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Magazine Review: Fiber Art Now Magazine

Monday, April 15, 2013



We have a fairly new magazine, Fiber Art Now, which follows in the footsteps of Fiberarts magazine. It started in 2009 as a blog called Valley Fiber Life by Marcia Young. Life goes on and I am glad that once again we have a beautiful magazine that strives to inspire and connect the fiber art and textile community like Fiberarts magazine once did!.

I have been receiving my Fiber Art Now news on line for a while and have just received my first hard copy with my subscription. I am happy to be in the fiber art loop again and am really enjoying it. Since my upcoming book, The Fine Art of Crochet (June 2013), fits into the genres of fine art and fiber art, I want to be on top of the most current information as to where to share the news.

Whether a single issue features crochet or not is not important to me. There is much to inspire crocheters: just the pure color that abounds is sure to inspire along with news of exhibits, shows and manufacturers who may feature crochet, as well as books that belong on any needle worker's shelf. There is conference news and calls for entry as well. The more we as crocheters who appreciate art educate ourselves about fiber art and the more we get out there to show our work, the more we will be represented in this field.

I review this magazine with no bias, but it didn't hurt that I spied my "free form scarf" 



included in the ad that was placed by the Midwest Fiber & Folk Art Fair!  It was included in a montage of fashions from last year's fashion show! <grin>

The term "fiberart" came into being around 1975. At about the same time Fiberarts magazine was started by Rob Pulleyn. Imagine my excitement when I discovered this marvelous magazine and found that it included crochet! This magazine had a great influence on my education about crochet art. It was a rich resource for me to get to know and to write about artists who choose crochet as their medium.

I almost felt like I was friends with Rob Pulleyn, the publisher, and his wife, Kate Matthews, because on a vacation to Asheville, NC where they were located, I toured their facility and met both of them. They had graciously agreed to the visit when I contacted them ahead of time. I was surprised and saddened when Kate and Rob divorced. Again, I felt relief when they sold the magazine to Interweave Press rather than go out of business, but consequently devastated when Interweave stopped publication with the Summer 2011 issue. 


For over 30 years, the Fiberarts team covered the best in basketry, fiber, needlework, papermaking, weaving and wearable art. The amazing annual publication of the Fiber Arts Design Book series are among my most prized books in my library. You can still buy back issues of the magazine. Today we have Fiber Art Now magazine  which started in 2009 as a blog called Valley Fiber Life by Marcia Young. Life goes on, and I am glad that once again we have a beautiful magazine that strives to inspire and connect the fiber art and textile community.

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