Friday, April 8, 2011

British Patchwork & Quilting: A Review

 
I generally try to be a positive person, but boy am I disappointed!  I bought my first copy of British Patchwork & Quilting yesterday to flip through during my lunch.  I was on a magazine high after my recent read of Irish Quilt and Craft Magazine, so I thought I would give this a try too.

There are several highlights that need to be mentioned.  My favorite being the givaways galore!  You could win Moda charm pack, books and fat quarters to start.  There were also nice articles on a quilt shop, photos of a batik challenge (with several beautiful submissions by readers) and two stories work mentioning: 1) about a quilter heading to teach classes at the Quilt Market Schoolhouse in Houston and 2) a summary of the American Quilter's Society Quilt Show and Contest in Paducah.  They were so nicely written I nearly feel like I was on the same adventure.  The accompanying photos of the Quilt Market and AQS stands were happy, bright and inspiring.  Really well done.

Now, there were more cons than pros for me.  The suggested projects were simplistic and uninspired: a pillow with a stitched bunny, Easter greeting cards, an elementary organizing pocket made from your old jeans.  Once you are finished with your old jeans, do you really want to decorate them and hang them on your wall or door knob?  Even once they are overdone in embellishments?  Me neither.

Most of the articles were reasonably written, but the topics were not interesting.  For example, four full pages were dedicated to highlighting a specific crafter. Now, I really like this idea, but the projects they chose to highlight and discuss were not to my taste. There were two pretty quilts briefly mentioned, but the 2+ page layout was classified as "English Romantic", which as far as I can tell translates to "Overdone in Lace".  Lace glued to shoes, picture frames, lamps, bottles and tissue boxes.  It just was not to my taste.

This magazine cost 6.50 euro at my local book shop.  Otherwise stated, this magazine is the equivalent of two fat quarters.  I will certainly suggest that you spend your hard earned cash on fabric instead of buying this publication.  Do you disagree with me? Or have you too been disappointed by British P&Q? I am happy to hear your thoughts too.  Maybe I am completely off base and should give it another try?  Let me know.

You may like to know I had a helper when taking photos this afternoon.  Here is his contribution :)

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