I’ve discussed before the needlework magazines that I subscribe to – and there are really only a few: Inspirations, Sampler & Antique Quarterly, (sometimes) Piecework, and (sometimes) a French Mains et Merveilles magazine. The first two are “always,” the latter two have been off and on.

And all those needlework magazines are good. They provide projects, history, techniques, and all sorts of stuff that help me learn, understand, and have better insight into all kinds of needlework, past and present.

But there’s a new magazine coming out this fall – and it’s not entirely your typical needlework magazine. I have found my curiosity piqued. What the heck is Spool all about? If nothing else (and I’m hoping it’ll be a lot else), it looks like it’s going to be a lot of fun!

When I first heard about Spool, I didn’t “get it” completely. I was thinking at first, “Oh. Another e-zine,” and nothing really sparked within. Then I realized it was print. And I thought, “Oh. Another magazine.” And still, no spark. But then I found out that I was wrong on both accounts.

Think about that: it’s not an e-zine (I’m glad), and it’s not “another magazine.” (I’m glad of that, too.) Then… what?

Spool is going to be a quarterly tabloid in an 11″x17″ format. Think “newspaper,” but not just a newspaper. A needlework publication. It promises to feature projects, needlework information and tutorials and so forth, and also the “human interest” side of needlework. Stories (non-fiction and fiction), rants (yes, it says rants!), etc. – all with a needlework angle. (You can read about their content under Call for the Creative – and maybe it’s right up your alley, and you can contribute something, too!)

In my mind, I’ve begun to picture a combination of the old French magazines that were full of needlework info, patterns, and so forth, with something along the lines of Addison & Steele’s Spectator (from the early 18th century) – only all up-to-date for today. And suddenly, the spark is there. It sounds interesting. Adventurous. Gutsy.

Will it work? I don’t know! But I’m curious enough about it to subscribe and see what it’ll be. The subscription rate is certainly reasonable – $18 / year for US subscribers. Yep, I’m willing to invest in a subscription to test the waters. And who knows? I might even try to contribute something for the fun of it, once I scrape some other stuff off my plate.

So what do you think? Think it’ll go over? Feel free to leave a comment and share your opinion! The super-conservative-non-risk-taking side of me is rather in awe of the endeavor, so I’d like to hear what other people think!

PS. In writing up this post, and checking my preview before publishing, I just noticed that the color schemes on the two websites – mine, and Spool – are Really Similar. And I got to thinking, “You know… those colors are Really Similar. People are going to think — ” and before you think that, let me clarify: there’s no affiliation between Needle ‘n Thread and Spool. I’m not involved in the creation or concept of the magazine, and I’m not endorsing the magazine (how can I endorse what I haven’t seen?), I’m just letting you know it’s out there, it’s coming, and I think it’s an interesting idea. Now, in the future, if I happen to contribute and have something accepted (it’s a long stretch), I’m not exactly sure how that works. Would I be “affiliated”? Or would I just be telling you, “Hey, look! – I’ve done something on paper for a change…” Well, whatever the case, take this post for what it is – it’s just a “Hey, Look!” and a “Whadyathink?”