The Four Questions-Pam Allen, Interweave Knits

October 10, 2005

Pam Allen, Editor-in-Chief, Interweave Knits

Loveland, Colo.-based Interweave Press launched Interweave Knits in 1997 with more than 100,000 circulation. Initially planned as a one-time special issue, Interweave Knits proved popular enough to warrant quarterly publication, according to Pam Allen, its Dover, NH-based Editor-in-Chief, who adds, "It's been a quarterly ever since," with circulation now at 180,000. That includes nearly 45,000 sold at newsstands and bookstores like Borders, she notes. "Knitters are a broader demo now than five years ago, when they tended to be skillful and 30- or 40-something," Allen says. "Now, knitting is very hot, appealing to a much younger audience. Our challenge is to reach both ends of that spectrum." The company's latest strategy for targeting "the newer, and probably mostly younger, knitters who want to knit modern, stylish sweaters" is introducing Knitscene. Its first special issue will hit newsstands October 18 with 180,000 copies, Allen says, adding that a second issue is planned for Spring/Summer.

Q. Most people wouldn't see a link between knitters and baseball, and yet you've so far done two "Stitch & Pitch" nights at Major League Baseball stadiums this season. How did that promotion come about?
A. Some marketing staffers for the Seattle Mariners are knitters, so they came up with the idea. Their event drew 1,600 knitters on July 28. With the Chicago White Sox, we donated magazines for a prize giveaway -- to win one of 25 copies of Interweave Knits and Interweave Crochet magazines and five needle-arts goodie bags. That September 20 event was not as successful as the Mariners promotion. Being from Chicago, I think a Cubs event probably would've done better.

Q. We Googled celebrities who knit or crochet and came up with almost 20 names -- from Julia Roberts, Madonna and Sarah Jessica Parker to Madeline Albright, Tyne Daly, Rosey Grier and even Russell Crowe! Have you ever done interviews or stories on stars like those in Interweave Knits and/or Knitscene?
A. We're unsure if it's a rumor or true about Russell Crowe. Our magazine briefly ran a column with a well-known personality about two years ago. Frankly, it was kind of boring. Not all celebrities would be, though. Julia seems to know a lot about the subject. Celebrities kind of made knitting cool to do, but veteran knitters don't care about that. Besides, celebrities are private people and it's hard to get those interviews. We're more interested in [regular] people with something to say about knitting.

Q. Last March you did a Martha Stewart poncho promotion, giving away the design for the poncho she wore when leaving prison. The promotion was featured in 50 daily newspapers, on the CBS Early Show and on 50 local TV morning shows. How many inquiries did you get for that pattern?
A. Actually, that wasn't the Martha Stewart poncho design. Fashion designer Lily Chin designed her interpretation of it and we offered that pattern on our website, www.interweave.com. We got 100,000 downloads – about 12,000 an hour. The website is an important way to get information out faster than magazines that are published quarterly.

Q. There's an American Red Cross banner for Katrina donations on the Interweave Press website. Besides that and your recent eBay charity auction, is your company and/or magazine donating magazines and knitting materials to the hurricane victims as a way to brighten their disrupted lives?
A. We decided the biggest contribution we could make would be to send money. Down the line, we may send yarn and needles. Our charity auction raised $4,000 between Sept. 16 and Sept. 26.