Your local library should carry at least one quilting magazine with the older magazines available to check out.

Go to your local library before getting a subscription. Mine carries two different magazines and I love being able to check them out and look to my hearts content without paying a penny.

Like Donna, I prefer Quiltmaker and Love of Quilting also. Most times, a quilt 'I've just got to make' has been from Quiltmaker. Fons and Porters' Love of Quilting is so much better this time around since they're doing it themselves, that I began subscribing again.

I cancelled all my substriptions.

I Agree!

I'd say it really depends on what you like. Some magazines are really geared more towards very traditional patterns and others are more Art Quilts. Look at the different ones or if wrapped in plastic and you can't, buy just one. Then decide if you want a subscription.

I would try to avoid the urge to subscribe to any magazine before checking out some past issues. I would check the library. One library near here keeps a basket of giveaway magazines, and they have a used book sale once a month. At least one local quilt show offers used mags for sale...Cheap! Ask at your LQS, too!

I also let all of my subscriptions expire as I got tired of paying for all of that advertisement I use to like Fons and Porter but they even started putting a clothes catalog right in the center that could not be taken out without taking the magazine apart I agree use the library I also belong to a quilt guild a good group that we borrow and exchange from also lots of sites with free patterns try Quilterscache.com enjoy quilting

can't seem to give up subscriptions to any of them...stacked up in closet LOL...

I love just about any quilt magazines and therefore, I can't seem to throw any of my old ones away. I have an entire bookcase shelf of just quilting magazines, so I have decided to never subscribe to another quilting magazine. (yeah, right!) Well for now anyway.....

With so many patterns and ideas on the Internet, seems silly to pay $20 or so for 6 more issues of magazine. That could buy several yards of fabric!

My favorite is Better Homes and Gardens quilting magazine. Love it! Now, I will have to take a browse through my 5 - 20 year old issues of some magazines.

This board here has so much more help and hints than a magazine ever could!