Mollie Makes...This is Wiss!

Following on from my earlier post about taking This is Wiss to the next step, I had some fantastic news this week. I have been wanting to share it for some time as I was so excited but I wanted to wait until I saw it with my own eyes. And here it is!

This is a page from the July edition of Mollie Makes magazine, and look! there is my fluorescent dice....in print!


Mollie Makes is a great crafting magazine, launched in May 2011 and features anything and everything handmade. It's a modern take on many old-fashioned crafts: it's a great source of inspiration and has lots of tutorials so you can try new things. I treated myself to a subscription this Christmas! If you want to have a look for yourself you can pick up a copy in the UK from WHSmiths, Sainsburys, and independent craft shops such as Ray Stitch, or check out the Mollie Makes website for international outlets or a web copy.


Enough of the sales pitch!


Now I know that this is just a tiny piece but I am so chuffed and it couldn't have come at a  better time: just as I was thinking of ways to reach a wider audience. Exposure (however big or small) is great and I plan to build upon it (etsy shop coming soon, I promise!) But there was just one small problem issue: the fabulous fluorescent pink material I use for these dice is strictly limited edition. So limited in fact, that there is precious little left. I have enough to complete some custom orders, and I have some dice made up in stock but once they are gone...it's all gone! Forever.


This situation is far from ideal, especially as I hope to be growing my business but I have finally been able to source some lovely replacement fabric and in some great new colours too. I will now be making my dice in cobalt blue, fuchsia pink, and mustard yellow...

These dice are just some of the new products I will be selling this year - I'll keep you informed of all the developments as they happen. Until then, you can get your hands on a squishy dice (as featured in Mollie Makes!) via my website www.thisiswiss.co.uk or if you're a Londoner, come and see me at the Balham Craft Fair on the 22 July. I can also custom-make dice with names (up to a maximum of six letters).

Thanks for reading as always, and watch this space!

The Force is Strong with This One!

I've had a pretty productive week and managed to get a couple of things ticked off my to do list. Not all of them were high on the priority scale but that's the way things go and I'm just glad when I finish something at all!

First of all I have booked This is Wiss into a couple of upcoming events in March. Sell It Mama is back in Gipsy Hill on Saturday 3 March. I love this event (both as a vendor and a customer!) and I'm happy to be part of it once again. You can get yourself some great bargains (see here), support some new local businesses plus there is always coffee and cakes! What more could you ask for?! I will be selling all my usual products and I have got some fab new fabrics to showcase this year.

(photograph from www.sellitmama.com)

The other event is a new Craft Fair, organised by Emma Barrett to be held at the Balham Bowls Club on March 25. I was looking to push This is Wiss into uncharted waters and was interested by a tweet from Emma (@ebarrettdesigns) asking for makers and designers to get in touch with her. This is her first event, and the first craft fair to be held at the BBC so it's all a bit of an experiment but with 9 of the 12 tables already booked it looks like it's going to be exciting! I will post more details when I have them.

I also found time this week to finish off a very over-due birthday present for a special little girl. She was two at the start of January but I am hoping that she will forgive me for a belated present (or more likely, not remember!) I am so chuffed with how it has turned out I will be posting seperately all about it as soon as I've taken some good photos. Sorry, Holly, you will need to wait just a little bit longer before I can post it to you!!!

I felt like I was on a bit of a roll, so rather than start making new stock on Sunday night (which I needed to do) I decided to tackle another over-due project. I have been after a robe for Wiss to wear after swimming as it is so cold when we get out of the pool. My mum offered to make one so I bought this pattern from my favourite website 'Dana Made It'. All of her tutorials that I have used have been so clear and easy that I thought mum would have no trouble with it. I was wrong! She got scared off by all the talk of 'nap' and 'pile' so gave the project back to me to make myself. I am happy to report that is actually a very easy pattern and comes together super-quickly - 3 hours from start to finish!

I made it from a thin Ikea towel, and strips of jersey fabric for the binding. I could say that I was looking for a distressed, urban and modern feel by using the jersey but in reality I couldn't find the bias binding that my mum had so thoughtfully provided! The jersey looks just fine though and will roll over on itself in time. I made the robe in the Large size (3-4 years) so it had a longer shelf-life, with the half belt detail. It is way too big at the moment but that doesn't matter much. If I were to make it again, however, I would make it with a full belt so it could be tightened more over tiny bodies. I would highly recommend this pattern though and not only did it keep Wiss warm after his lesson, it made him look like a Jedi Knight too. Not bad for a few hours work!

Hmmm...not sure abut the smile Obe Wiss Kenobi, but I'm glad you like it!