Peckish - I agree with everything that you have said. I think that is you have touched on one of the major problems with the magazine industry in general. Every issue is basically the same. People don't want to keep paying for the same things month after month, so ad revenue goes down and the next thing is the print publication has folded. I was a faithful subscriber of Martha Stewart Living for over 10 years. I have saved EVERY SINGLE ISSUE. I stopped subscribing though, when the magazine became a slightly updated, recycled version of what is had been in the glory days. So now, I don't subscribe anymore and it looks like it won't be too much longer until MSL goes totally digital. If it even stays in existence.
I believe that our American quilting magazines should take notice. If you look at the Japanese magazines and the Australian magazines. WOW! Now these aren't all my style but I love to look at them and read about the different techniques and ideas. I think many of us would like to see some articles on these international designers.
Yoko Saito is an amazing designer. I hope that one day I'll be able to take a class or a lecture with her.