Tuesday, December 17, 2013

To Renew or Not to Renew....

....., that is the question I am mulling this week.  Eleven years and counting.  Yes, I am one of the early PatternReview members, right when Deepika offered a start up idea for those of us who were primarily garment sewers.  My first review (of a paltry 40) is from August, 2002.  A lot of fabric has flowed under my sewing machine feet since then.  I was never a heavy duty reviewer or board poster but PR was always an enjoyable read for me.  I never got caught up in any of the controversies or drama over the years since I can find plenty of that in my daily life if I look hard enough.  When paid memberships started I was quick to sign up and happy to yearly support someone who was creating an inspiring online sewing community.  I was always surprised that a publishing company like Taunton Press of "Threads" fame didn't jump on this internet community bulletin board early but bravo to Deepika for finding a niche that has grown in more than a decade.  I took the most marvelous online classes from the late great Shannon Gifford and consult her notes and tips regularly. Her kindness and detailed explanations put some well known Craftsy teachers to shame.  
But now I am at a different stage in my life and in my sewing. (And should probably update my very outdated profile on the site.)  I have lowered my slow reviewing to a sluggish crawl since I find the whole format so time consuming and unintuitive for a non-techy like me.  I struggle with all the different photo site publishing protocols....Photobucket, PR album, Flickr and my default Picasa which I use almost seamlessly because Blogger is my blogging platform.  I seldom read the reviews since I've learned that for me sewing a mock up is the best way to tackle a new pattern and garment.  I glance at the review gallery that comes in my daily digest about  one third of the time and seldom go any further unless the garment grabs my admittedly fleeting attention.  I am thrilled that PR has created a community of sewing friends from around the world and enjoy seeing those groups gather and enjoy one another's company.  I happen to have wonderful regular contact with my own more local community of creative sewing friends so I understand the thrill of being amongst your own tribe regularly.  So what to do this year?  Renew my paid membership or not?  No the cost will not break my budget....although being a retiree who retired perhaps too soon in light of the last decade of financial turmoil means I watch the pennies and the dollars more closely.  Do I just think of it as a charitable contribution to a great cause....sort of how I consider my library fines?  I'm currently on the fence about this question.  You can probably understand why I am a Piceses with the fish faces looking in different directions.  I have ten days to decide.  What would you do?

11 comments:

  1. I never start a project without going to PR first. Its invaluable! However, I don't have a paid membership and have never felt the need for it.

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  2. It sounds like you have outgrown PR and since you make muslins before you sew up a pattern in your fashion fabric, there is little need to read reviews. As a newly retired person I, too, carefully pick how I choose subscriptions and evaluate them yearly. I understand the loyalty issue but it appears that it is not as big an issue for you now.

    Karen

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  3. I enjoyed your post. I too, thought carefully about renewing. Although I have not been a paying member as long as you have. I decided I didn't utilize the site enough to pay for it, and the interface is very clunky. I wish it was more user friendly and eye appealing.
    It is wise to evaluate your subscriptions - I agree with sewingkm - perhaps you have outgrown PR?

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  4. I can't really tell you what to do though I know what you mean about evaluating what you actually get for your precious buck after retirement! I've never been a paying member since I can get as much out of PR as I need without the deeper commitment. And I've never posted a review because unfortunately I have to do so many fitting adjustments and changes that I feel my input on a pattern wouldn't be accurate or relevant to others. However, I agree with SunnySewing. I might participate more if the interface was modernized! It's currently stuck somewhere in the '90's. Hideous.

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  5. Have you used Ravelry.com? The interface and database is so much better. If PR/Deepika invests in some UX, I'd pay for membership. With the existing interface, I can't justify shelling out $ for it.

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  6. Artisan's Square is easier to use, I find, and very helpful and friendly. They do ask for donations occasionally. I usually use TNT patterns at this stage of my life anyway!

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  7. hmm, it sounds as though you have moved on, and PR has changed from your original hangout spot. I find that I spend much less time on PR than in years past. Blogs fill a need for me in terms of inspiration. But, I still use the reviews when buying patterns and deciding on projects. So, I pay to support that portion of PR.

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  8. I use the reviews on PR, so my way of "paying back" is to provide reviews of my own, but I am not a paying member.

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  9. I too paid but found that it was not anymore beneficial for me than the non paying portion. I let it go this year....I can buy fabric with those dollars.

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  10. Interesting that you bring this up, as I have always felt you and I were so much alike. And here again, we are. I have the same thoughts about this as you have, and had already cancelled my membership when it came due last month. I agree it was a nice avenue, but I have found in the last year I have not used it at all. I get much more from other bloggers, and I, too, prefer to do a muslin to test a pattern. Plus, I find I am doing more and more couture techniques, which are not mentioned much in Pattern Review. So that is my two cents worth. Let us know your decision.

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  11. I allowed my paid membership to PR to lapse as I spend most of my time on Stitchers Guild these days. So instead this year I made a paypal donation to keep SG going.

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Love your comments, opinions, advice and questions. I just ask that we all "play nice."