Books
The Element of Surprise
Dear all,
It has hit me hard to hear that Pom Pom Quarterly is ceasing publication.
One of our first meetings with anybody in the knitting world, back in 2016 when the world was young, was with Meghan Fernandes and Lydia Gluck. At that trade show, I remember that meeting as a particularly joyful moment—Kay and I were about to launch our Field Guide series, so it was a happy thing to meet people who valued print publications the way we did. They were cranking out Pom Poms that were really fresh and beautiful to see. And to hold. In my hands. They were printed books, and if there’s anything I love, it’s a printed book.
I hope Meghan and Lydia continue to create beautiful work in the knitting world, and Kay and I encourage you to get their final issues here.
And I hope Meghan and Lydia enjoy the respite from worrying about the way print publications have grown in cost. It feels vaguely like watching the creek rise.
Print is expensive. And those costs continue to grow.
However (and that’s a big however), our love of a printed book endures.
Kay and I find ourselves at a moment where we just launched our subscriptions for the 2024 series of MDK Field Guides. They may look like little books to you, but to us, they are huge.
I’m writing because this is when your love of a printed book can really keep our Field Guide series alive.
I’m writing this because I obviously want you to subscribe, right now. We’ve stacked special benefits onto the annual subscription, at a level that actually makes me at once very happy to offer and slightly twitchy because we’re offering significant subscriber discounts on everything we sell.
I’m writing today because I want you to understand what exactly happens when we create a Field Guide. There’s a whole ecosystem at work, really beautiful.
The People Are Everything
The Field Guides are printed in Winnipeg, Canada. Our printer has produced dozens of Field Guides for us, at the highest level of quality. I have spent significant time arguing about NHL hockey with Chris Young, our rep. He trash-talks the Nashville Preds in a way that is impressive and kind of makes me hate the Preds too. I’ve seen what his ice fishing hut looks like. Chris is one of those people you get to know over a period of time, even if you never meet in person.
Elysa Weitala, the photographer of the Field Guides, is another mythical figure. She and the inventive stylist Alessandra Mortola work magic with each Field Guide, in California. Their images are uniformly gorgeous, bringing a particular vision to each Field Guide.
Will Brady, our graphic designer, is usually somewhere between New York and London—I can’t keep track of him, but each time a new Field Guide draft arrives, I thank my lucky stars that he is designing our Field Guides.
Sue McCain is our technical editor, one of the most respected and admired in the industry. She’s in North Carolina, and when her edited patterns show up, it is always a moment I stop and think about how grateful I am that she is at work on these patterns.
At the center ring in this three-ring circus is Melanie Falick, the creative director of the Field Guides. She is an editor without peer, working from the idyllic Hudson Valley. Over the course of 25 Field Guides, she has worked tirelessly to bring together this team, working with dozens of knitting designers to make something magical happen on the page. It has been an endless masterclass to watch her do her thing.
So Who’s on Deck for 2024?
We never say. We are big believers in surprise. What we will say is that the three designers we are working with right now are going to bring us a year of truly gorgeous knitting. These designers each have a point of view that we really love, and the knitting is going to be full of surprises. In your mailbox. Which is a place we dearly hope to inhabit in this coming year.
Subscribe here.
Order the entire library of 25 Field Guides here.
Make your own bundle of three or more Field Guides here.
Love,
Ann
Years ago, you offered a sleeve to file the fields and keep them tidy. I could use another one right about now!
Another sleeve lover here – would love to get a second one!
I definitely would love to have the orange sleeves available again! Please consider making them available again.
I was prescient enough to order two of those sleeves-but I’d order another if it was available.
I missed out on the sleeve the first time. I would pay good money to get a couple and see my Field Guides standing neatly in my small knitting library!
Me too.
Me as well.
Something you didn’t mention is the fact that even if you don’t knit one pattern from an individual Field Guide, there is always a new technique to learn. Keep them coming!
The first thing I did when the Holiday shop launched was renew my subscription. I echo every one else’s comments about the sleeve. Would really like to have some to organize my collection. Thank you for the insight on all the people who work on the field guides. They are always so beautiful!
Ditto the box! Highly recommend the field guides too.
I did, too! I anticipate the holiday shop just to sign up for next year’s field guides.
In the same vein as the sleeves, I have all 25 of my Field Guides in that wonderful canvas bag with the velcro closure that I use all the time. However, that bag is now full. Is there a way to get a second bag for my NEXT 25 Field Guides? Or if not the same bag, some sort of container that I’ll be able to use? And if another bag IS in the offing, could it be just a touch different – like using a different color of canvas, or making the graphics a different color? That way I’ll be able to tell the difference between the first 25 and the next 25. No pressure, just a thought.
I’ve ordered my subscription because I value all the design work and thought that goes into them. I don’t always jump on a project from the latest book but will go back and pick up an older one to knit (and sometimes knit more). The instructions are as clear as the excellent photography. The small size gives them portability. I love the sage and easy introduction to new to me techniques.
As for the other comments, I too could use a re-issue of the little orange sleeve to keep mine all tidy and together
I tried to subscribe awhile ago but you didn’t ship the guide to Canada. Is this still the case? A digital guide isn’t as satisfying for me.
International shipping costs really do prohibit subscriptions from being feasible, unfortunately. You can always order each FG as it comes out, though – we ship individual copies to Canada and the UK all the time.
I can’t comment on the not shipping field guides qto Canada, but my local yarn shop (in Canada) carries the recent ones. Maybe look around indie yarn shops in your are and you may find them.
I love the Field Guides so much! Even if I don’t make the patterns, I love reading them, looking at the gorgeous photography and just holding them in my hands! They are so beautiful!!! I’ve been a subscriber for 2 years now, and also have ALL 25 FGs. Keep them coming!
The beautifully designed field guides are the cornerstone of the MDK knitting community. It was a Kaffe Fassett field guide that brought me to MDK. Since then, I have appreciated so many experiences beyond that. The emails with everything from entertainment recommendations, to recipes, to knitting tips and self care. The Zoom calls with designers I might never have met otherwise. At the beginning of my subscription, at Kay’s (pre-lockdown) recommendation, I was planning a trip to NYC for the Women in Fiber exhibit. We all ended up on a bit of a different journey…and MDK was part of my support network.
A huge thanks to the entire team for making this possible.
(And, yes, I do need another sleeve.)
Thanks for the reminder, Ann. I thought I had ordered the subscription but apparently I had not. I look forward to the release of each field guide with great anticipation. Have them all and for some reason duplicates of several! It’s nice to share them and introduce newbies to MDK. Keep ‘em coming.
I am a Canadian, a big MDK fan, and I would love to subscribe! And now that I know the field Guides are printed in Winnipeg (which feels just down the road from where I live!), I am particularly haunted that it’s not possible. Of course, I have bought several e-Guides, but they would be so much nicer sitting on a shelf with all my other knitting books, not hidden away on Ravelry!
You do great work. I’m not going anywhere. Just a bad case of fomo!
Arlene,
Although we haven’t figured out a cost effective way to offer subscriptions to Canada, the print Field Guides are widely available in Canada. We have a wonderful distributor who serves local yarn shops and online sellers based in Canada.
Someday we will crack the puzzle for direct subscriptions!
Kay
I am a Canadian, a big MDK fan, and I would love to subscribe! And now that I know the field Guides are printed in Winnipeg (which feels just down the road from where I live!), I am particularly haunted that it’s not possible. Of course, I have bought several e-Guides, but they would be so much nicer sitting on a shelf with all my other knitting books, not hidden away on Ravelry!
You do great work. I’m not going anywhere. I just have a bad case of fomo!
I renewed my subscription the moment the Holiday Gift Guide landed in my inbox. This is my self care. MDK and the people I have met through it are a gift that keeps giving. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
And as a former print production manager in an ad agency, I truly appreciate the finished product of those gorgeous Field Guides.
I’m so glad to see I’m not the only wacko who needs another sleeve! I ran out of room in mine several editions ago, and I just love the orderliness of it all. Please make them again.
Done! I love these although I have only made a few projects.
I echo the clamor for the sleeve! I would happily buy two more so that my entire collection had a snug and happy home. Looking forward to 2024! Well, the field guides…
I have my Field Guides in a makeshift sleeve – a printed cardboard photo box from a big box store (probably Michaels) turned on its short side. I kept the lid on the back of the box for stability. The box is approximately 8” x 11”. It fits the 25 issues so far and looks as it might fit another 25. (The FGs are stacked lying flat.)
Thanks for sharing all the people behind the work of making the Field Guide s. It makes me appreciate the quality even more. I already renewed for next year. Even though I would like to declutter my life and get away from paper, these are worth the price of entrance into the MDK knitting world.
Seeing as they are printed in Canada is there anyway Canadians can become subscribers as well…I am sure there are many of us that would sign on to receive these lovely field guides…always hopeful
Renewed my Field Guide subscription same day I got the MDK Holiday Lookbook.
So here’s the thing with me and Field Guides. I DON’T like surprises (don’t get me going on mystery KALs!), but have been a Field Guide subscriber for a number of years now. This year’s guides were mostly “meh” for me. Not that the designs weren’t beautiful/interesting, but for the most part had projects I would never make. That won’t keep me from subscribing for next year though and in fact I already have (the discount helped!). I have enjoyed learning about designers new to me and who knows, maybe I’ll love all of next year’s guides. Even if I don’t, I will have supported MDK, a company I value highly and want to see continue to thrive. As one who spent her career in the book industry, I will also always supported the PRINTED book!
I agree. I love printed books and want to be supportive. Would prefer at least two simpler projects in each field guide for a choice of challenge level. And would love to know the artists ahead of time…..
Me too. I subscribe to support the enterprise, not because I expect to knit the designs.
Oh and surprise they did in 23!!! I learned so much and challenged myself!!! Lorilee has been a great teacher! I would never ever have tried Olga’s beautiful shapes and Dee’s Botanical is worth framing!! Now the little Fair Isle hat with those Norwegian guys….what a challenge in gauge! . I finally got one I could wear but lots of babies got one in our family too! Each guide an introduction to people, places, and techniques!!!
And yes, Val is right… more sleeves please!!!!
Thank you so much for telling us more about the team of talented individuals who contribute to the beautiful creation of Field Guides. Without hesitation, I renewed when the Holiday Guide sneak peak was offered and took the opportunity to order the ones I did not have so I could make my collection complete. I would love another containment device for holding my overflow of guides! Looking forward to seeing and experiencing the 2024 Field Guides!
Your description of the work involved in making the booklets is well received by me. I get it. Having had a design firm for decades in SF, much time of which was pre-computers, I well know the WORK and TALENT that goes into making quality print. So, thanks. I, too, am not always smitten by the designs, but I very much appreciate MDK for many reasons, and am glad to support you. I will renew. Thank you for all you do for us, MDK Team. All ya’ll.
Living in Canada, I have purchased the e-book for a couple of the guides. How about a subscription just for the e-version? This would allow the international supporters of MDK to show our love and commitment to all you do.
When I visit my daughter living in Virginia, I will often place an order from MDK to be delivered to her. I just have to make sure to leave enough room in my suitcase to bring it all home with me!
Are you able to have Canadian subscribers yet?
I love and treasure my Guides. I also recommend them to everyone, as these are books I absolutely do not loan. I will, however, make you a cup of tea while we pour over the book at my kitchen table. ❤️. Thanks to your entire team for these. I do so love them!
I absolutely LOVE the Field Guides. I love the quality of the paper, the ‘new book’ smell, the photography, the stories, the patterns, and the small size of the guide. I don’t knit every pattern, maybe one pattern every 3 or 4 books, but the creativity in each book! I discover new methods, or incorporate a cable or colorwork pattern onto a mitten I’m already knitting. If these guides were twice the price, I’d still order them. I have yarn ready for the Mood Cardigan and the Shakerag top, those are my must-do projects for 2024.
Love these little bits of inspiration – there are projects in progress (real) (dreamed about)(drooled over). There are completed projects —all real and used. There are projects that have been adapted from patterns. Please keep up the great work!
I will miss Pom Pom too. Their voice for ALL makers and knitters was needed. I will miss their inclusive voices.
Thanks to y’all for continuing to publish. To hold the booklet in my hands (rather than scrolling manically on my screen) is a delight.
I have each and every one of the Field Guides and subscribe every year! They are wonderful!
I have renewed my subscription for 2024.
Another vote/plea for the reissue of the orange slip cases. I have two. Fifteen issues fit in one case. That means I have room for the three issues in 2024 and only two more after that….
I’m even willing to order in advance if you need production money.
I love getting Field Guides in the mail – i love holding that printed book, the anticipation of the arrival(and sometimes its SOONER rather than later) the dream of knitting the projects … some i know i’ll never knit, some i order yarn and tuck it in a corner, some i dig through the stash box(es) and cast on NOW! I’m so glad to subscribe another year and I thank you for the bonus discounts. It was a decision maker in my case. Thank you to every single person at MDK for making this possible. ❤️
SLEEVE: How did I miss that? I have all of the Field Guides and would love to have them.
Please help.