INTERVIEW #125 MIRANDA GRIFFITH

Name:  Miranda Griffith

Occupation: SEO Content Writer

Based in: Birmingham, UK

Website: www.mirrymaker.com

Instagram: @mirry_maker

Hi Miranda, welcome, can you tell us who you are and what you do?

Hi, I’m a 45-year-old multi-crafting mother of three from Birmingham, UK. I’m a sewist, knitter, freelance writer, full-time SEO content writer, and lifelong fan of old-school hip hop. I love writing about sewing and sharing my skills through tutorials and annual workshops at London’s biggest craft event, The Knitting and Stitching Show.

What’s your relationship with clothes, when did you get interested and what role do clothes play in your life?

I’ve always enjoyed clothes. My mother is incredibly stylish and she sparked my interest in clothing and using it as a source of expression. One of my earliest clothing-related memories involves me wearing a white suit with orange polka dots to primary school on a non-uniform day. Looking back, that day helped me to realise that we don’t need an occasion to dress up, in fact, we can be the occasion.  Today I still express my moods with my clothing and making my own clothes adds another dimension to that expression. 

How would you describe your style in a few words?

Comfortable and varied with a hint of street style. 

Any favourite items from your closet and why?

I absolutely love the dungarees I made using the Mila Dungaree pattern by indie pattern company Tilly and the Buttons. I made them around four years ago out of some black cotton and I remember being so proud of them. They look so professional and to this day I get compliments about them. They have had one minor repair since making them and I love the fact that I can keep my clothes alive for many more years to come by maintaining them myself. Another favourite is my handmade wool coat. It's got a contemporary design that I paired with a tweed-style wool coating to give it a classic appeal. It’ll stay with me for years.

How would you describe your closet, please paint it for those who can't see it, how much of it has items that you have made yourself? 

Currently, around 75% of my wardrobe is handmade with jeans, some tracksuits,  outerwear, and shoes making up the ready-to-wear portion of my wardrobe. The clothes I haven’t made have been thifted, gifted or I’ve owned them for years. I prefer not to wear or make overly trendy items as I like to wear my clothes for years. My me-made wardrobe is a comfy mix of roomy dresses, trousers jumpsuits, and a few cozy knits. 

When did you get interested in knitting and sewing?

I began sewing while my middle child was a toddler back in 2016. I obsessively watched DIY sewing videos on Youtube until I gained the confidence to get a second-hand sewing machine. I spent a year sewing “freehand” (without patterns) and gaining confidence by making a ton of mistakes. Around 2017 I found out about independent sewing patterns and the sewing and knitting community on Instagram which still has a huge influence on my making.

Mention a few ways people can start sewing, what is an easy way to start?

I would recommend looking in your wardrobe for clothes that you no longer wear and having a go at repurposing them. Experimenting with clothes you already own removes that element of fear you can have with new fabric. Another way for beginners to start is by making small projects that allow them to get familiar with the sewing machine whilst getting to learn basic techniques that can help you in garment sewing, like sewing zippers. 

Youtube is awesome for visual learners like myself, and it’s great for finding sew-along videos to accompany any patterns you plan to sew. Sewing books are also great resources for beginners. They often contain basic patterns to sew with detailed instructions and images. I recommend any of the books by Tilly Walnes (of Tilly and the Buttons) as an introduction to garment sewing along with “You Will Be Able to Sew Your Own Clothes by the End of This Book” by Juliet Uzor and “Ahead of the Curve” by Jenny Rushmore which is an amazing resource to learn about fitting hand made clothes.

What do you believe needs to change in the fashion industry?

The concept of disposable fast fashion and the immense waste it produces needs to change in the fashion industry. The people who create the clothing we wear also deserve better treatment, pay, and working conditions. Sewing and garment creation is an art that is often undermined by the fast fashion industry whilst workers are unappreciated. It takes skill and focus to create clothing and many consumers aren’t able to appreciate this because poor-quality garments flood our high street stores each season which removes the human element of clothing production making it almost feel automated.. 

What is knitting and sewing for you?

For me, knitting and sewing are forms of self-care. As a busy mom, I cherish my creative time. It’s a time when I get to align my creative thoughts with my practical needs and the end product is a functional piece of clothing that represents how I’m feeling and how I want to be seen in the world. The clothing I sew and knit are treasured items that evoke a huge amount of pride in me each time I wear them and I feel blessed to possess these skills.