Our first review... Mollie Makes Magazine

I don't often buy craft magazines. What's the point when there's so much great stuff out there on the internet and it's all (mostly) free? Daily blog updates from a few of my favourites help to keep me up to date with this seasons trends and 'hot' artists/products. If I haven't heard it already on Twitter or read it on a blog then I can usually find what I want with a quick Google (other search engines are available).

That said, every once in a while I have a craving for the feel of paper in my hand and that wonderful smell of fresh ink as I read. I can read an article while enjoying a hot bath - something I'd never risk with my laptop - or while I'm cooking dinner. I'm a traditional girl at heart and I do love the printed media.



Mollie Makes

So yesterday I snuck (is that a real word?), not one but, two magazines in to my trolly as I did the weekly dash around the supermarket. Molly Makes for the eclectic crafter in me and Lets Knit because it had some lovely chunky needles and a cute little pattern book 'free' this month.

Today's review is about Mollie Makes as it's a magazine that made an impressive leap into the market a couple of years ago and I pick it up for a flick through almost every month. Almost every month I leave it on the shelf because it doesn't quite 'grab' me, but this month there was a nice article on vintage cameras, and a really pretty crochet collar that caught my eye.

As with most mags these days the price tag is more like that of a 'proper' book at £4.99 and roughly 25% of the pages are direct advertising - by that I mean an obvious advert as opposed to a 'feature' advert.

The 'free' gift, when you battle your way through the glue and the toughest envelope I've encountered,  is a rather cheap feeling crochet hook, 10m of yarn and a plastic button. Not particularly impressive but enough to make the pretty 80's style collar that caught me eye. I'll give it a go when I get a spare hour and let you see the results if it's not completely embarrassing!




Screenshot from Mollie Make web site

Part of what I love about this mag is that it looks, reads and acts like a blog. The photo's are stunning but relaxed, the fonts are funky, the narrative is informal, almost touching on slang at points. It's a chilled out, easy read with lots of links to look up and new web places to check out.

I love reading articles about other designer makers and have to admit to the odd daydream that one day maybe it will be me - of course it would have to be shot on location somewhere because my house will NEVER be tidy enough for that! I also enjoy some of the 'makes' - the template to embroider a camera will make the perfect gift for someone I know, the big knitted bow is something I can use to teach my step-daughter to knit, and the crochet collar might just be the cutest thing I've ever seen!

However, many of the reasons I love this magazine are the exact same reasons I often regret buying it! It's just like a blog but the adverts are in your face and you pay a fiver for the privilege of taking it into the bath with you. It's so much like a blog that you feel the need to comment and connect but, of course, you can't do that with a magazine.

Although I appreciate a simple 'make' some of the projects are a little too basic for a sophisticated magazine. This month there's a jewelled crown that better suits a pre-school group than the average 'mummy blog reader', and the knitted bow (that I'm going to show my step daughter) is more likely to appeal to eight year olds - which is great as they could make it!

All in all it's a magazine I love to pick up and flick through, but I don't think that I would regularly buy it.

Is it one you read? What's your opinion? Let us know.

Nikki x