Yarn Forward Profiles: Lou

Lou Butt became involved with Yarn Forward in December last year, when Kerrie invited her on board the nascent magazine. As it happened, the timing was perfect. Lou had left Simply Knitting earlier that year, anticipating a relaxing life as a “yummy mummy” with the occasional book project to break things up – but after a few months, she found herself missing the busy schedules and creative activity of publishing. And with Yarn Forward about to go ten issues a year, Lou expects to be very busy indeed: “The best times have to be when we get such fantastic feedback. Going 10 issues a year was a very scary concept, but all our readers and advertisers are 100% behind us. The worst times have to be the deadline when I’m up late designing pages and trying to do the 101 other things that come with running a business too. We’ll have an art editor soon, so at least that pressure is reduced.”

Step into a UK newsagent, and you’re likely to see several home-grown knitting magazines. Lou thinks that YF is more than able to stand up to the competition. “There is so much that makes us different”, she says. For a start, there’s the approach to advertising, limited to just 10% of the magazine each issue: “We don’t feel it’s right to make our readers pay for 20+ pages of adverts.” Lou adds, “We’ll have no book extracts or designs from yarn companies. Because we’re independent we don’t feel pressurized into reproducing designs for the sake of advertising.”

Instead the emphasis is on providing original designs, put together with a real love for the crafts of knitting and crochet – and because restricting the advertising makes more room for editorial, Lou says “we can be gluttonous with our space and have lots of large charts on the patterns.” There are also at least five in-depth features in every issue: “There is so much out there in the knitting world, that 2 pages just isn’t enough room to really do something justice.”

After the jump… “battleship grey acrylic chunky”, Uri Gellar, minuscule slippers, a “scary block of flats”, and the projects that Lou loves best of all.

And so to work

In most jobs, a visit to the office is just a part of the daily grind. For a Yarn Forward freelancer, it’s a rare and lovely treat. My small assistant and I took the train to Bradford-on-Avon (which is a good deal prettier than your average business park, for starters) to see what goes on at the business headquarters of the magazine.

Lou (right) and Dee (left) kindly took a little while away from attending to subscribers and suppliers to show us around. (Kerrie and Shirley are based at the second office in Bishops Stortford.)

Lou’s “creatively organised” desk - “Dee likes to tease me about that”, she said. Dee’s desk is so organised that there was nothing to photograph, but I did find…

a secret stash of chocolate.

We’re knitters, though, so the edible treats are a lot less exciting than the yarny ones. Piles and piles of gorgeous wool (that’s the subscriber yarn, ready for dispatch)…

plus useful books, and beautiful handknits. Oh, and spray cleaner.

The YF staff are a self-reliant bunch. Not only do Lou and Dee have to clean up after themselves - they even had to build their own desks!

It was hard to say goodbye, but at least we got to take a little bit of Yarn Forward home with us. Hang on, what’s in the bag? Could it be yarn?

Oh, it’s chocolate. Note to assistant: go for the wool next time.

Job advert - editor for yarn forward magazine.

Lou and I are advertising for an editor for Yarn Forward Magazine to replace me, my time will then be freed up to work on all our other plans for world domination.  Full details below, email me on kerrie at yarnforwardmagazine.co.uk if you have any questions.  I’m happy to talk the job through with anyone or answer questions before you apply if you want to send me your phone number. 

Job Title: Editor, Yarn Forward Magazine

 

Salary and benefits: Competitive salary, 4 weeks holiday, flexible working plan, bonus scheme and other benefits.

 

Preferred start date: 6^th October 2008

 

Work Location: Bishops Stortford office.  Flexible work from home options available after probation period.

 

Roles & Responsibilities:  We are looking for an experienced editor to take ownership of and develop Yarn Forward Magazine.

 

The editor will be expected to both write content and also edit content received from other contributors.

The ideal candidate must amply demonstrate both strong creative flair and sound organisational ability.

 

A strong emphasis will be placed on visual awareness since the ‘look’ and point of sale impact is critical to the success of this magazine.

The role will require the identification of trends in the UK craft market and the ability to respond to customer requirements to produce an exciting and modern magazine.

 

The candidate will be responsible for commissioning all projects and designs for the magazine. 

 

The Editor should be an ambassador for Yarn Forward magazine, maximising public and trade relations.

 

KAL Media have a solid team of designers and advertising executives who will provide support to the editor, the successful candidate for this role will be expected to use these resources to ensure that all deadlines are met.

Skills and Experience Required :  Proven track record in a relevant publishing field

Good management skills

Solid creative background, this can be demonstrated in either a personal or business capacity.

The ability to both create new projects and follow them through to completion

Knowledge of both the publishing and the creative magazine industries

To Apply: Please send the following to Kerrie Allman, KAL Media, Thremhall Park, Start Hill
Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire, M22 7WE

 

• Current CV
• Covering Letter
• Any supporting documentation (copies of magazines you have worked on, articles that you have written, details of any websites that you own, blogs that you write, any craft experience that you have, projects that you have worked on etc)

 

Please do not send originals, photocopies are acceptable at this stage as we cannot guarantee being able to return everything.

 

Closing Date for applications :  Friday 15^th August

 

Next Steps: Successful candidates will be contacted by phone or email within 2 weeks of the closing date.  Unsuccessful candidates will be contacted by post within 2 weeks of the closing date.

 

• First interviews will take place by phone
• Second interviews will take place at our offices in Bishops Stortford, this will consist of a formal interview with both partners of KAL Media and we will also ask you to give a presentation to us.  Full details of the presentation requirements will be provided to you after the first interview, giving you time to prepare.

 

Stockists

We’ve sent out the magazines to our stockists this week, you should be able to get a magazine from any of these lovely shops from next week onwards

Yarnsmith

Interknit Cafe

Knit Wits

Knitting Hut

Get Knitted

Loop (London)

Farfield Mill (Sedbergh)

Stitching Time (Hamilton)

Craft in the bay Cardiff

More are going out next week to other stockists.  If you think that your local yarn store would be interested in stocking the magazine drop us an email and we’ll send them all the information that they need.  x

Fabulous Woolfest!

Phew!

I feel like I haven’t stopped for days. First there was the news at the beginning of last week that WHSmiths and Tesco want to stock the 10 monthly issues of Yarn Forward! We’re still on a high. Then we made all the announcements on Wednesday to the knitting world – thank you everyone for all your supportive comments. Then Thursday was the loooong drive to Cumbria, Woolfest stall set up and checking in to our very lovely hotel – The Ouse Bridge, Bassenthwaite.

 

On Thursday night we had really big, flappy butterflies in our tummies. We’ve not had a stall at Woolfest before, so didn’t know what to expect. Would it be busy? Would people like the magazine? Would people buy subscriptions? Would there be a good chocolate stall?

Well, yes it was busy, the stand was packed with people most of the day; we barely got time for a loo break and eating lunch took two hours as we stopped to talk between bites. It was lovely to see and chat to so many of you when you came to collect your issue, and it’s great to put names to faces on the subs list.

We’re happy (and relieved) to say that everyone liked the magazine. Everyone shared with us the fantastic news of YF going on the shelves of Tesco and WHSmiths. The most important thing we wanted to get across is that our principles are not changing. Yarn Forward will still continue to have only 10 pages of advertising, it will always have 100% original and interesting patterns, and we will always include fabulous features from all corners of the fleece and fibre world. We’re passionate about yarn and we want to convey that to you.

And we did sell lots of subscriptions. Our database is expanding so quickly now, it’s a good job that we’ve got Dee onboard to help send them out. This morning, the first job in the office was to make sure that all the subs copies for those who didn’t come to Woolfest were sent out. Expect them in the post by the end of the week. (The lovely ladies in the Post Office were so quick at stamping up all the envelopes, they really deserve a medal.)

Finally, there wasn’t a chocolate stand per se, but there were some fab treats on offer. The ewe’s milk ice cream was just divine! And the homemade cakes on the stand next door just melted in the mouth. Think I’ll be getting out the Davina  fitness DVD again to work off those gained pounds!

Unfortunately we didn’t get as much time to look around as we’d have liked, but did manage to escape on the odd occasion. There were so many fabulous yarns on offer, and I’ve started my foray into the spinning world. I bought a cheaper drop spindle and after one night I was hooked and invested in a faster more balanced one. Maybe next year I’ll get a wheel…

Another great part of the show is the animals that are on display. I became very attached to the angora goats – I’m ‘just looking’ at the property pages for a local small holding, as DH shakes his head. Kerrie was keen to smuggle out a cute Herdwick sheep. Luckily I’d bought too many rovings to fit anything else in the back of the car. And you have to feel sorry for the Alpacas. They turned up all fluffy and cuddly, then after the shearing demos, they were reduced to very skinny creatures.

So that’s Woolfest 2008 over. Thank you so much to the Woolclip team for all your fabulous organising skills. The atmosphere in the building was fantastic.

Next stop iKnit London on 6th September, will we see you there?

xx

(posted by Kerrie, written by Lou.  WordPress is not co-operating on Lou’s mac at the moment)

Exciting news

Some of you may have already heard the exciting news, Lou and I are sitting here frantically emailing, phoning and telling as many people as we can that from October Yarn Forward Magazine is going to be published 10 times a year AND be available on the shelves in places like Tescos, WH Smiths and other leading newsagents!

How excited are we?  Really excited, but also feeling slightly sick now that it is public knowledge.  It feels much more real today than it has done before and we are both thrilled and frightened at the same time.  An official press release is being distributed right now and as soon as we have it up on the website I’ll add a link to it..

We couldn’t have done it without the support of all our readers, subscribers, advertisers and stockists so this is a big thank you from Lou and I for giving us the opportunity to make Yarn Forward bigger and better than ever.  xx

Preview of summer issue

Lou has just sent me over this preview of some of the designs that are in the summer issue, which one do you think we’ll chose for our Yarn Forward Knitalong this summer?  Remember, the magazine is available to pre order now from our back issues page and will be officially on sale in shops from the middle of July.

Lovely post

I was in reception at our lovely offices trying to persuade Sarah on the reception desk that knitting was a cool trendy hobby to take up, we were leafing through one of the copies of the Spring magazine and I was explaining to her how relaxing knitting is and doing my best to convert her.  I think that Lou and I are a bit of a tourist attraction, in a nice office building where most of the other tenants are occupied by businessmen we are the only ones in jeans and hand knitted cardigans having deliveries of lovely squishy parcels.  You can see people looking at us curiously, especially on days when we are both in the office and we sit and knit in the coffee shop.  I think we’re going to have to start a knitting club there at some point.

Anyway, on this particular day while I was chatting in reception the postman arrived with the days post.  As he handed it over he made a comment about “one of the companies here being popular” and when Sarah and I looked at the letter it was for Lou and I!

 

How lovely!  It was addressed to “the brilliant girls at Yarn Forward Magazine”  That really made my day, I can tell you.  Our post tends to be pretty much cheques, garments and signed contracts so its usually quite good fun to open but this one is my all time favourite.

Summer issue

We have had such a busy couple of weeks getting the summer issue of Yarn Forward magazine done and off to the printers.   Its funny how deadline week causes technology that would usually behave perfectly to malfunction, camera batteries refuse to charge, MACs won’t connect to the internet, phone signals disappear and other minor disasters such as parking tickets and traffic jams cause a lot of un-necessary tension. 

That is all behind us now, the magazine is safely with the printers where it belongs and the lovely Marianne stepped in at the last minute and saved us from front cover hell.  We think that Laura looks gorgeous on the cover, don’t you?  She is wearing a cardigan crocheted in Phildar yarn, designed by the oh so talented Julia Vaconsin.  The other 2 designs on the cover are a STUNNING wedding shawl designed by Liz Lovick and a cute child’s shrug designed by Katy Armstrong and modelled by my daughter, Trinity.   I can’t wait for you to see the other patterns that we have in this issue, I think we have a good range of patterns that will keep everyone knitting through the summer weeks.  (assuming we get any more summery weather in the UK that is!)

The magazine is due back with us in time for Woolfest at the end of June, subscribers will be able to collect their copies from the show if they wish and all remaining copies will be posted out the following week commencing Monday 30th June.  All the international copies will be sent to subscribers while we are at WoolFest and if you are a UK subscriber who is definitely not coming to the show then please email Dee (dee@yarnforwardmagazine.) and she will make sure your copy goes out just before Woolfest. 

The magazine is now available to pre order from the website here.  A preview page will be up in the next few days.  All pre orders of the magazine will be posted the week commencing Monday 30th June.

Look out for news of our summer knit-a-long that Sarah is arranging very soon!

Welcome Dee!

Just a quick post to say a big welcome to Dee who joined us today as our admin assistant.  She is based in Lou’s neck of the woods and I believe spent her first morning working for us putting her own desk and chair together in the office!   I was busy filling her email inbox while she did that so no doubt she will be working her way through all of that this afternoon.

Sarah will be doing a proper intro post and interview with Dee soon but I just wanted to wave from over here in Essex and say hi to her on her first day.   Her email is deeATyarnforwardmagazine.co.uk if you want to drop her an email and say hello.