RAKAM is an Italian needlework magazine which started up in 1930. In the year when it should be celebrating it's 80th birthday, it has had quite a shakeup. Many non-Italian speaking readers who either can purchase it at a local newsstand or have a subscription might be wondering what has happened to it. Instead of being a celebratory year for RAKAM this year has been dogged with much rumour and speculation so I will try to only state facts that I personally know to be true. The April 2010 issue was the last RAKAM issue under the publishing company Edizioni Mimosa which was in liquidation. The new publisher, Guido Veneziani Editore, took over the name RAKAM only. This means all subscription records are not available to them and so they have no way of contacting subscribers to the previous publisher. If you stopped receiving your magazines that is why. As you can well imagine this has upset many faithful subscribers to RAKAM and undoubtedly the other magazines that Edizioni Mimosa published. If you tried to contact them through their website in the last few months your web browser probably warned you that the site was infected with a virus. Last year I visited the offices where production of RAKAM was executed in Milan. I know that the women I talked to then are no longer with the company. This includes the brilliant illustrator who drew those comprehensive stitch and pattern diagrams. My own subscription to RAKAM coincidentally was due for renewal in May of this year and I had already chosen not to renew it due to increasing costs for overseas subscriptions. I have held a subscription since 2001 and am very sorry to not be getting it anymore as it has always been full of eye-candy and inspiration for me. I am told the May 2010 issue of RAKAM was a bit of recycled articles but that the June 2010 issue showed promise although photo quality was not the best. I have not seen them. The July 2010 issue however carries a letter to readers which a kind Italian lady typed out for me and which I have translated for you here: Dearest Readers, The publisher Guido Veneziani Editore has purchased only the name RAKAM from Edizioni Mimosa in liquidation. They have not, therefore, assumed commitment for any previous contracts with Edizioni Mimosa. This also holds true for subscriptions which GVE has no possibility of dispatching, not being in possession of the subscription files. However to us at GVE it does not seem right to disappoint the readers of a magazine with so much history and so many loyal customers. Therefore we have decided to send, free of charge, the number of issues owed for the previous subscriptions with the other publisher. To this end, we invite you to contact our Subscriptions office at 02 58205207 from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm and from 3 pm to 4 pm Monday, Wednesday and Friday. We take this opportunity to remind you that every week you can find Guido Veneziani Editore’s weekly news magazines on the newsstands: Vero, Top, Stop and Vera as well as the monthly Vero Cucina and Vero Salute. With fondest regards, Guido Veneziani, Publisher Elio Michelotti, Director Interesting to note here that the new Director of RAKAM and the Director of Ricamo Italiano, another Italian needlework magazine are now the same person. Here is an email address which might be of use to you, it is for the subscription office: [email protected] I couldn't find any cover art for any 1940s editions which is why there are only 7 photos!
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Cast on Ann Budd’s adaptation of “Punchinello Caps for Knitting Needles” from Weldon’s Practical Needlework, Volume 11.
As makers, we tend to learn different stitches over time without thinking much about how they relate to one another. But when Natalie Chanin and her Alabama Chanin and The School of Making teams began to look at needlework closely, they realized all stitches are based on geometric grid systems—and by using grids as guides, they could make learning stitches, even seemingly elaborate ones, as easy as child’s play.In The Geometry of Hand-Sewing Chanin presents their breakthrough method, featuring illustrated instructions (for both right- and left-handed stitchers) for more than 100 stitches—from the most basic straight and chain to the more fanciful feather and herringbone; photos of both right and wrong sides; and guidelines for modifying stitches to increase one’s repertoire further. To simplify learning, the book also includes two plastic stitching cards die-cut with the grids on which every stitch in the book is based. These reusable cards can be stitched through for practicing ( just as children use lacing cards to learn to tie shoes) or used as stencils for transferring grids to fabric.About the Author:Natalie Chanin is the founder and creative director of Alabama Chanin and author of Alabama Stitch Book, Alabama Studio Style, Alabama Studio Sewing + Design, and Alabama Studio Sewing Patterns.
Five hand stitches that should be in every sewist’s repertoire, by Tasha Miller Griffith.
Granny still knits happily while her daughter sits on the floor and grimaces as she pays strict attention to what she's knitting. Content: Fiction, verse,...
Rummaging through a box of old magazine tear-outs, we came across parts of an old article on Bryany Thomasson. Not sure what magazine they were from, or from how long ago, but since she died over 10 years ago we may never know. (Anyone out there know?) At any rate, thought we'd share...sorry for the lousy scans. Click to enlarge.
Cover title
Share in the secrets of the world’s most innovative textile artists. Find out where to look for inspiration, how to develop ideas, techniques to bring your art to life, plus much more.
Needlecraft - The Magazine of Home Arts," December 1930
Chilean artist Jose Romussi adds embroidery to paper photographs to extracts a third dimension, and thus a nascent personality, out of an otherwise flat image. By doing so, Romussi opens space for alternative interpretations and methods of viewing a staged image. The artist refers to his work as an "intervention," and in many ways, his intentions are similar to other contemporary artists who use yarn as a method of interrupting the norm. Like "Yarn Bombing," which is often performed as a softer act of graffiti in public places, Romussi's compositions attempt to re-define notions of beauty while simultaneously drawing attention to social issues, such as the re-appropriation of African patterns and other non-Western traditions in high fashion.
A short history of Aunt Martha's Workbasket Home and needlecraft for Pleasure and Profit magazine. Written by a long time crafter that has a large collection of the vintage craft magazines. She still uses the knitting, crocheting, tatting, quilting, sewing and other patterns frequently.
Stories of techniques and treasures preserved for future generations.
monthly magazine, no. 5, December 1849 Rutt Manuals 5 Explore this and other items from our digitised collections on the University of Southampton Digital...
Embroidery is increasingly being practised by artists who ply their thread with passion and innovation. The three leading names - Richard Saja, Elaine Reichek and Jordan Nassar - are using the medium with thought and flair, developing their own style within the tradition, and combining it all with some radical ideas. R
Achieve a custom fit with a few simple pattern adjustments, by Haley Glenn. Illustrations, by Kris Blackmore.
154 p. : 28 cm
110 p. incl. illus., col. plates. 35 cm
154 p. : 28 cm
View album on Yandex Disk
We will start 2023 off by celebrating needlework education—formal and informal, near and far—and we want to hear from you!
An online archive of digitized knitting magazines lets you flip through pages looking for patterns and helpful articles, from 1800 to the present.
