Thriftlady's wartime experiment

Farway

budgeteer wrote: »

Maybe it was the same for clothing. If you didn't have the money, you couldn't get the clothes

True, and of course clothing was all "utility", all the same, fashion forget it, which of course was why old parachutes were in demand for stockings, if no old parachutes then it was cold tea on the legs to stain

zippychick

here's the wartime experiment thread of thriftladys

we also have this older thread

Hope those help and we will merge this later

there's also this thread with a great post by Pink here

Zip

rosieben

Just thought I'd add to this thread, I read that Ruth, Alex and Peter of Victorian/Edwardian Farm are making another series set in the 1940's, due for broadcast in mid 2012.

mardatha

wish it was on now ....!

Justamum

rosieben wrote: »

Just thought I'd add to this thread, I read that Ruth, Alex and Peter of Victorian/Edwardian Farm are making another series set in the 1940's, due for broadcast in mid 2012.

Fantastic. I look forward to that.

monnagran

Just had a quick nosey at this thread. I was born before the war so have some very clear memories. One of the things I remember hating was Mum's 'extender' which was her way of stretching the butter ration. As far as I know it was butter melted with milk and mixed with cornflour. A basin of this was always on the table and it was what we spread on our bread. I've never actually tasted axle grease but I bet it's a fair comparison.
As children we never had sweets. even if we had the points there were hardly any in the shops. When we went to school we would use our penny pocket money to buy an oxo cube and we'd eat that. Some enterprising boys, deprived of chewing gum, tried chewing sticks of wax but I don't think they did it more than once. The greatest treat was Ovaltine tablets, they were like gold dust.

As to clothes, socks and vests were handknitted, everything was made out of something else. My Dad was less than thrilled to find that I was wearing a matching coat and skirt made from his cricketing flannels by my talented tailoress grandmother. Hands up those who were made to wear Liberty Bodices?
Gosh, you have really got me going!

Hardup_Hester

Yes I had to wear a liberty bodice.
Hester

Justamum

monnagran wrote: »

One of the things I remember hating was Mum's 'extender' which was her way of stretching the butter ration.

I mentioned earlier in the thread that I had intended to try living on rations for a while. When I measured out the fat allowance I was shocked at how much there was! I wouldn't have thought there was any need to stretch it out!

mardatha

Monnagran - did you taste Woolton Pie?

nannygladys

I was born in the fifties but bought up by grandparents and can definitely remember wearing a liberty bodice with little covered fabric buttons, then a vest on top and then a petticoat on top of that!!!!!!