our neighbours recently had a house fire that threatened my house, and I realized that once I knew the kids were safe, all I really wanted to rescue was my Threads collection!!!!
    And, I'm in Australia. No problem wih the subscription. I just post a money order every three years.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Threads is one of my favorite magazines! I used to work at one of the Cornell libraries...the one that just happened to have almost ALL of the Threads issues...ah, heaven. The old issues were about all kinds of needlework besides sewing. I think I liked it better that way, but either way I've learned so much from Threads. I've also been collected Threads for some time now...we have a large Friends of the Library booksale here every year and sometimes I get lucky.

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment! It is so appreciated!

LinkWithin

Related Posts with Thumbnails