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Original poster

Mollie Makes magazine - good Christmas present, or not?

31 replies

stealthsquiggle · 05/12/2011 09:43

I stumbled across the Mollie Makes magazine on a couple of blogs. It looks like a subscription would make a good Christmas present for crafty friend, and SIL and me.

However, it costs a lot bit more than I would normally spend on any of them, so I wanted to poll crafty MN opinions on value for money - and also if anyone knows what, physically, you get with a gift subscription - will I get anything that I can wrap up?

I was going to detail what friend and SIL are into craftwise but I don't want them to spot themselves IYSWIM....

OP posts:
PopcornMouse · 05/12/2011 10:34

From what I've read/heard, it's a bit like marmite - some people love it and some people think it's twee tripe (I am in camp 2, sadly)

Why not try and sound them out before spending all that money? Slyly pop a copy on the table and see how they respond to it........ :)

iloveblue · 05/12/2011 10:36

I have a subscription to it and its fab. I love it. You get a free craft kit with every issue - its definitely good value for money and in my opinion one of the best craft mags available.
I'm not sure what you get with the gift subscription, but I'm sure they would love it.

iloveblue · 05/12/2011 10:38

The main crafts covered in it are crochet, cross stitch and sewing if thats of any help.

SoupDragon · 05/12/2011 10:40

It is indeed twee tripe but I love it and am always terribly excited when it lands on my doormat :o

Original poster
stealthsquiggle · 05/12/2011 10:40

popcornmouse - I am unlikely to actually see either of them before Christmas - and the "marmite" thing is exactly what I am worried about - they both make stuff, but not "stuff" for it's own sake, IYSWIM - clothes, quilts, baskets, etc... - I am a bit worried the "makes" in the mag may all be a bit pointless twee [dither]

iloveblue - is it mostly bits & pieces (knitted covers for mugs made me very Hmm, for example), or are there more practical things in there as well?

OP posts:
SoupDragon · 05/12/2011 10:46

I would say it's not right for them then. Its pretty frivolous.

Original poster
stealthsquiggle · 05/12/2011 10:51

Thanks, SoupDragon. At a quick glance of the screenshots I have seen, it looks like the kind of stuff I would like to make but would never get around to.

Back to drawing board for friend and SIL then [sigh]. I had thought about some sort of quilting fabric subscription thing, but I have a sinking feeling that with DCs and FT jobs they both (like me) have a mountain of unused fabric already (but then again I wouldn't object to having more - just not FQs as I don't quilt)

OP posts:
SoupDragon · 05/12/2011 10:59

That's why I like the frivolity of it - the things are relatively quick and don't take up much space or are easy to give away. I don't make everything in the magazine though, i just like looking through it and wishing myself into the kind of life where I could sit about making daft stuff.

Original poster
stealthsquiggle · 05/12/2011 11:07

"wishing myself into the kind of life where I could sit about making daft stuff"

Aaaargh - now you have me dithering again, because that is what I can imagine both friend and SIL doing, but I am worried that they will think that I think that they do have time to sit around making daft stuff, or else think "WTF - why would she think I have the time and inclination to do all this - what a stupid ill-thought-out present"

[double dither]

OP posts:
SoupDragon · 05/12/2011 11:12

I assume you get a gift card thing to give to them. You could explain it to them there.

SoupDragon · 05/12/2011 11:12

How about buy them one issue each and give a cheque for the balance of the subscription?

PopcornMouse · 05/12/2011 11:14

living free.yudu.com/search?query=handmade+living? It's cheaper too - no cover gift though.

PopcornMouse · 05/12/2011 11:16

Arg, that didn't work!
free.yudu.com/search?query=handmade+living

MrsvWoolf · 05/12/2011 11:16

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
stealthsquiggle · 05/12/2011 11:20

Handmade Living is definitely more in my price bracket (and I don't think they would be overly fussed about cover gifts, TBH) - any opinions on that one?

I clearly don't spend enough time browsing (since I took a deliberate decision to stop buying magazines because I couldn't afford them) as I had never heard of either until this weekend Blush.

OP posts:
iloveblue · 05/12/2011 11:54

There are some practical things in Mollie Makes - they always have a project based on recycling an old piece of clothing for example, and quite a few I have mentally bookmarked to make. I like reading for the inspiration more than anything, I've also found lots of interesting websites/gift ideas from it.
I've bought a few issues of Handmade Living when it first came out and it is good too - but personally I prefer Mollie Makes.

If they're into quilting theres lots here

Quiltmaker looks good and is around your budget.

iloveblue · 05/12/2011 11:58

Lots here too

SoupDragon · 05/12/2011 12:02

The cover gifts are sitting stacked in a heap on my desk, unmade.

Terpsichore · 05/12/2011 18:41

They seem to be doing an offer at the moment - a free roll of quite nice-looking quilting fabrics (from somewhere called, slightly cringingly, 'The Makery') with a subscription. I can't track down any reference to that online but they're definitely offering it in the magazine. Annoyingly, there are all sorts of different subscription 'options' out there - I wish they'd just do one and then it wouldn't be so confusing!

I've started buying the magazine recently and tbh I do think it's a little lacking in substance at the moment, editorially speaking, but that might improve. Agree that the ads and links and ideas provide lots of ideas, though.

GetOutMyPub · 05/12/2011 18:52

Yes like marmite - I am also in the no-likey gang

I am quite liking Aussie mags atm. I picked some up at the Ally Pally show. And they sell them in my local quilt shop. For £5-6 they are not that much moer expensive than UK mags, but contain so much more for the money.

The UK supplier is here - www.manorhousemagazines.co.uk/

Original poster
stealthsquiggle · 05/12/2011 19:02

Oh boy - this thread is opening a whole realm of possibilities for my wish list presents. Those Aussie mags are very - um - precise in their focus, aren' t they? A whole magazine dedicated to smocking ShockGrin

OP posts:
RueDeWakening · 05/12/2011 21:35

Have you seen Sew Hip? There's normally a "gift" with a subscription, and the projects in it are a variety, but always include clothes of some sort, quite often a stuffed toy or similar, and you get the patterns for everything included too.

DillyTante · 05/12/2011 22:57

I love it. Admittedly it has become a little samey, and I don't often make stuff from it, but I just like to sit down and read it and be inspired.

'That's why I like the frivolity of it - the things are relatively quick and don't take up much space or are easy to give away. I don't make everything in the magazine though, i just like looking through it and wishing myself into the kind of life where I could sit about making daft stuff.' Exactly what Soupy says Grin

TwoIfBySea · 05/12/2011 23:04

What about Sew or Sew Hip if they're more into dressmaking & quilting. They both have different levels of difficulty in their projects & with Sew you get a free pattern each issue that usually has about 5 styles from that alone.

TwoIfBySea · 05/12/2011 23:04

What about Sew or Sew Hip if they're more into dressmaking & quilting. They both have different levels of difficulty in their projects & with Sew you get a free pattern each issue that usually has about 5 styles from that alone.

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