Thursday, May 24, 2012

E-Magazines & the Advent of the Digital Quilting Age

As you can see, Ginger is trying to help me pick my next project. Well, I'm not sure if she's helping or hindering...

As you know, my bookstore chain closed last Fall and many blame the popularity of eBooks - that there's no room for a brick-and-mortar store in the digital age. Even if this is the reason, I do like eBooks. I do a lot on my iPad (like writing this post), and it's very convenient to always have several dozen books at my fingertips.

Lately, I've been offered several of my quilt magazines in electronic format. I must admit... The convenience and shelf-space would be nice, but I can't convert yet.

  • When I work on larger quilts, I like to copy the pattern and keep it with the project.
  • There's no pull-out section for pattern pieces or quilting motifs. Even if I could print them online (not sure I can), but can you guarantee they'll still be in business when I get around to that project?
  • Many are the same price or more than the paper copy.
  • If I don't have a paper copy, I forget I own it (sorry Reader's Digest, Smithsonian, and Mental Floss for neglect!)
  • How else am I going to spend quality time playing "the game" with Ginger! (You know the one... You try to flip through magazines and she tries to sit in the middle of them at the same time! She likes to crinkle sound her butt makes!)
  • Plus an eMagazine doesn't have the same look, feel, smell..
  • I've also had offers for embroidery magazines. Now, how do you transfer patterns?
I must admit, though.... I'd be tempted to convert if they offered video tutorials within the magazine itself. Wouldn't that be great? Missouri Star Quilt Co does some sweet tutorials on YouTube & their site, and they've just released an iPad app to view them more easily. I see a lot of projects in my future.

Wow! Digital age has arrived. I do use Electric Quilt (EQ6) and PDF blog posts too. So, my question for you, do you use technology in your quilt making? And does it make you more or less productive?

 

Happy stitching!

Elisa

 

 

3 comments:

  1. "The game." Isn't that the truth? In our house the boys like to help us read the newspaper. And now that I work at home the keyboard is becoming a favorite place. I have to watch out as I type around them. If they shift some weight, I'll look up and see something like thisssssssssssssssss.

    And thanks for the fix! Lauri

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  2. I am still in the 'paper' age when it comes to magazines and books. The newspaper is another story. Don't have to worry about filling that recycle box! Would not even be interested in e-mags for the reasons you gave----very valid! Thank you for the very thought provoking post!!!

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  3. I'm on the fence too. As a person who loves to read, I love the sense of holding a book, turning the written page to see what is next and purusing the bookstore shelves. I never, never fold a corner back to hold my place as that lesson was learned from early childhood. That said to me, books are special and to be taken care of. It's a sense of familiarity too, I guess. With quilt magazines the same is true, I keep them to refer back and love to take them along on a trip to read and enjoy over and over. There are many patterns downloaded on my computer, but sadly most are forgotten. I took the leap awhile back and subscribed to a wonderful e-magazine from a talented quilter in Austrailia, but still I wish it was a "real" magazine. Thanks for talking out loud about a subject that is also near and dear to my heart. Linda

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