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August 04, 2008

Questions r.e. craft, consumerism and expectations

There have been some interesting discussions on both Knitty and Ravelry recently regarding a new online... ummm, something or other: and here we reach a problem. Twist Collective is an online collection of pay-per-go patterns, with accompanying articles and adverts. There are articles on sock knitting, on swatching, on knitting as art. There's a 'market place' showcasing accessories and yarn. And there are patterns, at $7 a pop (about £3.50 for us here in the UK): very nice patterns, in three 'stories', like a Rowan magazine, but without having to buy the whole magazine.

Anyway, the discussions have revolved around the following issues:

1. Is it a magazine or a catalogue? It does mention the term 'magazine', so maybe there needs to be a re-think of terminology. Most (or all?) online magazines for knitting have previously provided free patterns. Some magazines are better than others, it has to be said.

2. If it is a magazine, then is it ok to charge for individual patterns?

3. "I want free stuff. It's not fair. I want all of the patterns and it's going to be too expensive. Loads of other stuff is free, so this should be free." I'd like to add that many of the people discussing this were pretty fair in the points made (e.g. wanting to be able to buy a number of patterns, and this, at $7 a go, therefore being prohibitive)- others were just 'meh, want it to be free, not fair'.

4. We want knitting as a craft to be recognised for the hard work it is and we want those who knit and design to be recompensed, but when it actually comes down to the wire, we don't want to have to pay for it ourselves.

The first two maybe fall under the issue of 'management of expectations'. I hadn't heard anything about Twist Collective at all, so it was a lovely surprise for me to discover it. As such, I wasn't phased by the individual pricing: instead I was rather relieved, because, to be honest, I do get tired of buying pattern books or hard copy mags for maybe one or two patterns that I like. From the Twist Collective there is one pattern that I would really love. I'm going to buy it.

The third point, had, I'm afraid, a real whiney feel about it. There are so many free patterns available out there it is staggering. It does my head in sometimes. There seems to be a desire to collect and hoard as many free patterns as possible, which, I might add, I do have some sympathy with, especially since the demise of Magknits. Pattern books and hard copy mags like Rowan etc. are exempt from derision, as they are an 'old school', accepted form of delivery. Twist Collective is something new and therefore it may take a while to find it's niche. But I still can't believe that people are moaning about having to pay for individual patterns!

This leads me on to the final point, which is the most complex: we all, as knitters, as craftspeople, want to be acknowledged for what we do- if we knit a present for someone, we want that person to understand the time that has gone in to it and that that time is equivalent to, let's be honest, at the minimum wage, a great deal of money. Certainly more money than one would pay at e.g. Topshop for a handknit garment (although not at Liberty's). It surely must be the same for designing patterns: the testing, the checking for errata, the test knits etc.. I'm glad to see that the majority of the pattern fee does actually go to the designers, with the ad space obviously paying for the web design and the photographs and styling.

I'd be interested to know what others feel about this, because I do think there is room for all kinds of patterns and mags/books/web-whatevers: it's just that the initial reaction of many, in the 'but it's not free!' vein, strikes me as a little greedy- a little surreal when a lot of the arguments given are in the 'I don't like consumerism' vein: is paying the worth of something consumerism? Is wanting things for free, all the time, without providing fair compensation for effort, anti-consumerism?

My final point is to acknowledge that my reaction to this probably stems from the fact that I am a slow and considered knitter. I take a long time to decide to knit something, and I'm not really in to 'novelty' stuff. I have no issues with people who like that at all either. Live and let live! Therefore, Twist Collective works for me: it seems mature, even with it being their first issue. The range of patterns are interesting, the styling classy and the articles 'value-added' rather than just 'add-ons'. And I guess, in the end, I'd like people to give it a chance and a cheer on, rather than immediately jumping up and down on it, first chance possible- I wish there was less negativity for new ways of doing things.

I wish them all the best and I for one WILL be buying at least one of their patterns.

Posted by scumkitten at August 4, 2008 01:43 PM

Comments

I agree. The Twist Collective premier issue is a welcome addition and I for one applaud their business model. There is a LOT of free content in the first issue - the articles are free, and there is a free sock pattern. That content takes time, effort and money to put together, and ads must surely be a great way to pay for that. Besides which some of the ads have discounts attached to them - that's more than free. People are giving you a discount!

I don't mind paying for the patterns I want. I think this business model is interesting - the designs which are downloaded the most, yield more money to the designer than a flat design fee ever would and could in fact allow more people to make a living from knitting. I like this.

I do hoard patterns myself, but when I have to pay for them I reflect on whether I will actually make the garment, or just want another addition to my pattern collection. And having a collection is no bad thing! I have paid upwards of £6 per pattern in the past, and see nothing wrong with £3.50 per pattern in Twist Collective.

I hope their business model works, I really do. I think it is a great addition to what is out there for us, and it is really nice to see someone else besides Rowan paying a great deal of attention to the design and execution of the publication itself as well as the garments.

Good luck to the Twist Collective - you will have my patronage and I wish you luck in the venture. There are plenty of free patterns out there for those who don't want to pay - it's all about choice. You don't HAVE to buy patterns if you don't want to spend money. But don't dis what is a very high quality, considered, and brave new addition to the growing plethora of knitting magazines, both on and offline. And it IS a magazine. And a very good one at that.

Posted by: glittrgirl at August 4, 2008 02:44 PM

Having to pay what something is truly worth and ensuring that the originator gets the money is not consumerism, its justice. Wanting things for free, or at low cost (e.g. the trend for Primark), all the time, and not giving a damn, is consumerism at it’s worst.

Posted by: Skitten at August 4, 2008 03:01 PM

I'm totally with you. I think Twist is doing something fantastic - not just putting out a great magazine (let's call it that, because they do), but rethinking what business model makes sense for a profitable, web-delivered publication. (Yeah, I'm biased, because I was having similar thoughts myself about a year ago; daydreaming about creating an online magazine that provided patterns for sale, not for free.)

The expectations thing has been interesting to observe. Looking at the pre-publicity, and reading Ravelry buzz, I did form the impression that it would be a paid-for service; I was delighted that I didn't need to pay to read the magazine, and can choose what I want to pay for. I suppose it's fair enough to call it a catalogue, but there's an awful lot of great content there, so to my mind it is more than that. And so very, very well produced.

I get very irritated by the people whining that they can't afford to buy all the patterns. What are the chances that they would knit all of them? What's wrong with all the hundreds of other free patterns out there, if they really can't afford to pay and really do knit that fast? We are literally spoilt for choice - so many, many options. This is just one more, and even if you don't want to fork out the cash, it's still enriching your knitting environment just by showing you new ideas. I have collected scores of magazines over the years and knit maybe two or three patterns from them (in total - not each!); mostly I buy them for articles and inspiration. I bet a lot of people do the same (or at least, they don't knit more than a couple of projects from most magazines).

And yes, the biggest issue is that it takes a vast amount of work, and even cash outlay, to create an original pattern. Many traditional magazines don't really compensate fairly for all that work; the free online zines certainly don't. I would love to see this work, because designers really deserve a high-profile, attractive shop window. I'll probably buy a couple of patterns myself, even if I never knit them, just to support the model. (Totally with you on the entitlement=consumerism thing there, too.)

Whew, big ranty comment there. Sorry.

Posted by: Robynn at August 4, 2008 03:17 PM

yes, yes, yes, yes. It feels good to get it off your chest, doesn't it?!

I just can't believe that some people are so hypocritical about things. There's a doozy of an argument brewing on Ravelry at the moment, with someone who is SO far in the other direction of my thinking I can't even begin to think of an answer!

Posted by: Skitten at August 4, 2008 03:20 PM

Hm. I might have gone and had a few words there.

*whistles innocently*

Posted by: Robynn at August 4, 2008 05:45 PM

PS There's an unhappy voice even in the LYSO group! I'm really surprised at the attitude - she says "Re knitting magazines and articles, my feeling is — who has the time to read all the millions of words out there about knitting when you actually could be knitting or living your life." Isn't that bizarre?!

Posted by: Robynn at August 4, 2008 06:16 PM

1. Who cares? The concept is clear. You pay for the patterns. End of story.

2. Yes, because the rest of it is free. And it's beautifully done.

3. I want free things - wah, wah, wah. Snap out of your self-entitled bubble. There is plenty of free things. That doesn't mean EVERYTHING should be free. Do you expect the yarn shop to give you free yarn because you're so cutting-edge/post-modern/keeping an old tradition alive?

4. Damn... suck it up. Often, if you want quality, you have to surprise surprise - pay.

The mind boggles that people EXPECT things to be free. Bleargh. I'm glad I avoid the car-crash threads on rav.

*Knitwear designer steps off her soap-box and goes back to sipping her G&T* ;-)

E.xx

Posted by: peatbogfaery at August 4, 2008 09:07 PM

I think it's an interesting debate, and one we're going to see a lot in the near future (not just within the knitting community). The internet has always been a place with a lot of free information, but as it's becoming more and more ingrained into culture people are trying to figure out how to monetize it, and that's not going to sit well with everyone.

I liked Twist, and I wasn't bothered by the fact that patterns weren't free. That being said, I found myself loving a lot of them and at $7 a pop, that's pricey and I found myself wishing they had some sort of bulk discount deal if you bought multiple patterns. Not that the lack of one will stop me from buying! :)

Posted by: QuirkyKnitGirl at August 4, 2008 09:26 PM

Interestingly, I think the Twist Collective themselves are looking in to this issue- so they are not unaware, and are also not totally single minded on the subject.

Posted by: Skitten at August 5, 2008 11:04 AM