The Sewing Place

Sew Today

Gernella

Sew Today
« on: October 15, 2018, 11:56:23 AM »
Just opened my magazine and seen they have been taken over by CSS Industries who own the Simplicity Creative Brand.  Job losses in Stockport though, which is a shame, they were always very helpful.

At least we will get the chance to add money off Simplicity and New Look patterns.  In my later sewing life I have not been a fan of Simplicity but had  some good results with New Look. 
Stash extension 2024- 6.1 meters
Left at the end of 2023 - 66 meters now (includes fabric found hidden out of sight)  Lining fabric not included

Tamnymore

Re: Sew Today
« Reply #1 on: October 15, 2018, 12:09:56 PM »
Yes I think I saw something about the takeover a while back. It means that the Vogue/Butterick etc group pretty well has a monopoly on patterns apart from the indies.
Not good news about job losses in Stockport. Stockport has a nice historic market and Underbank area but, like so many, its town centre is dying on its feet. It lost its M&S recently and the new cinema building won an award for being the ugliest new building in Britain. There's an award you wouldn't want to win. Poor old Stockie!  :'(
'One should either be a work of art, or wear a work of art.' Oscar Wilde

Fiona M

Re: Sew Today
« Reply #2 on: October 15, 2018, 12:17:05 PM »
I'm never happy to hear anyone has been put out of work.  :(

So Chic

Re: Sew Today
« Reply #3 on: October 15, 2018, 13:03:26 PM »
I think Sew Today has been losing subscribers over the past few years and I suppose this is a way of keeping the magazine going.  I gave up my subscription some time ago as I found that the contents were becoming less and less relevant to me.  It is always sad to think that people will be losing their jobs.
So Chic
Bernina Artista 630, Bernina 800DL, Janome Cover Pro 1000CP and an elderly Singer Touch & Sew 720G as a back up

HenriettaMaria

Re: Sew Today
« Reply #4 on: October 15, 2018, 14:40:48 PM »
Stockport seems to be unaffected, it's the Havant office and warehouse that's being axed, sadly.

Tamnymore

Re: Sew Today
« Reply #5 on: October 15, 2018, 14:55:07 PM »
I don't suppose there are big numbers employed in Stockport but sad that anyone loses their job wherever it is. Digging round t'interweb I see that when the new parent company bought the McCall pattern company a couple of years back turnover from MCalls was over $30 million globally per annum. Patterns are big business!
'One should either be a work of art, or wear a work of art.' Oscar Wilde

toileandtrouble

Re: Sew Today
« Reply #6 on: October 15, 2018, 20:14:26 PM »
I wonder how much of that we contributed?   0_0
Yarn down:  1000g
Fabric down:  29m

Tamnymore

Re: Sew Today
« Reply #7 on: October 15, 2018, 21:04:26 PM »
About $29 million @toileandtrouble !
'One should either be a work of art, or wear a work of art.' Oscar Wilde

Greybird

Re: Sew Today
« Reply #8 on: October 15, 2018, 22:43:17 PM »
Judging by McCalls recent offerings, no-one other than teenagers will have been buying their patterns.

Gernella

Re: Sew Today
« Reply #9 on: October 16, 2018, 11:26:58 AM »
Not sure where I read it, but I'm sure I saw some pattern exchange/swap mentioned somewhere.   I suppose we all have patterns bought because they were cheap, never used and never likely to be used.
Stash extension 2024- 6.1 meters
Left at the end of 2023 - 66 meters now (includes fabric found hidden out of sight)  Lining fabric not included

Tiggy

Re: Sew Today
« Reply #10 on: October 16, 2018, 18:37:13 PM »
McCalls do seem to aim at the younger end of the market,  but they do have some nice offerings.  I’m always a bit dubious about New Look because of their size ranges. 
Pfaff Creative 4.5 ,  Babylock Gloria
Janome 3800QE

Greybird

Re: Sew Today
« Reply #11 on: October 16, 2018, 22:43:04 PM »
@Francesca - you are far nearer to being a teenager than I am! Enjoy being able to wear such clothes because the day comes faster than you might think when they become totally unsuitable.

The problem for me for the last couple of years has been that Butterick and Vogue also have had a dire shortage of anything desirable.

Esme866

Re: Sew Today
« Reply #12 on: October 16, 2018, 22:58:42 PM »
My question is this:

Where does a conglomerate end and a monopoly begin?

Gernella

Re: Sew Today
« Reply #13 on: October 20, 2018, 10:11:36 AM »
I can remember in the very distant past when I spent hours looking for a pattern and thinking most of them seemed old fashioned to me.  At that time I used to finish up with Simplicity more often than not.  Mind you the store, fabric at the top and had patterns in the basement, twice the size of the fabric bit.  From memory 6 long rows, very similar to desks with the pattern books on.  Doubt you would find that kind of set up now.  Last time I bought a pattern from a shop was around 1993, one book of each of the big names balanced on the edge of the counter.  Many a lunch hour I've wasted.  So, on line pattern picking, that's my kind of progress.   
Stash extension 2024- 6.1 meters
Left at the end of 2023 - 66 meters now (includes fabric found hidden out of sight)  Lining fabric not included

Tamnymore

Re: Sew Today
« Reply #14 on: October 27, 2018, 15:07:16 PM »
The Sewdirect and Simplicity websites now seem to have been amalgamated under www.sewdirect.com. Let's see whether this improves anything! Of course the Simplicity pattern of the week at £2.95 has gone, alas.
'One should either be a work of art, or wear a work of art.' Oscar Wilde