Rant incoming.
It's great that a new knitty is out. It's great that it has more and more patterns all the time. It's great that it's free and accessible to innumerable knitters out there.
But this post, it's about what's not great.
Knitty is becoming more and more......"snotty". It seems that it is so hung up on it's own leetness that we are losing something somewhere. I think that something is quality, freshness, and the chance for the small new designer to get their feet wet.
And this issue, (it's the self-promotion issue because knitty has allowed something I have never approved of to not just continue but to flourishing this issue) designers submitting patterns that are in yarn that they make. (With no listed alternatives I might add.) And not only has knitty accepted them, it has given one of them top billing. What the hell?
3 patterns this issue are by the people who make the recommended yarn. Viveka is by Suss, and made in an expensive Suss yarn. Lucie is by some chick that also sells the yarn, but her name is long and cumbersome so I forget what it is. Tamarah is by the owner of Artyarns in Artyarns made yarn.
When did this groundbreaking free knitting mag become a venue of shameless self promotion for yarn manufacturers? When did something the knitting community was so proud of become something shameful, sold out, and dirty?
The fabulous Kim over at YarnAbuse has covered my thoughts on Vivika very well, so go there to read it, I'll wait here and then we'll continue.....
Ready? Ok good!
I find more and more that I prefer MagKnits. Not because they publish monthly, (and on time I might add, since it seems Knitty doesn't know how to do that anymore) but because they aren't pretensious. They don't pretend to be cooler/hipper/leeter than they are. I've always preferred people/entities who are themselves as opposed to always trying to impress, and MagKnits is whooping Knitty's ass in this department.
So while I like "Sherwood" and one of those pairs of socks in the new knitty, (can't remember which and can't be assed to look) mostly I just come away feeling dirty.
If you are still here, thanks for listening.
I have to go wash up now.
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4 comments:
Ok, you totally expressed how I feel so much more eloquently than I could have. Me and my limited vocabulary of four letter words and all :)
I just want to know, why? Why is this happening to Knitty? The shortest and most obvious answer is probably funds, and if that is the case, I'm most disappointed.
They have changed over the past few issues/year - this issue seems to be much better than some of the past ones. maybe they have gotten so popular, maybe more sponsors - not really sure.
I agree that it shouldn't be used as an advertising device. I do like the pattern for Viveka - but god knows I won't be using the Suss yarn!
I must admit I like the patterns, but there is no way I will be using the pricey yarns that are recommended. My guess for the promo yarns is similar to Knit1's use of Lionbrand. At least, that's what I tell myself...
=:8
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