KnipMode


(Disclaimer: the following is based on my opinion only, it’s about what I think and feel about Knipmode. I respect it’s not the same for everyone)

Sewingfriends, an era has come to an end. Actually it already ended in the fall of 2019, when my KnipMode subscription expired and I decided, with a heavy heart, not to renew it.

How it began
Back in 1993 one of my aunts visited me. She had been sewing for most of her life and was damn good at it. Many bridal gowns in the family were made by her. She also sewed a lot for my mother and she made my communion dress. I have vivid memories of how pretty I felt that day. Now 45 years later, it’s still hanging in a closet because I just can't part with it. 
Anyways, we were chatting over coffee and she asked if I was interested to subscribe to KnipMode. In those days I bought a copy occasionally but I liked the idea of getting it on a regular basis, so I subscribed. Around 2005 I got a bit bored with the style of the patterns and ended my subscription. Sometimes I bought an issue but all in all it wasn’t until 2008 that I renewd my subscription. Then my sewing really took off. I was very productive in those years. In my view, Knipmode was getting better and better and I really looked forward to receiving it every month.

The first one - Cover from KnipMode magazine May 1993


The last one - Cover from KnipMode magazine October 2019

How it ended
There is a dutch Facebookpage which is all about Knipmodepatterns. (You have to be a member to read it.) It was sort of funny that I already knew from the reactions on that page whether I would like the new issue or not. If the majority was enthusiastic I knew for me it would be a mèh-number. If they were complaining about the ladylike patterns that are only worn by women in offices, it would be my cup-of-tea. Funny, but spot-on every time!
That Facebookpage has quite a lot of followers, so it’s common believe that KnipMode is reading the responses as well. Maybe they listened to the “We are women juggling motherhood, work etc. etc., we don’t have a need for fancy dresses or pencilskirts. We need comfortable clothes.”. Also the wish for special designfeatures (origami anyone??) was big. It can be coincidence but the style of the patterns started to change in a way that I didn’t like. Actually, the style of the whole magazine started to change, which led to my decision to part with Knipmode. It just doesn’t make me happy anymore. Although there are still feminine patterndesigns, I really think the vibe of KnipMode has turned to ‘practical’. For me KnipMode was never about practical clothes. It was about feminine clothes, beautiful fabrics, daydreaming about those beautiful clothes and hoping they would make me a little bit more beautiful. Well, I guess you can say I’m a bit of a dreamer and not that practical haha…  


Yes please!!!
(picture taken from KnipMode September 2015)




Sorry, but not for me....
(picture taken from KnipMode October 2019)


Of course I’ll be checking the magazine every month to see what’s in it. If I like it, I’ll buy it. But so far that hasn’t happened yet and I really miss it.
There are piles of magazines from all those years in my sewing room so it’s not like I don’t have any patterns to sew with.  (In fact, I think I have enough to last me three lifetimes!)


I don’t know if you read KnipMode but if you do, I would love to hear if you have an opinion on this. 

Talk to you soon!
Lilian

Comments

  1. SigridFebruary 3, 2020 at 3:10 PM

    I can so relate. The best issues were around 2008-2010. Their changes over the past few years were not making it better. I had a subscription on and off and the last one ended sometime last year. I resisted follow-up calls with very cheap offers on renewal because I simply don't like it enough.
    Then I bought the February 2020 issue because of the linedrawing of a jacket that I loved. My experience with their new drafting to adjust to their size charts was so bad that I will not buy Knip mode in a long, long time!
    As I'm not a facebook member I can't read what the experiences of others are on the sizing/drafting, but I think it's ridiculous (I did write a blog post on it if you're interested).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. LilianFebruary 5, 2020 at 1:10 PM

      I just read your post Sigrid. I wasn't aware of this change..... Good to know! And indeed, what's with that hipsizing-thing??? That's very weird and strange.
      I must say that whenever I chose a pattern in the size in which I buy my clothes, I really had to add a lot of width etc. to make it fit for my body. So that adjusting to their size charts is probably not gonna work in my favour...

      Delete

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