In talking off the record with former SCD members, I gathered that it was a combination of many things that caused the demise of the organization that had served the crafts industry for the past 31 years–the changing crafts industry, for one, and a change in the organization's management for another. In addition, the growth of the Internet forced many print craft magazines out of business, and designers thus lost many of their markets. The magazines that survived began to insist on buying all rights (particularly electronic rights), which no professional designer or writer was willing to sell. This forced most of the better designers to either quit the business completely, or begin marketing their own lines on the web.

I know change is inevitable, but I always hate to see the end of something that once was so very special to so many. I’m glad that craft designers will continue to have excellent opportunities to make connections in their industry through the Craft and Hobby Association (CHA), but I know that most former SCD members are also mourning the loss of the kind of intimate caring/sharing/networking atmosphere they once enjoyed at the annual SCD conferences.

Held in different cities each year, these events put absolute beginners on the same level as experienced pros who generously shared inside information unavailable from any other source. Here, in a quiet, friendly, and very informal atmosphere, both young designers and "old pros" could make vital connections with magazine editors, book publishers, and manufacturers.

Attending just one annual SCD conference could change an aspiring designer’s life. But the Society also advanced the careers of craft teachers, speakers, and business writers, including me. In 1981, I was invited by Joyce Bennett, then-editor of Crafts magazine, to present a keynote speech at an SCD conference. This wasn’t just my first keynote; it was my first professional speaking experience, and I was pretty nervous about the whole thing. But the encouragement I received that day, the industry knowledge I gained, and the many friends I made in just that one weekend was beyond compare. In fact, I’m still benefiting from the friendships and industry connections I made through SCD all those years.

By the way, the topic of my SCD speech that year was on networking, a concept that was foreign to most crafters and designers at that time. But my talk that day proved to be a catalyst for serious networking in the crafts industry. My speech was published in craft magazines and later reprinted by the Society, and before long, crafters everywhere had embraced the idea of "networking for success," an idea I have promoted constantly in my many magazine columns, books and newsletters through the years.

Speaking of which . . . the good news is that both former SCD members and new designers coming into the industry can now network through a discussion group on Yahoo.

In talking with Lisa Galvin, who served as SCD’s last president, she told me about the new Yahoo discussion group for designers. "One of the most popular tools that SCD members had at their disposal in recent years was the SCD Discussion list," she said. "On this list, designers were able to easily interact on a daily basis, making connections with corporate clients, learning of new opportunities, asking questions relevant to designers, etc. Newcomers (especially), as well as seasoned designers, found it to be a very useful tool. When we closed down the organization, that list was discontinued, but two of our members quickly started a Yahoo list called "Designers Transitional Discussion List."

To avoid lurkers outside the industry, this list is open only to CHA's Designer Section Members. (To learn more about becoming a member of CHA's Designer Section, please contact Keri Cunningham for a designer member kit.) To join the list as a CHA Designer Section Member, visit the group and send a short message by clicking the "join us" link.