Review: Make It Mine Magazine

Make It Mine Magazine (MIMM) has been on our local news stands for a couple months now. With the holiday rush over, I have had a chance to read the magazine in depth. It is published by well known Kalmbach Publishing, which puts out hobby magazines such as Bead and Button, Art Jewelry Magazine, and Bead Style Magazine. MIMM touts itself as “a craft magazine that shows you how to spice up your stuff–clothes, accessories and home–with fun, quick and easy projects.” And I am happy report that it is all this and more!

What type of audience is the magazine written for?
MIMM contains about 75% tutorials/projects and 25% artists profiles, idea galleries, etc… So I would say the magazine is genuinely for the DIYer in our craft community! The tutorials are well written and accompanied by lots of step by step photographs. This magazine would appeal to crafters of all ages from children to a senior crafter. It holds projects that would appeal to me as well as my mother.

While some of the techniques may seem like “old hat” to a well seasoned crafter (I know how to emboss velvet, my mom knows how to use a stencil) there is such a diversity of projects in this one issue, I found several things that were new to me.

What do you like about the magazine?
One important criteria for me to learn techniques is to have lots of visual instruction as well as detailed text and these tutorials fit the bill. Some come with patterns and there are small text boxes that explain in depth, some of the tools and techniques that these projects require. From learning to sew bias tape for a feathered checkbook cover to surefire photocopying tips for perfect polymer clay photo transfer you get helpful hints and tips along the way. The techniques are so diverse, that the skills you learn go beyond “embellishment” of your clothes and accessories to construction of recycled paper tote bags and glass etched ornaments. There are also several idea galleries that highlight finished projects from your fellow crafters and artisans. What I like about this section is that the creators of these pieces get a paragraph or two to write about their work and inspirations. Many profiles include web/e-mail information so you can contact the artist!

There are basic introductions to embroidery, velvet embossing, bag making, needle felting and fabric dyeing. So this is a “keeper” magazine you can use for future reference. MIMM can be as valuable as your craft books in that you can put it on the shelf and pull it out for future reference in many craft projects.

How does this to compare with other magazines?
I think that this magazine holds all the good qualities of leading craft magazines in our market and have a traditional layout and views that will appeal to a majority of people. It is definitely written for the female home crafter. But like contemporary craft magazines there is a focus towards recycling and repurposing old materials to new items. And there is a lovely profile of a small women owned craft business Artgirlz, which gives readers some idea about what it means to turn your passion for craft into a career.

What is the ad to article ratio?
There is a minimal number of ads, I would say more than 90% of the this magazine is content and I really enjoyed not being overwhelmed with too many ads between the articles. There were never any ads in the body of the articles themselves.

Any things not to miss? Favorite Aritcles?

artgirlz just want to have fun by Elfrieda Abbe
Being a fellow craft business owner it was nice to read about the evolution of a business from two sister’s dreams to reality!

around & around she goes: recycling jewelry : repurpose old treasures and make them sparkle like new
A very nicely detailed idea gallery with pieces of jewelry made from old treasures and everyday objects. It features to projects by our very own jewelry editor Barbe Saint John.

the 411 on needle felting by Cheryl Ball
I love felting! And this was a very informative and well illustrated tutorial that will get anyone started with this fun fiber technique.

So overall I give my recommendation to try a copy of Make It Mine and you can be the judge of what it brings to your life as an indie crafter! We’d love to know what you think about this magazine so please feel free to send us or post comments. How have you used the ideas in Make It Mine to make it yours? 🙂