Monday 15 July 2013

On Magazine Craft Kits


I subscribe to a couple of craft magazines, and buy others as and when they look to contain something I might find interesting. I buy them because I find them inspiring; they challenge my creative thinking and help me keep my finger on the pulse of all things craft. A part of me also likes the validation they provide; a passion for crafting is not something I should need to justify, but it's always nice to know there are lots of others out there who love the same things as me. Crawling into bed with a cup of tea and my latest craft read after a tough day is one of my not-so guilty pleasures. 

Of course, lots of crafting magazines come with some sort of kit. I'd say a free kit, but they aren't - I most definitely pay for them in the price of the magazine. 

I have very mixed feelings about these gifts. Some provide me with that incentive to buy a magazine I may otherwise have been dithering over. Others are just plain disappointing.



Take the sardine keyring kit in the first picture. When the latest issue of Mollie Makes kerflumped onto my doormat, I took a look at this latest extra offering and the following thoughts ambled through my brain:

  1. I am a crafter. I craft. Therefore I own a fair few craft materials, and I can make things like this. Why do I need a kit for something fundamentally so simple? If all Mollie Makes readers are already crafters, wouldn't they be able to figure out how to make one of these?
  2. But it's a nice idea. Cute. I wouldn't have thought of it had this kit not landed on my doorstep. I'll probably make it.


You see? I can't make up my mind. Some magazine kits border on patronising. If I go ahead and make it I will own something that thousands of other readers own. I'll have taken part in a mass production project - not what I believe crafting to be all about. And because I'm a crafter I already know how to make many of the kits I end up with. It's not because I'm clever, but because these kits have to be aimed at everyone and achievable for everyone. If I look at it that way, I'd rather stick to making the project ideas inside the magazines, because that way I get to learn something new, and put my own spin on it. 

I remember in the early days of Mollie Makes a project was featured on how to sew three little linen mice, complete with clothes. I loved seeing all the different versions popping up on social media in the weeks that followed, including varying colours, clothes, facial expressions, and even one lady who made the ears longer so she had a set of rabbits. 




On the flipside, kits are pretty great if you fancy a spot of crafting once the working day is done. You don't have the headache of designing and measuring and finding all your materials, and you have something finished by bedtime. Mindless crafting is sometimes just what we need.

Personally, I prefer getting crafting materials with my magazines. Then I can use them for inspiration in a project of my own design. I may even get to use them across several projects, representing better value for money every time I fork out for a craft mag. 




What are your thoughts on the kits/'freebies' you get with craft mags? And if you're divided on craft mags full stop, this post on 'Why I buy £4.99 Craft Magazines' by Crafting Fingers really struck a chord for me. Her point about swapping mags may mean you remove the bittersweet issue of the included kits altogether - only one of you can have it!

Happy mag reading,



24 comments:

  1. I buy for inspiration so would prefer a gift free cheaper mag rather than a free gift...I wonder how much the gift really costs. Eco Ethel xx

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  2. I don't usually like free gift kits but that owl doorstop is incredibly cute xx

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  3. What an interesting post! I have to say I don't ever really use the kits as I find them to be basic and as you say, a mass produced project. I do enjoy the Crafty Magazine freebies a lot more as the supplies can be used in your own way and it's great to discover how other people have used them. There is room for more creativity in this sense I think.

    Quite often I find that some kits do not contain enough of something to complete the project (Cross stitcher did this recently with a wooden keyring kit) and they can sometimes be damaged in transit (this happened to my Mollie Makes buttons).

    What really puts me off about buying a magazine is free crochet hooks! I hate the plastic ones!

    Oops, got all ranty there ;-)

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    1. My Mollie Makes buttons were damaged too, but at least they did send out replacements. Have to agree with you on the crochet hooks! x

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  4. Personally I wish they would do away with the gifts....and make each issue £1.00 cheaper! :) x

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  5. If I am honest I feel the craft magazine world has all got a bit samey anyway, I don't buy them often and I when I do I prefer mag that just covers one subject or craft well rather tahn lots of projects you see simular of on the internet. I will say though that I happen to know that the kit/free gift isn't always paid for via the price of the mag. It costs a lot to print a magazine and most (if not all) of the money they charge covers that. Revenue comes from advertising.

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  6. Interesitng post. I am a sucker for a freebie and I have to admit, these kits are great for fuss-free projects. The kind you can do almost with your eyes closed, no measurements or scissors usually needed. Though, like you I prefer getting crafting materials :)

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  7. I haven't made a single one of my Molly Makes kits! I love the buttons and ribbons that come with the magazine much more - more useful.

    http://asaucystitch.blogspot.co.uk/

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  8. Great post, Anna. I haven't made any of the projects that have arrived with various magazines and I've been buying them for years. Previously, I told myself that I'll set one weekend aside to make them all but I've always been too busy making/designing my own stuff. Due to this, I decided recently not to worry about it and instead use the supplies for my own projects. That hasn't happened yet but the pieces of fabric and what-not are in my stash of supplies ready to use when I'm feeling inspired. This is why Crafty magazine is currently my favourite - the fact their "freebies" are materials to use how you wish, rather than to use on a specific project, is way more inspiring. Although, thinking about craft magazines in general, I rarely make any of the projects. In all honesty, I've found some of the projects to be less inspiring and a bit repetitive and have even decided not to renew my subscription to one of them. I might even stretched to not renewing any of my subscriptions and just buy the odd magazine when I feel like it but then I do like it when one appears through the letter box. Hmm, tough call!
    Jo | adventuresandteaparties.blogspot.co.uk

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    1. Ah, using the materials from the kits for your own project is an option I hadn't considered. I give the kits to friends' children. x

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  9. I get sucked in by the free make and kit, and the usually never get round to doing it... the marketeers get me every time! That said, I don't buy crafty mags that often - if I buy anything it'll more often be a foodie mag. I find for crafts that there is so much inspiration on the web, I don't really need the magazines!

    Jones x

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    1. It's true that between Pinterest, websites and blogs there is plenty of inspiration out there! x

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  10. Interesting and thought provoking post. I don't tend to buy craft msgszines but would hate to feel patronised in any way.

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  11. I don't think I have bought a craft magazine in years. I have been tempted once or twice, but the price has put me off. Perhaps as Vintage Sheet Addict says, they made the mags cheaper and didn't bother with the kits, I would be more likely to buy them...

    Or maybe they shouldn't bother packaging up the materials as a "project" or kit and just give away gorgeous materials - free samples of nice stuff, then tell readers where they could buy more. What do you think? Would that be more useful do you think..?

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    1. I think you're probably right, high quality materials would be preferable, though I do then wonder how many of us would then feel mags were using the samples as a way to flog us items. Tough call! x

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  12. I like to treat myself with the odd craft magazine, but sometimes I am put off by the price. Mollie Makes and Making Magazine are two of my favorites! Some of the free gifts seem a little uninspiring sometimes... I would also much rather some quirky craft supplies instead of a little kit. They could always feature different makes from that particular craft piece inside the magazine. That saying, I love the little fish make you've featured in this post!! Have you made any of them? I've got the crochet bow brooch sitting in my craft box, unused! x

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  13. I have been having similar thoughts and after giving my sewing box a tidy I realised just how many of these kits were lurking around my house. I have tasked myself to make one kit a week and tomorrow will be week 2. I made the sardines last week and this weeks it's a crochet flower. I have quite enjoyed thinking about which kit to make and it has been a fun and productive crafty hour, so I am going to carry on - I have set up a link up if you would like to join in ( quite new to this technology so hope it will work again tomorrow)Sue x

    http://sweetpeafamilyblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/crafty-fridays.html - last weeks link up

    http://sweetpeafamilyblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/freebies.html - post about freebies x

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    1. Ooh, refreshing that you're enjoying using them Sue. I'll check out your progress :) x

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  14. I generally just buy the magazine just for that, the free gift is an extra, though I don't always make them. Some I keep to do with my daughter when she gets that little older as I think they would be a good introduction for them into some crafts. Though I agree, if you craft, you would already have these things. I would like to see more supplies too as they tend to be what we use up faster though. The only craft magazines I tend to buy religiously are Mollie Makers and Homemaker magazines with Crosstitcher thrown in for a bit of relaxing time with cross stitching x

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    1. I think you're right, for crafty inclined children some kits make brilliant introductions. I gave a stack of mine to a colleague's child recently and they should keep her happy for a fair chunk of the summer hols! I really like Homemaker too. x

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  15. What a great post - I loved reading everyone's replies. I'm relived I'm not the only one never to have made a kit!

    The Mollie Makes kits always look so pretty but like most others here I'd rather use my own creativity with quality materials.. I've been trying to gather up all the kits to tidy them & wondering what to do with them... Might get out all the materials as one other commenter has done, and use them in different ways.

    Making those adorable mice is still on my to do list!

    And I love craft mags. The Internet is great & free but nothing beats curling up with a real magazine, and I use the paper for badges, collages, envelopes, and patchwork paper piecing!

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    1. 'Quality' is a word which keeps cropping up again and again. I have one out of the three mice made so far... slow, moi?! x

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