DIY: Basic Skirt

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

You will need:

1m of your chosen fabric
1m of elastic
A sewing machine (this can be done by hand but it is time consuming)
Thread
Fabric scissors or pinking shears
Lots, and lots of pins
A measuring tape

Before making take the following measurements: Waist and waist to the desired length, for example the knee.

Cut the elastic inch longer than your waist measurement to allow for seams and/or mistakes when making.

Fold the fabric in half, then mark on how long you want the skirt to be plus 2 inches of seam allowance down the fold.

Then stretch the elastic as far as it will go and divide that number by 2. Now measure that length from the fold along the bottom of the fabric and make mark.

Cut the fabric, either using fabric scissors or pinking shears.

Mark 4-6 point on the fabric and the elastic at equal points then pin together. This will help when sewing to get a straight line.

When sewing the elastic on to the fabric, pull it as far as it can go so when you have finished the fabric will stretch with the elasticated waist band you have created.

Cut off any excess fabric.

Then go over the original stitching to with a zigzag stitch to make sure the elastic was firmly in place, and to improve the overall look of the skirt.

Then iron the skirt in order to get a neat hem line.

Fold the hem once then again to ensure that the edges don't fray.

Sew along the hem using a small zigzag stitch or a straight stitch, it depends on the material which will look better.

Pin together the seam, with right-sides facing. The sew using a straight stitch all the way to the bottom.

And TA-DA you have a lovely skirt to wear!

xoxo Miriam

P.S. The above skirt was made for fellow blogger Eleanor from Coffee with Croissants

P.S.S. All the above materials I bought in a local material factory shop.

empty Fashion okay perfect poem scars scraps of paper words

Trapped by WORDS.

Thursday, July 25, 2013

OKAY is all consuming.
It's what they ask when you stop smiling, "Are you OKAY?"
The smile you paint on in the cold morning air so you don't utter lies:

"I am fine"

"I am tired"

When all you do is hide behind a charade of OKAY

PERFECT traps you.
In a struggle to find the scars hidden behind:

The bracelets

The long sleeves

and The lies.

EMPTY is what it leaves you.
There is nothing behind the barriers in your mind,
To keep 'them' out
To keep 'yourself' out
To keep 'life' out.

We are:

the walking dead,

the eternally damned

running from 3 words.

This is just a little poem I wrote on a scrap of paper a while back and have edited repeatedly since.

xoxo Miriam

3 book club books enchanting Fashion the great gatsby

The Book Club: Three at once

Monday, July 22, 2013

The holidays have arrived and I am reading more than ever despite the pile of homework sitting in the corner of my room. I have done some I promise, and two of these books are college related.

The Little Coffee Shop of Kabul (Deborah Rodriguez) and The Kite Runner (Khaled Hosseini) are both books that I read in order to write my Extended essay, and I was pleasantly surprised when both of them lived up to what I previously thought were hyped up reviews. Both books are very different sides of the same coin. Telling tales of the hardships and wonders of Kabul and it's people during political and religious turmoil. I personally loved all the characters, and couldn't pick a favourite out for you.

The Great Gatsby (F.Scott Fitzgerald)
This entangling and almost dream like scene played out in New York during the nineteen twenties, captures your heart and your mind as you enter the dizzying heights of Mr.Gatsby's parties narrated by Nick. The whole story gave me a different idea of life post WW1, I always thought it was a rather dark time now I have other ideas.
Now this is a reread for me, and once again I was enchanted by Daisy and was mystified by Gatsby the only character that made sense to me was Mr. Caraway or Nick. If you have seen the film I suggest you read this it has a very different feel to it.

All of the above books, made me laugh, cry and feel genuine happiness for the characters. I think what surprised me most is that you feel like you know all of the characters as well as you would your mother or best friend.

xoxo Miriam

Next up is: The Apartment by Greg Baxter

art Baking cake chanel coffee creative Fashion happiness summer

Summer Pudding.

Sunday, July 14, 2013

For once I am sticking to my little timetable, and posting a nice little cooking idea on a Sunday. So for today and possibly tomorrow I made a Summer pudding,you know the type, with far too much fruit and not enough bread. to hold it in. Insert weird diagram here....

Summer Pudding

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:
- 700g Red Fruit - 125g Caster Sugar - 8-10 thin slices of bread with the crusts removed -

Heat the fruit and the sugar in a saucepan until the sugar has dissolved and the juices are running. Remove the mixture from the heat. Lightly grease a pudding basin. Soak the bread in the fruit juice and arrange around the pudding basin. Pour in the fruit and remaining juice. And create a lid with any remaining bread. Leave in a cool place overnight with a plate with weights on top to compress the lid down.

Miriam

xxx

centre court Fashion ice cream mint green ootd roses wimbledon

Centre Court.

Monday, July 01, 2013

Time for a touch of Wimbledon, in the south-west me thinks. For those who haven't been paying attention the infamous tennis tournament is back and with many a surprise. Federer, Nadal, Williams Sisters to name but a few have all been knocked out, definitely worth a watch.

Anyway to start my day of Centre Court appriciation so Pistachio and White Chocolate ice cream, from a fellow blogger: The Ginger Bread Lad

WARNING: HIGHLY ADDICTIVE!

As Wimbledon is a grass court I figured this was the perfect excuse to take pictures of my outfit in the garden amongst the greenery, and flowers of my front garden...