Happy Valentine's Day

Wishing you all a very happy Valentine's Day!

Here are some delightfuly Pun-ny Valentine's cards just for you. ( I should be ashamed of that one!)

Have a Lovely day! xx

The World says No!

Yesterday was one of those days! You know the type I'm talking about. One of those days when you just don't want to get out of bed. Its the type of day when you put on a dress that you wore only last week and the zip splits. When you run for the bus and wave your arms like a mad woman, and still miss it. When you forget to pack your lunch and don't have a penny to your name and your hungry and cranky. One of those days when it seems that everyone who woke up on the wrong side of the bed finds you, just so they can be rude. When it rains and you don't have your umbrella and your perfectly straightened fringe curls like it has never curled before and sticks up like corkscrews from your forehead.

It is on days like that my friends and fellow sewers that you should not attempt to sew. I repeat DO NOT ATTEMPT TO SEW.

It's days like that when you need your fairy god mother to say to you "Molly, don't even think about it! Back away from the sewing machine!" and hand you your super dorky, yet inviting flannelette pajama's, a bar off chocolate and order you to bed.

Sadly, I don't have a guardian angel, and as I am slowly but surely learning, I appear to not have an common sense either. I know this ladies and gentlemen, because I did not heed the warnings that the universe was sending me - and I SEWED!

IT WAS DISASTROUS!

It all started with a dress sample that I was making for the next Finders Keepers Market and my Molly-Made store. I had drafted a cute sixties shape shift/tent dress and cut it out in a royal blue poly cotton. The same fabric used for the Penelope Pom Pom Skirt.

For some reason I then decided that a little white peter pan collar would look cute on the dress. Had I forgot all those years of watching Madeline? Did I not know that the french school girl look ought to be left to small cartoon girls that walked in lines of two?

Even if that was the look I was going for, Look at that collar!? What the!?

Both those side were cut from the same pattern, using the same seam allowance, how on earth did the end up so uneven??

Then we have the issue of the zip. It was beginning to resemble a very nice lapped zipped. Except for the fact that it too is completely wonky!

It was at this point that the dress got tossed into the corner of the room and I sat there pouting, with my arms crossed (Madeline-esque?)

This dress is SO BAD, I even contemplated submitting it to lovely Karen's Ugly Amnesty over at Did you Make That, but that would mean finishing it and there was no way in hell that was going to happen.

So - Moral to the story children, don't run with scissors! ..... or sew when having a bad day!

Whats your biggest sewing disaster? do you have any words of wisdom?

Finders Keepers: Featured Designer

I'm super pleased to say that Molly-Made, With Love was featured on the Finders Keepers Blog today!

Check it out here.

Things are full steam ahead for the next FK market in June, and I've been busy sampling up some new additions for the winter range- I can't wait to share them with you!

Have a Good Weekend x

It is a truth, Universally Acknowledged...

..... That I have always wanted to dress up as Elizabeth Bennett! So here it is, finally, my Elizabeth Bennett gown!

If you have ever read Pride & Prejudice or are at all familiar with the story, you'll know that Elizabeth Bennett would never wear such a bold, rich dress. To me the hue would be much more suited to someone like Caroline Bingley. I love Caroline's character and her snooty attitude, but seeing as the opportunity to dress in regency garb (not in my life anyhow) doesn't arise too often, I just knew I had to go as Elizabeth. So, shall we just say it's an Elizabeth dress, post marriage to Mr Darcy?

Anyway, Whatever, who cares?! I got the wear a floor length gold regency dress, I wasn't about to let any literary technicalities stand in the way of that!

I used Burdastyles Danielle # 9306 for the base and made a few alterations, such as lengthening the skirt and widening it too, so I could add a few pleats to the front and back panels.

I also added extra width to the bust, So that I could add some darling little pin tucks to the front.

The fabric started it's life as 3 large curtain panels that I found a Vinnie's (a Thrift Store) about a year back for a mere $5. They were perfect for my bedroom, but for some reason they never got hung and now, well, I suppose its a little late for that! It appears to be a synthetic Shantung? Its quite stiff, and a little scratchy so I lined it in white cotton, the same cotton the curtains were backed with originally (Thrifty, Thrifty!).

Now, this dress is tight! and by tight, I mean tight tight! So tight, that while I was struggling out of it, my arm got pinched in the fabric and left a suspicious looking mark. You try to convincingly tell your colleagues "No, that's not a love bite, I just got stuck in regency dress". Sad, but true!

Other than a minor seam pull in the underarm (caused by above event) this dress held together very well, and I certainly put it to the test - Tennis, Bunny chasing, Badminton, Dancing, Eating, Drinking, You know -all the things you do at a good party!

Now I just need to find another excuse to wear it again - any ideas?

And the Winner is.....

The Veronica Valentine GIVEAWAY is now closed...

And the Winner is:

Ana Belen!

Congratulations dear! I will be in contact soon.

x

Introducing Melina & Penelope

Guess What?! I have added some New and Fun items to my etsy shop, Molly-Made, with love.

Introducing "The Melina Skirt" - (Modelled by my charming housemate, Melina!)

And "The Penelope Pom Pom Skirt"

I made these skirts from my own self drafted pattern for the Finders Keepers Markets last year.

Hope you like them x

Surprise, Surprise! *GIVEAWAY*

What a lovely surprise I have for you on this grand (albeit a tad dreary) Sunday morning. While I was in San Francisco I got an email from Jessa of Confessions of a Cupcake Countessa asking me to be her "Sweet Peek" of the week (WOW!). Every week Jessa interviews someone new. They are short and sweet and every week I look forward to reading them.

Not only is my Sweet Peek interview up on Jessa's Blog (Check it out) but we are also hosting a Valentines Giveaway for the Veronica Valentine Detachable Collar from Molly-Made, With Love!

And as if the first "Surprise" in "Surprise, Surprise" wasn't exciting enough; wait till you here the story behind the second! While Jessa and I was emailing back and forth, I was on a road trip with my brother and it turned out we were actually a lost closer than we knew - I was in her very own home town! What are the chances of that?! Sadly time was not on my side and I was leaving the day I discovered that fateful fact.

Next time I'm in San Francisco Jessa, its you and me and whole lot of Vintage Shopping! I can't wait!

If you would like to enter the giveaway, please click "Read More" below.

Have a lovely Sunday! x