2019 Fashion on the Ration Challenge

Laura_Elsewhere

Starting to plan *properly* what I'm making myself over the next couple of years, so I can be realistic and get things finished...

And I find myself searching on eBay for suitable yarn for a jumper-idea in their 'used' category - bingo, a load of yarn someone bought and didn't use (it was discontinued years and years ago!), for under a tenner inc postage and no coupons because it's second-hand!

And it's coming into the flat for a designated project, so I'm not just adding vaguely to the huge stocks of wool I already have! I think I have to start considering selling some off, even at a discount (terrible habit of knitting up a few inches of sock and then changing my mind, so there's a lot not pristine!)....

But I'm pleased I'm not only thinking hard about buying clothes, but now I'm thinking hard about what clothes I make AND about what yarn I buy!

getmyacttogether2016

I’m with you Laura on the planning.

Wednesday will be spent going through my patterns and deciding what I want to make and then checking if I have the material to make it. Have stockpiled a smallish amount of fabric although I do know that a lot of it is jersey and some in colours I no longer want to wear. (that could be the knickers sorted).

Am also going to make a start on my granny square blanket but undecided if to do smaller squares or 1 large granny square.

Keep well everyone.
GMAT

CapricornLass

Hi, folks, I'm still here, reading along, even if I'm not saying very much!


Things are not going terribly well project wise - the ball of wool I was going to use on my 'use up the odd balls of wool' blanket turned out to be 4 ply and not dk as I thought, I've put down the thread for the apron I was making for my niece's Christmas - and can I find it anywhere - nope- so I can't finish it, and the gingham that I was trying to make a present bag from proved to be so stretchy that I've thrown it away in the bin


Anyway, I treated myself to a new pair of slippers at the end of last week. They're Danish, made from felted wool (I wear them with socks so they don't touch my skin) and they cost a bomb, but they at least stay on my feet, and come up to my ankles so they are warm. So I'm afraid that is another 5 points for me, bringing me up to 29 so far.

PipneyJane

CapricornLass wrote: »

Hi, folks, I'm still here, reading along, even if I'm not saying very much!


Things are not going terribly well project wise - the ball of wool I was going to use on my 'use up the odd balls of wool' blanket turned out to be 4 ply and not dk as I thought, I've put down the thread for the apron I was making for my niece's Christmas - and can I find it anywhere - nope- so I can't finish it, and the gingham that I was trying to make a present bag from proved to be so stretchy that I've thrown it away in the bin


Anyway, I treated myself to a new pair of slippers at the end of last week. They're Danish, made from felted wool (I wear them with socks so they don't touch my skin) and they cost a bomb, but they at least stay on my feet, and come up to my ankles so they are warm. So I'm afraid that is another 5 points for me, bringing me up to 29 so far.

The slippers sound lovely. Are you allergic to wool?

Re 4-ply vs DK, just use the 4-ply doubled to make it into DK. In Australia, DK is called “8-ply” for good reason. When commercial yarns first came on the market, they were all spun into a cobweb weight (1-ply) and then plied up, so “fingering weight” had four plies (it was also called “knitting weight”), “double knitting” had eight and chunky “12-ply” had twelve.

HTH.

- Pip

Laura_Elsewhere

I'm off today to Shrewsbury to meet a new friend, someone from the Ravelry knitting forum who lives locally-ish - we plan to go to the amazing fabric shop whose name I always forget so I call it Wotsit & Thingie but I think it's Watson & Thornton, AND we're going to Ewe & Ply, the brilliant yarn shop.... argh! Will my 22.5 coupons stay intact?!?!?

Also, I'm collecting those gorgeous Victorian-style ankle-boots from the Proper Cobbler, and look forward to wearing them about the flat for a few days to get used to them again...

EDIT: woohoo, I managed not to buy anything other than travel tickets, food and drink!

Laura_Elsewhere

You get what you pay for... aged 15, I paid £52 for these in 1984.... and aged 50, I am still wearing them, after a few years of their being in need of a Proper Cobbler's care!

thriftwizard

Those boots are just awesome, Laura!

I'm still not in need of anything except a couple of new bras. All the medical fiddling about has come to an end now & I'm just left with a smallish plaster; I can't claim that's responsible for things not fitting correctly! I'm well out of shape though I didn't really put any weight on, so as long as there are no Big Occasions to plan for, I'll stick with my secondhand bargains until something resembling a waist has reappeared!

Speaking of which, I had a raid on the recycler's warehouse-shop earlier, with DD2; she came out with a fabulous old Clockhouse crocheted strappy summer dress, which she looks stunning in (she's all legs) & fits perfectly, and I have a new-to-me Wallis glittery jumper, a Pierre Cardin nobbly cardi, and a Monsoon glittery top; all for £2! I'm a total magpie; never can resist a bit of glitter... There were a few other bargains to put on my stall, too. So - no coupons spent, but I will, as soon as I can get to a lingerie department with "sensible" (i.e. G-cup) sizes...

PipneyJane

I love your boots, Laura. They are totally awesome. I have wanted a pair like them for years. Maybe if I save up...?

Talking of saving, ever since I broke a bone in my right foot in 2016, I’ve been thinking about getting a pair of DMs for work. (Normally, I wear loafers if I’m wearing trousers.) Well, two weeks ago, we were in Covent Garden so I checked out the DM shop. £175 for a pair of plain, black DMs made in the UK. £30-£40 more expensive than the ones made in Thailand or Vietnam. Time to start saving. I revisited my budget today at work and figured out that I can squeeze another £10 out of it, so can set £50 a month aside for clothes/shoes/makeup instead of the current £40. (The “Boot Fund” has £40 in it at present.) If I cut the Yarn Fund back to £10 - currently £20 - that’ll make it £60 a month, so 3 months saving will do it.

- Pip. (The last time I owned a pair of DMs, I was a student nurse in Australia and wore them for work.)

PollyWollyDoodle

Thank you for the picture Laura, I love the boots - and that really is thrifty! I'm saving up for a pair of Fly boots, annoyingly the price on Amazon has just gone up from £55 to £85 so I'm going to have to wait for it to come down - but you're making me think that they will probably be a good investment. Not as good as yours, you must have had great foresight and taste at 15!

keepcalmandcraft

I love the boots Laura. That reminds me that I have a pair my Grandma gave me when I was 16, (now 54) I'll have to dig them out and see if they are still wearable.

PipneyJane, could you get to Northamptonshire easily? Doc Marten has a factory shop at Wollaston and the prices are really good.