Showcasing and supporting the UK’s amazing array of designer-makers is a huge part of Mollie Makes’ ethos. Celebrating craftsmanship and creativity is so important to us, as is discovering new talent, so we’re delighted to be launching the sixth annual Mollie Makes Handmade Awards.
It’s our opportunity to shine a spotlight on those people turning their passion for handmade into a way of life, and highlight the amazing things they do.
The Mollie Makes Handmade Awards are free to enter, and open to residents of the UK and Europe. The closing date is 11.59pm BST on Monday 3rd June 2019, and shortlisted finalists will be invited to present to our amazing judges at Hotel Du Vin in Bristol on the 8th July!
Our chosen finalists will join us for a day of hands-on workshops, inspirational talks, panel discussions and photo walks with some of the UK’s best-loved creatives.
What qualifies as handmade?
Your products must be handcrafted by you or your team (other than entries for our Handmade Champion Award). This means you haven’t tailored, restored or repaired them, or assembled them from a kit without substantial alterations being made to the original design.
How do I enter?
Create a Pinterest board entitled ‘Mollie Makes Handmade Awards 2019’ and pin at least five pictures of your projects, bricks and mortar space, illustrations or creative services from your website or blog. Use the ‘Description’ box of the board to tell us about your business, and the categories you’d like to enter. Then, invite us to view it by emailing mollieawards@immediate.co.uk through Pinterest’s ‘Send Board’ button. Here’s an example.
If you don’t have a Pinterest account, enter by emailing all the info detailed above (attaching at least five low-res images) to mollie.makes@immediate.co.uk.
Create a winning entry
Team Mollie share what they’re looking for when shortlisting the Pinterest board entries…
“Use your board description to share what you do, telling us all about you and your brand. This space is where you can really sell yourself, so don’t miss out on the opportunity! Add as much information as possible, tell us your story, and make sure to clearly list the categories you want to enter.” Yvette Streeter, Editor.
“Make sure to include your strongest images, and don’t just stop at five! You could share your most-liked posts on Instagram, your best-selling products – anything that really communicates your work and who you are as a brand.” Sarah Malone, Art Editor.
“Think about what makes you different from other creatives in your category, and use your entry to showcase that. I know it can feel awkward promoting yourself, so ask friends and family what they’d say to champion you!” Lindsey Newns, Commissioning Editor
Which category is for you?
There are six categories and we’ll shortlist three finalists for each. You can enter more than one category if you feel they’re relevant to your handmade business.
Best Small Business Award
If you’ve got a start-up, a side hustle you’re trying to grow, or a small handmade business that’s been trading for less than three years, this is the category for you to enter.
Best Established Business Award
Enter this category if you’re a full-time creative with an established handmade business that’s been trading for over three years.
Best Illustrator Award
Championing talented new illustrators is hugely important to us, and this award category recognises those artists turning their work into a creative enterprise.
Best Workshops Award
This award celebrates the designer-makers out there sharing their skills and passion through workshops, inspiring others to pick up a new craft or technique.
Handmade Champion Award
Be it a craft blog, a bricks and mortar shop, an online boutique, or the team behind a great campaign or Instagram hashtag, this award is intended to recognise the people promoting, supporting and championing all things handmade.
Best Product Award
Got a stand-out product people love? Submit a picture via your Pinterest board, and we’ll put the shortlisted finalists’ products online, giving Mollie Makes’ readers the final vote.
Who'll be judging my presentation at the finals?
We've curated a panel of industry experts (and Mollie faves!) to help us choose a well-deserved winner from each category. 2018's judging panel were Mollie Makes Editor Yvette Streeter and:
EJ Osbourne of Hatchet + Bear. EJ creates beautiful products and furniture from foraged wood using heritage crafts, and also shares his skills through woodland woodworking courses. Known for championing simple tools and traditional methods, EJ's also an author and BBC TV presenter.
Reena Rai, Influencer Marketing Manager at Pinterest. Reena leads Influencer Marketing in the UK and Australia, and previously worked on digital marketing for huge brands such as Harrods. She also has a well-established side hustle as a fashion, travel and lifestyle blogger, and is passionate about emerging British design talent.
Suzanne Harmer of This Modern Life. Suzanne set up her modern décor shop for babies, kids and homewares after trying (and failing) to find everything she wanted for her little one's nursery online. Selling Scandi-inspired goodness from a range of designer-makers, Suzanne and her shop champion indie handmade brands.
Katie Leamon. Founded in 2010, Katie's luxury card and stationery brand is stocked across the world in stores such as Anthropologie and Selfridges, but stays true to its small-scale roots. Katie still designs their gorgeous products from her North London studio, and they're hand-finished at her family-run studio in Essex.
Tilly Walnes of Tilly and the Buttons. We're thrilled to announce that Tilly will be attending the day as our guest judge and keynote speaker. Tilly started her blog nine years ago as a way to share her passion for making clothes, and finally quit the day job in 2013. Since then, Tilly's sewn on BBC's GBSB, grown her brand into a hugely successful business, authored two books, and inspired countless people to start sewing their own me-made wardrobe. What a legend!
We will announce this year's judges shortly so keep your eyes peeled!
And what do I win?
Our prizes are chosen to help develop you and your career, from expert mentoring sessions to opportunities to work with brands such as West Elm, The Handmade Fair, and of course, Mollie Makes!
Best Small Business Award
The winner of this category will get the opportunity to host a pop-up shop at a West Elm store, business support, PR and more, and a starter advertising package in Mollie Makes.
Best Established Business Award – In association with The Handmade Festival
Our Best Established Business will receive a stand at The Handmade Festival at Hampton Court Palace from 13-15th September 2019, a one-to-one mentoring session, and the opportunity to host a Mollie Makes Instagram takeover.
Best Illustrator Award – In association with New Designers
This year, you'll win a stand at the One Year In showcase at New Designers 2020, a curated showcase of the most promising designers, a mentoring session with designer Katie Leamon, and a paid opportunity to design the papers or Good Read illustration in Mollie Makes.
Best Workshops Award – In association with West Elm
The Best Workshops winner will have the chance to host one of their workshops at West Elm store, win a mentoring session with EJ Osbourne of Hatchet+Bear, and also get the opportunity for a feature within Mollie Makes magazine.
Handmade Champion Award
Our Handmade Champion will win a Pinterest bootcamp to up their pinning game to the next level, a mentoring session with business owner and judge Suzanne from This Modern Life, and get a Q&A feature on the Mollie Makes website.
Best Product Award
We'll help you showcase your winning product across Mollie Makes' digital and print platforms. The winner will have their product shot and styled by the talented Mollie art team, get a post on the Mollie Instagram grid, and be included on our Mollie Loves news pages in the mag.
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Winners of Mollie Makes Handmade Awards 2019
Small Business Award, The Completist
Established Business Award, Ragged Life
Handmade Champion Award, The Mamahood
Best Illustrator, Liz Harry Design
Best Workshops, The London Loom
Product of the Year, Vases by Ella Masters
Winners of Mollie Makes Handmade Awards 2018
Small Business Award, Button and Blue Established Business Award, Katie Jones Knit Handmade Champion Award, The Fibre Lounge Best Illustrator, Holly Maguire Best Workshops, Kyle Lane Product of the Year, Wildflower temporary tattoos, Little Paisley Designs
Winners of Mollie Makes Handmade Awards 2017
Start Up Award, Lucy Tiffney Established Business Award, Rosa Pietsch Handmade Champion Award, Joanne Hawker Best Illustrator, Jacqueline Colley Best workshops, Esther Thorpe Product of the year, Doughnut pattern weights, Oh Sew Quaint
Winners of Mollie Makes Handmade Award 2016
Youth Award, Ellie Kate Gray (Sew Cool Dolls) Start Up Award, Susie Dorman (One & Eight) Established Business Award, Zeena Shah Creative Idea Award, Lucy Davidson (Peas & Needles) Handmade Champion Award, Kate Underdown and Rachel Walker (The Fold Line)
Winners of Mollie Makes Handmade Award 2015
Youth Award, Stephanie Ann Woolven Start Up Award, Hannah Rampley Established Business Award, Nikki McWilliams Creative Idea Award, Allison Sadler’s #MakeItSewcial Collaboration Award, HelloDODO and Designosaur YEAH‘s George chameleon necklace
Winners of Mollie Makes Handmade Awards 2014
Start Up Award, Sarah-Jane Brand (Hejsan Goods) Established Business Award, Jane Foster Social Enterprise Award, Emily Whitesmith Creative Idea Award, Crafternoon Cabaret Club Youth Award, Crafty Queens
Any questions? Email us at: mollie.makes@immediate.co.uk
Terms and conditions.
The promoter is Immediate Media Company Bristol Limited, 2nd Floor, Tower House, Fairfax Street, Bristol, BS1 3BN.
The promotion is open to all residents of the UK, including the Channel Islands, or Europe aged 18 years or older, except the Promoter’s employees or contractors and anyone connected with the promotion or their direct family members.
Closing date for entries is 11.59pm BST on Monday 3rd June 2019.
By entering the promotion, the participants agree:
(a) to be bound by these terms and conditions;
(b) that their surname and county of residence may be released if they win a prize; and
(c) that should they win the promotion, their name and likeness may be used by the Promoter for pre-arranged promotional purposes.
Entrants should enter by creating a Pinterest board called ‘Mollie Makes Handmade Awards 2019’. Pin at least five pictures of your products, bricks and mortar space, or creative services from your website or blog. Use the ‘Description’ box of the board to tell us about your business and the category you’d like to enter. Then invite us to see it by emailing mollieawards@immediate.co.uk through Pinterest’s ‘Send Board’ button. We’ve put together an example on our website if you’re unsure. Just go to our Handmade Awards webpage: www.molliemakes.com/mollie-makes-handmade-awards. If you don’t have a Pinterest account, you can still enter by emailing all the info detailed above (attaching five low res images please) to mollieawards@immediate.co.uk.
Entries received after the closing date of the promotion will not be considered.
Entrants must supply to Immediate Media Company Limited their full name, email address and daytime telephone number. The Promoter will use entrants’ personal details in accordance with the Immediate Privacy Policy (www.immediatemedia.co.uk/privacy-policy).
Only one entry per category will be permitted per person, regardless of method of entry. Bulk entries made by third parties will not be permitted.
Fifteen shortlisted entries will be chosen from all eligible entries by the Mollie Makes editorial team and the winners will be chosen by a panel of independent industry experts at The Mollie Makes Handmade Awards. The awards will be held at Hotel Du Vin in Bristol on the 8th July 2019. Travel costs will not be offered for attending the awards but food and refreshments will be provided. The Promoter’s decision as to the shortlist, and the winners on the Mollie Makes Handmade Awards day is final and no correspondence relating to the promotion will be entered. The shortlist will be notified within five days of the close of the promotion by post/telephone/email. The winners will be notified on the awards day, or if they cannot attend, by post/telephone/email.
There is no cash alternative and the prizes are not transferable. Prizes must be taken as stated and cannot be deferred. The Promoter reserves the right to substitute the prize with one of the same or greater value.
The name and county of residence of the winners will be available by sending an SAE to Mollie Makes, Immediate Media Company Bristol Limited, 2nd Floor, Tower House, Fairfax Street, Bristol, BS1 3BN, or online at mollieawards@immediate.co.uk within two months of the closing date of the promotion.
The Promoter reserves the right to amend these terms and conditions or to cancel, alter or amend the promotion at any stage, if deemed necessary in its opinion, or if circumstances arise outside of its control.
The Promoter does not accept any responsibility for lost, delayed or fraudulent entries.
If any shortlisted entrant is unable to be contacted within a week of the closing date, the Promoter will offer the place to a runner-up.
The Promoter excludes liability to the full extent permitted by law for any loss, damage or injury occurring to the participant arising from his or her entry into the promotion or occurring to the winners arising from his or her acceptance of a prize.
The promotion is subject to the laws of England.
All images by Will Ireland
