JudyTheSewer

I used to enjoy flipping the pages of magazines but not so much anymore. I have a rather elaborate electronic filing system as well as a internet bookmarks so I strictly use the web for my quilting inspiration (Quilting Board and other sites). Less magazines is less to store, organize, and dust. And, as a bonus, more money for fabric and thread!

AliKat

I surely wish my library had subscriptions to quilting magazines.

At one time I went in with friends and we each got a subscriptions and them shared our magazines with the others. The rule was: no cutting out or removing of pages. We copied what we wanted.

Now ... I just go to Barnes & Nobel have a coffee and browse the different magazines. Also my two quilting groups share magazines.

quiltsRfun

I subscribe to a few. I've thought about letting them lapse but kind of look forward to getting them. It's one of the treats I allow myself. Plus subscription price per issue is about half of what I'd pay at the store. I'm on a regular pickup schedule for a couple or charitable organizations so some go directly to my donation box after I'm finished with them.

TwinRiverFarm

Our library offers donated magazines or free, and sometimes I hit the jackpot and get some quilt mags (I try not to take all of them - share the wealth!) and the thrift store charges 25 cents for them, so that is my quilty treat some weeks.

Stitch124

I'm a new quilter and I find that the more I look on the internet for free magazines, I'll notice that they are not always as pretty as the ones in the magazines. I like to go to the library anyway so that's where I will scour the them and if I see one that really hits me then I'll buy the magazine.

I'm also a cross-stitcher. I had a subscription to several magazines and now they are all out of print. I'm glad I had the subscriptions because some like Paula Vaughn are impossible to find and also P. Buckley Moss charts are out of print and valuable.

Either way you go you can't loose...

Quiltngolfer

I used to subscribe to a lot of the magazines, but I let all of mine lapse. I have a huge stack of them that I can look through any time. I look through magazines at the grocery and occasionally buy one if I find some patterns I like. Mostly, I don't see anything new anymore. I did buy Jenny Doan's two magazines. Hers are great!

Skratchie

I have a few digital subscriptions. Yeah, there's a lot of patterns on the internet, but frankly, unless they are from a "trusted source" (and I don't consider most blogs to be "trusted") I don't even attempt them. Frankly, I've run into some pretty serious issues with "free" patterns, where I was unable to finish the quilt because of bad/poor instructions, which only cost me money when the quilt wasn't finished.

At least magazines have editors to make sure that the instructions are more or less clear. What I don't buy a lot of is quilting books. The last book I bought was one that used the Ballypops and the instructions were so bad, I ended up having left over cut pieces of fabric, and no idea what to do with them. It was so clear that it was basically unedited!

quiltstringz

I find that it is really cheaper for me to browse through them at the store and then purchase the ones that have enough or just something really special in them that appeals to me. Yes I am paying the list price but since it is usually only 1 out of that year I want, in the long run it is cheaper. Plus I might find 1 McCalls, 1 BHG and purchasing those 2 individually is a lot cheaper than 2 subscriptions.

ILoveToQuilt

Used to subscribe to 4 or 5 of them. Now just receive "Quilter's Newsletter". I, too, like to flip pages...lol. "QN" also has web extras for subscribers, so I think it can be the best of both worlds. JMHO.

Anita

Rose S.

I used to subscribe to two or three, but let them lapse...so far I have not been able to make myself part with them, and I was running out of room to keep them. So, now I just use the internet for NEW inspiration. That is all I used the magazines for, plus I used to read Quilter's Newsletter from cover to cover.