We had several reasons for splitting up the forums. One reason is that it allows us to customize our forums to the topics we cover in the magazines. For example, in the old forum, Art  Jewelry topics were relegated to a few folders and were overwhelmed by the beading discussions. Now they are able to devote separate forums to all the metalsmithing, clay, wire, and chain mail techniques that they deal with.  

Another reason for separating the forums is that they’re now more manageable. With the old forum, we received many complaints that it wasn’t well moderated enough. Splitting the forums by magazine allows us to deal with moderation in a more efficient manner and therefore provide the forum members with a better experience.  

I hope that this helps you understand why the forums were split. We had solid reasons for doing so, and it wasn’t a decision made on a whim. When we had the opportunity to make some major updates, we needed to look to the future and this was our best option.

Having separate forums does not mean that you should post the same thing three times. Rather, post your question/picture/comment in the most appropriate forum. The following is a general guide:

• BeadStyle: stringing, beginner-level wirework
• Bead&Button: stitching, weaving, seed beads
• Art Jewelry: metalsmithing, wire, chain mail, clay

Also, please note that if you scroll to the bottom of the page, there is a link that will take you directly to the other jewelry forums.