Fashion Fix Revisited: Silk scarf pillow case

Amanda Thomas Photography

Now the muggy summer months are over and we sink into a cosy, autumnal slump, it's time for my hair to take another beating from the elements. Wind and rain are as bad as humidity and beating sunlight, so I thought it's high time I revisited one of most popular fashion fixes from last year; the silk scarf pillow. Inspired by Harpers Bazaar's tips to tame frizzy hair, I jumped at the chance of a wallet friendly tip. Et voila, the Silk Scarf Pillow Fashion Fix.

The biggest money saver on this is to use a silk scarf rather than fork out for metres of silk. They are easily sourced in local charity shops as I don't tend to find 100% silk content ones in the highstreet stores

You will need:

• A plain pillow case
• Enough silk to cover one side
• sewing machine
• dressmaking scissors
• dressmaking pins
• tailor's chalk

How to do it:

1. Place your pillowcase right sides together on top of the silk and use as a template. Draw around on the silk using tailor's chalk, leaving 1.5cm seam allowance. Cut out.
2. unpick or cut out one side of the pillow case. (retain the rectangle that has the folded over inner piece that keeps the pillow in place)
3. place the pillow rectangle and the silk rectangle right sides together and pin around 3 sides leaving the opening unpinned.
4. Machine sew a running stitch all around the pinned sides.
5. trim the edges and corners, turn inside out and press.

Amanda Thomas Photography

Fashion Fix: Pimp your Pumps, Parisian Style

Photo Amanda Thomas

Photo Amanda Thomas

I think there is at least a week or two left for ankles to be on display…? Here's a Fashion Fix for the brave: Silk scarf pumps.

Photo Amanda Thomas. Parisian silk scarf pumps!

You will need:

• silk scarf
• fabric scissors
• sewing machine
• hand leather needle and matching thread

How to do it:

1. cut the silk scarf into four rectangles 25 x 12 cm
2. fold right sides togther and pin along the long edge
3. machine a running stitch along the long edge, turn inside out and press
4. press and fold in one end of each rectangle on a diagonal, machine a running stitch along the edge
5. place the raw end of one rectangle along the outside of the pump by the sole, hand sew in place with a leather needle.

Cloth Issue 19

Cloth Issue 19 hit the shops a few weeks back and as usual, you can find some brilliant projects from Ros and myself inside.

Highlights include, this incredible plastic spoon necklace; a wrap bikini top, pimping four pairs of pumps, silk scarf top and our usual fashion fixes.