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Linda Ligon, John Bolton, and Anne Merrow have come together to buy Spin Off, PieceWork, and Handwoven magazines and related products that were formerly part of Interweave from Peak Media Properties. The new company is called Long Thread Media LLC and is based in Fort Collins, Colorado. Long Thread Media was a backup bidder in the F+W bankruptcy auction. Peak Media Properties is owned by Terry O’Toole, former chair of the board of F+W.

“Looking at these rich, niche crafts, we knew that they needed a very personal approach in order to thrive today and in the future,” says Merrow. The three subscription magazines—Handwoven, Spin Off, and PieceWork—will continue publication and remain at the core of the new company, which will also develop video, multimedia, events, print, digital, and other products in those crafts. “Spinners, weavers, and traditional textile buffs count on authentic community and solid technical information. Linda and I know them; we are them,” Merrow adds.

The name Interweave will remain with its new owner, Peak Media Properties, and will continue to be associated with publications such as Interweave Knits, Interweave Crochet, and Interweave.com.

Ligon is the founder of Interweave where Spin Off, PieceWork, and Handwoven originated. She sold the company in 2005 to Aspire Media. Aspire in turn sold to F+W in 2012. Ligon is now also the publisher and director of Thrums Books, a publisher that celebrates indigenous textiles and artisans from all over the world. Merrow served as Editorial Director of Interweave’s Yarn and Fiber Group. Bolton co-founded Quilting Arts which was acquired by Interweave in 2007 at which point he became Senior Vice President and Publisher at Interweave. He left in 2013 but returned for a short period as General Manager in 2016.

Bolton’s other company, Unfiltered Media Group, a craft beer media producer founded in 2013, will be handling the non-editorial operations of Long Thread Media. Unfiltered Media Group publishes Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine and produces related events, education, and other media offerings.

“Acquiring these legacy titles from Peak Media Properties and helping breathe new life into them is exciting and a privilege,” Ligon says. “One doesn’t often have an opportunity for a major do-over, and to see such a solid creative team prepared to take Long Thread Media forward fills me with hope for the future.”

Merrow is bursting with excitement at the news. “Having worked with Linda for years, I can’t wait to start a new old company with her,” she says. “The last few months have been so difficult for everyone as our former owner, F+W Media, went through Chapter 11 bankruptcy. What kept us going was trying to do the very best we could by the readers, contributors, and other members of the community.”

The magazines and web content are continuing uninterrupted and Merrow says Long Thread Media is working to get the new websites up as soon as possible.

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