After each year of magazines I give them away. By the time I get a new issue there is always a quilt pattern that is just as nice as any of the ones in the older magazines. I don't have the need to keep magazines and will usually give the new issue away after reading it. I only subscribe to one now and buy off the rack when one catches my eye.

I wanted to make a quilt "Candy Cane" that I found several years ago in a McCalls Magazine. I copied the pattern and had it and when I started to cut it out I didn't have the page that gave the yardage. I couldn't find it on line and was thinking I would really have a problem. I stopped at a house sale and there was a stack of quilt magazines and the one on top was from 2001 and the quilt was on the cover! I guess you just gotta "put it out there in the universe"! Love the old magazines!

Maybe you could donate them to your library.

I gave up my quilt magazine subscriptions a few years back. Realized I just looked at them and hardly ever used them as reference or their patterns.

I have given boxes away on the Qb, donated to both of my guilds , take them to friends, and taking some to retreats this month. Love to trade them too. I copy what I want so as not to destroy the magazines. Just for me.

Like everyone else, I had too many magazines. I wanted to share them but it was difficult if they were ripped. Now I scan them into my computer and leave the magazine intact. I have folders for star quilts, applique, etc. Then when I want a pattern I just print it out. Donna

I went through all my quilt mags this Spring, had some from 1976. There are a few oldy and goody ones that I kept intact, but I pretty much did what you did. I decided to keep one year back and the current year. At year end I'll go through them again and take out patterns that catch my eye. I have two 4" binders now with my favorites (even sorted those somewhat)!

It seems that the patterns are becoming very repititious, just use a current set of designer fabrics to catch your eye. Certain mags are simply marketing products so they will not be renewed. Quilting isn't cheap and isn't going to get any cheaper. Guess we have to cut corners where we can even if we love the eye candy.

I, too, used to subscribe to too many magazines. Now, I get only AQS. I read it a time or two, copy out anything I might use and then donate it to our local library to put into circulation. That way, others can enjoy the magazine and it doesn't take up my space. When I started this I took in a year or two's worth of back issues also. Our small library was thrilled to get another magazine; they subscribe to only 1.

When we moved from a 3 bedroom home to a 2 bedroom apt., I had lots of quilt magazines in the milk crate cartons. I gave the majority of them to a friend, who would pull out the patterns she liked. My problem is that I get a mazaine, flag it with a pattern I would like to make and try to keep them organized. Periodically I go through them and purge again, however, several times I run across an older magazine with a quilt pattern I just have to make - what's old is new again. When my friend is done with them, she passes them on. I have also let several magazines go because of cost, but McCalls, Quiltmaker and Quick Quilts are my favorites. If I buy a new magazine I buy it only if there are at least 3 patterns I want to try, or some cute items I can make for gifts.

I keep notebooks with patterns from magazines and a tip notebook for ideas - I only subscribe to one magazine at one time. It got overwhelming with a lot o magazines