Molly Moo and Jessica too

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Molly Moo and Jessica too

I'm Gemma and since living overseas, currently in Beijing, I no longer make and sell as Molly Moo and Jessica too.

Please stick around if you want to see what I get up to in China and what I sew for myself .

10/31/2026

Date with Mr. Molly Moo and Jessica too in CDMX - starting at the Centro Histórico yesterday. As we were focused on a Day of the Dean itinerary, I wore my Friday Pattern Company in a gorgeous crisp cotton with sugar skulls and chevron print and a white linen viscose Sew House 7

We started off on Palacio Postal - turn of the 20th century post office with a palatial interior. The ofrenda (alter) here features a beautiful, traditional layout crafted with hand-stripped marigolds, fresh fruit, and classic ornaments.

Hard to believe that this is a Post Office! It was incredibly opulent with a very grand central staircase and interesting exhibitions. Well worth a visit.

The Palacio de Iturbide is a stunning 18th-century Baroque palace that briefly served as the imperial home of Mexico's first emperor, Agustín de Iturbide. Today, it is a beautifully restored cultural center that hosts world-class folk art exhibitions and seasonal installations with 100% free admission for the public.

Guarding the monumental "Pan de Ánimas" altar at Palacio de Iturbide. This 3-meter-tall cardboard skeleton was hand-painted by local artisans to celebrate Mexico’s traditional baking trade

The monumental "Pan de Ánimas" altar inside Palacio de Iturbide. Designed by Carla Fernández, this three-tiered structure features over 1,000 hand-baked loaves representing 31 distinct regional bread varieties from across Mexico. Entirely plastic-free and beautifully detailed with traditional rosa mexicano papel picado.

We watched some wonderful videos showing the hand crafted process of the giant cardboard puppets, hand baked bread, the paper cut flags and how the installation was created.

Classic Centro Histórico views. Love how the different eras of architecture blend together seamlessly right here in the heart of downtown

A sea of 100,000 orange cempasúchil (marigolds) framing the monumental Catrina and the Metropolitan Cathedral. The Zócalo completely transformed for Day of the Dead.

The marigolds were sourced directly from local chinampa farmers in Xochimilco

The centerpiece of this year's Zócalo display is a staggering 22-meter-tall monumental Catrina, expertl

10/30/2026

Half term this week and we went to a different area of Mexico City for a Doctor's appointment. I really liked the colour of this footbridge and thought it works well with my memade outfit - Seamwork - a cropped sweater that I used to make and wear all the time, and this green one is only a couple of years old. Worn with my Blue Dot Sewing Patterns in a gorgeous woven fabric that I bought in Guatemala - also a couple of years old now.

Scroll through to see the brightly coloured papermache hairless Xoloitzcuintli dog - spiritual guides that help souls safely cross the Chiconahuapan river into the underworld.

10/24/2026

I've no idea what I'm looking at in this photograph, but I'm going to go with it!

I made my 5th Friday Pattern Company in time to wear at my school's Day if the Dead celebration after buying the crisp cotton sugar skull fabric last year.

I love the chevrons, but maybe it makes it more difficult to see the sugar skulls?

The background is off white, which is not really a colour that I wear - nor grey or black!

Another me made item - one of my many Kelli at True Bias that I upcycled a couple of years ago from a top my daughter was no longer wearing.

The school's ofrenda - decorated table or altar built at home, in a graveyard, or in public spaces to honor deceased loved ones.

The Catrina statue constructed for a Day of the Dead celebration - a towering skeleton figure beautifully painted with colorful skull motifs (calaveras) and traditional floral swirls, wearing a massive, elegant wide-brimmed hat draped with a mesh veil. Large-scale statues like this are commonly handcrafted out of papier-mâché and wood framin - a traditional Mexican folk art technique known as cartonería.

The handmade Saw mask that one of my daughter's friend made

One of my colleagues dressed as Mictlantecuhtil, the ancient Aztec (Mexica) god of the underworld, death, and the ruler of Mictlan.

10/20/2026

The weather here on the outskirts of Mexico City is pretty cool and a bit gloomy today, so layering is definitely required! ☁️

My outfit today is almost entirely me-made. I’m wearing an ice blue TESSUTI FABRICS that is absolutely perfect for this chilly weather, layered over a navy The Maker's Atelier and a shortened RTW linen top. The final piece is my new Friday Pattern Company that I whipped up just last night.

Swipe to get a closer look at the tiny geometric print on the skirt—I knew this fabric would pair perfectly with my new red boots (check out my last post for the details!). 👢❤️

I’m entering this new skirt into a few fun sewing challenges:
hosted by Suzy Roberts, Sue Stoney, and Carmen Cose because it’s a dark, inky blue and a super adaptable style. 🐙
hosted by Alexandria since it’s the perfect piece for workwear. 💼
2fromstashamonth hosted by Helga W. and Nic because this cotton fabric has been hanging out in my stash for nearly a year! 📦✨

MeMade HandmadeWardrobe SewingChallenge FridayPatternCompany TessutiFabrics TheMakersAtelier MeMadeEveryday SewingCommunity.

10/18/2026

Did you know that Mexico produces some incredible leather items? Yesterday I went with a couple of friends to
San Mateo Atenco in the State of Mexico, right in the Toluca Valley and an hour west of Mexico City. Nearly the entire town is dedicated to shoe-making, passing techniques down from parents to children.

Unlike major industrial manufacturing, many of the small workshops here (talleres familiares) still produce in small batches—often making only 20 to 50 pairs a day. Because you are buying directly from the artisans or the families who design them, you skip the corporate middleman markup, which is why the quality-to-price ratio feels like a steal.

My gorgeous blue and white brogues were the equivalent of £25 and my fancy red heeled boots were £50. The leather and the workmanship is amazing and everyone was so lovely and friendly. It was so good that we're thinking of going again!

Scroll through to see one of the many volcanoes that we passed.

10/14/2026

Life (mainly work) has been incredibly busy, but I did find some time to sew the Vivian Shao Chen | CT & NY Interior Designer recently.

These are the 3rd pair that I've made, and I like both the construction and the finished garment. They are also my entry to two October sewing challenges:

1. hosted by Suzy Roberts Sue Stoney and Carmen Cose as they are a dark inky blue and are transformed/regenerated from a navy cotton poplin skirt that I bought in the sale when back in England in the summer. Scroll through to see me wearing that skirt that I knew that I was probably going to upcycle. Do you think I did the right thing? The fabric has a lovely crisp handle which makes them great to wear, but difficult to photograph!

2. hosted by Alexandria as so far, I have worn these twice to work styled 2 ways, the first with my 🍒 print double gauze Sew House 7 and an older rtw cardigan and then with an even older rtw cardigan and a relatively new rtw shirt that I shortened.

I have a Halloween print skirt that I really must sew up before it is too late - send me happy sewing vibes please!

10/10/2026

I was so relieved when I finally finished this hand pieced patchwork quilted Jen at Grainline Studio 18+months ago, however I don't wear it. I think perhaps it is too big and bulky, especially on the shoulders? Or the contrasting denim sleeves means that the much lighter patchwork stands out too much?

Anyway after a week of no sun, it is cold here and I'm about to go shopping with my daughter and I want to be warm. Worn with a plain white UNIQLO Global tshirt and my old skinny jeans that I widened. (You can go back to my older posts to see how I did it) Always a joy to make and wear upcycled clothing.

Have a fun weekend whatever you're doing 😊

08/20/2026

An action shot of me delivering whole school training to all of the academic staff at my school in the auditorium whilst wearing me made trousers. Despite being pretty extraverted, I really don't enjoy being the centre of attention at such a scale, and I'm not sure I'll ever get used to using a microphone! Please tell me I'm not the only one who doesn't like the sound of their own voice amplified over a speaker 😂

Anyway, I've done my bit for this round of inset training - an hour of delivering the training Vs the 7+ hours to prep it, but I'm grateful to have a job (Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator or SENCO in an international school) that means no 2 days are ever the same.

Trousers are the rightly popular Vivian Shao Chen | CT & NY Interior Designer wide leg view in a gorgeous silk wool mix navy pinstripe bought years ago at SIMPLY FABRICS

08/16/2026

We've been back in Mexico City almost a week and I had a soft start to the new academic year with a couple of days at work. Next week is our Inset training and the students arrive the following week.

I wore memades most days and I followed the suggestion by SewOver50 Sewing Community to add an overlay of the patterns that I used. I think it looks a bit overcrowded as I couldn't find a way to make the overlay images smaller 🤷‍♀️ Some of the photographs were taken in the afternoon just before rain so they're a bit dark.

Kelli at True Bias in a fun jersey print from SPOTLIGHT in KL and Your Sewing Pattern Destination 1377trousers in a textured cotton that I overdyed.

Friday Pattern Company in white linen (tablecloth from H&M) that I've worn repeatedly this summer with a handwoven neon pink gingham top from Cambodia that I shortened and reshaped.

The Maker's Atelier in a slightly shiny navy ponte

Another True Bias Rio Ringer Tee in a bamboo or viscose jersey from Spotlight again with ANNA ALLEN CLOTHING

Merchant & Mills in a gorgeous cotton from an upcycled UNIQLO Global Marimekko collaboration a few years ago.

08/10/2026

I'm currently at the boarding gate at Heathrow waiting to fly back to Mexico City after 6 wonderful weeks seeing friends and family in England.

I wanted to share a post just on my by Izzie | PDF Sewing Patterns & Video Tutorials that I made as part of my wedding guest outfit. I'm not sure how well you can see it, but there is a beautiful swoop that goes up part of one leg and across the waist. I used stripe play, but if you scroll to the last image you can see the pattern line drawing.

Whilst essentially the pattern is an elasticated wide leg trouser, I really like the swoop design feature, and I will make another pair on 2 different colourways or a plain and print maybe?

Address

Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON

Website

https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/MollyMooJessicatoo

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