Welcome to my blog about Home Arts Needlecraft Magazine! I "discovered" this publication about 2 years ago and fell in love with it to the extent that I had to start collecting issues as I ran across them. The magazine began publication with its September, 1909 premier issue, and continued through March, 1941. It has been interesting to follow the changes through the 30 plus years the magazine was published. It is a great source for needlework, fashion, recipes and short stories. Through my journey of sharing my issues online, I hope to discover a pattern of what was popular in different forms of needlecraft over the 3 decades. I hope you enjoy my blog as much as I am (so far!) enjoying posting articles and projects from the issues. Thanks for visiting!

Monday, December 17, 2012

Editor’s Page

November, 1912, page 7

All Together!
Let us double Needlecraft’s subscription-list this fall – shall we?  Oh, yes; we know our circle is a big one, already – we have every reason to feel proud of it and of the good, true friends who have steadily aided in extending it.  But we do want it to grow even more rapidly in the future than in the past, and to this end we know every one of these same loyal friends will lend a hand, freely and gladly.
Because needlecraft is OUR paper, in every sense of the word; it belongs to us all alike, to subscribers, publisher and editors.  We have worked together to make it what it is, and we shall keep right on working to make it better, and better still.
To come back to the doubling of that subscription-list, it will be the very easiest thing in the world to do.  Suppose, for example, you stop a moment right here, as you read, and call to mind a friend or acquaintance who does not have Needlecraft, but who would, you feel sure, be benefited by it , no less than delighted; then do not lose any more time than is necessary in seeing her, or writing her if she lives at a distance.  Tell her how much you enjoy our paper and what a help it is to you on your home-dressmaking and fancy work.  You will get her subscription – there isn’t a doubt of it, as we need not suggest; then all you have to do is to enclose the money – only twenty-five cents, remember, for Needlecraft until January, 1914! -- and ask for the beautiful birthday-souvenir, a sterling-silver thimble!
It is easy, isn’t it?  You will find the thimble worth more than the subscription-price – indeed, we very much doubt your being able to buy it for so small a sum, even at one of those famous “bargain sales”!  And do not stop with obtaining a thimble for yourself.  Tell your friend that so soon as she becomes a subscriber she will be able to have one of these charming, useful souvenirs for herself, by simply sending the subscription of yet another friend.  So the chain will lengthen until that list is doubled, and more.
Aside from every other consideration, however, we want you to do this because you love Needlecraft; because, knowing how helpful and interesting the paper is to you, you want to pass it along to others.  That is the best and truest motive in the world.  We are glad to send the souvenir thimble as a good-will gift to every worker; but we especially like to give it for such friendly, loyal service.  You do not blame us, do you?
All together, now – let us double Needlecraft-s subscription-list!

Concerning the Birthday-Souvenir
One good friend writes: “Surely, no nicer souvenir could possibly have been chosen than that lovely thimble of sterling silver.  I wonder if my Needlecraft sisters will like to know what I am doing?  You see, I have a large circle of friends whom I want to remember at Christmas-time, and on other gift-making occasions, and I am always adding to my gift-box articles that I am sure will be appreciated.  First, I sent the subscription of a friend and received my thimble; it was so lovely – really better, I am sure you will pardon my saying, than I could possibly anticipate, even though I know our paper’s word is as good as a bond – that the thought at once occurred to me: ‘Why not secure one of them for my sister?’  This I did, sending another subscription, and tucking the bright little needlewoman’s helper away in my treasure-box to await the coming of my sister’s birthday-anniversary, in November.  And then the plan occurred to me to present a year’s subscription to Needlecraft as a Christmas-remembrance to some friends I know will thoroughly appreciate the paper, and the souvenir thimble to as many more friends, who will be equally delighted with that.  I couldn’t buy gifts half as nice for a good deal more money.  I am helping the paper, of which I am so fond, to extend its circle, and so we are all happy ‘in a bunch,’ as the little folks say, which I think is very much worth while.”
Indeed it is.  There is just one think which should be added concerning Needlecraft as “a Christmas-remembrance.”  It is more than that – it is an all-the-year-around reminder.  Every month, as the little visitor arrives, bringing its store of good things, the recipient is sure to think lovingly of the one to whose thoughtful kindness she is indebted – and loving, kindly thoughts are of more substantial value than many of us are inclined to allow.
This suggestion is well worthy adoption from every point of view.  Needlecraft, for the year, is a gift sure to be appreciated and welcomed by any woman, and Needlecraft’s souvenir thimble is only second to the paper itself in this regard.  Do not fail to read the offer on page 24.

That Souvenir Prize
We have been helped to do just the right thing – as we are always sure to be when we appeal to our readers.  You will remember that when opinions as to the most desirable souvenir were asked for, a prize was offered – to be awarded the one whose suggestion was adopted.  As it chanced, the vote for a silver thimble was at last one hundred to one for anything else, although many other articles suitable, unique and pleasing, where named.  And so again we asked advice as to how the prize might be fairly awarded, in view of the fact that hundreds of our friends were entitled to it.  The responses to this later appeal certainly justify our faith in the ability and willingness of our good friends to aid us in every emergency.  Here are a very few of them:
“I suggest that the prize to be given to the oldest subscriber among those who voted for the thimble; or, better still, to the one who gains the largest number of subscriptions in a specified time, say one month.”
“The thimble is lovely, and I am going to have one.  It is sufficient rewards for me to know that it was chosen as a souvenir, but I would suggest that the letter of earliest date be given the prize.  However, let the majority decide; I for one, shall be perfectly satisfied with whatever it may be thought best to do.”
“By all means give the prize to the one who wrote the brightest letter; then let us all have it to read.  Often a few words cheer us and are of more value than money, and not every one can write them.”
“I would suggest that the silver thimble be sent to every one who voted for it, regardless of the subscription; at the same time, I know that something for which I make some little return is far more precious than if it is given me outright.  Why not send two thimbles to each of those who voted for it as a souvenir – she, of course, to send the required subscription; then she can present one of them to some dear friend, and so get a double pleasure from it.”
“It seems to me that all who suggested the thimble as a birthday-souvenir should be treated exactly the same, and that nothing could be more fair than to extend the subscription of each and every ‘voter’ for one year.  We cannot all write witty letters, however we might like to; and the paper gets to some of us much earlier than to the far-away ones.  However, I shall be pleased with whatever decision is arrived at.”
And the decision is to extend the subscription of every subscriber who suggested the “winning souvenir” – surely a winner in every meaning of the word.  That seems the fairest measure, and it has the commendation of by far the largest number of our “helpers.”  Personally, we like the ring of the third suggestion quoted – and the first, and, in fact, all of them!  As stated, however, the plan adopted, has an overwhelming number of “Ayes!” and it is a good one.

The Brightest Letter
Now that we look at it again, we are not quite sure it is any brighter or more witty than a good many others.  It is well worth passing on, however.
“Every woman needs Needlecraft; by the same token every woman needs a thimble.  So let us have one of these necessary little first aids in sewing, sterling silver, if you can afford to make it so, and with the inscription “Needlecraft” around the rim, that every time we see it, as it goes flashing in and out of our work, whether we chance to be darning socks, putting on patches, or engaged for the nonce in what I call the poetry of needlework – embroidery – we shall be reminded of the dearest, cleanest, most efficient and ready counselor woman ever had – a paper no woman should do without.  Then it will aid us to make more friends for this same paper, and so to earn many of the nice premiums for ourselves.  You know we women-folks, especially those of us who live in country districts, often take our sewing and run in to a neighbor’s for an hour or two, or we go to the weekly sewing-circle, workbag on arm.  In that case, having of course one of Needlecraft’s thimbles, the following conversation is likely to ensue; if it doesn’t come about naturally, it will be quite easy to turn it in that direction:
“Mrs. A. – ‘Why, Mrs. B---. What a pretty thimble you have!  A new one, isn’t it?  Where did you get it?  I never saw so nice a one at the village store.
“Mrs. B. – (dropping her work and proudly displaying her thimble). --- ‘Yes, it is a new one – sterling silver, too.  I am very proud of it.’
“Mrs. A – (taking the thimble and examining it, while the other ladies gather around, also looking at the thimble admiringly). ---‘I do not wonder, indeed; really, I never saw a prettier one.  And what is the inscription. “N-E-E-D-L-E-C-R-A-F-T”?  What does that mean?’
Mrs. B. – (smiling). – ‘The craft of the needle – in other words, the dearest little magazine for the all-around needlewoman you ever say.  I trust all of you take it; if not, I do hope you will give me your subscriptions.  Then you will be entitled to send in, as members of Needlecraft’s circle, and receive a thimble for yourselves.  I have a spare copy here’ (pulling it out of her workbag) ‘for you to examine.’
“And I will venture to say that, having looked the paper over, every woman will be glad to subscribe; that, at least, has been my experience.  I never go away from home without taking one or two copies of Needlecraft to show if I have an opportunity – and a great many times I make the opportunity if it doesn’t appear promptly!”
Do you not agree with us that the writer of this letter really deserves a little special prize?  We mean she shall have it.

Another Prize Offer
Next month we hope to award the “slogan” prize.  The work of assorting, reading and classifying the letters written in response to that offer has been many times greater than the most sanguine  had any idea it would be – which only goes to prove, if proof is needed, that Needlecraft readers never do things by halves!
Here is another offer, which we hope will meet the same ready approval:  Ten of those “crisp dollar bills,” – or one crisp ten-dollar bill, as the winner prefers! – shall be awarded the club-raiser who, sending a list of subscriptions, gives us also the method of securing new subscriptions which  may be adjudged the most original, unique and above all, effective.  The number of subscriptions accompanying the letter will not be considered in making the award, although it may wisely be accepted as demonstrating the working-value of the method in question.

The letters shall be printed, and are sure to offer many valuable suggestions to club-raisers in city or country.

 

 

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