2019 Fashion on the Ration Challenge

Laura_Elsewhere

What about adding stripes, to distinguish your socks from OH's socks? Either throughout, or just at ankle, or maybe contrast heel and toe, or even just a 1-round stripe near the toe... even the tiniest bit of contrast yarn would make them absolutely distinguishable!

I've got two long train journeys, only one change each way, as well as several empty (!) days and evenings, possibly with my parents out some of the time - so I've got... let me see... crochet lace (normal thread, and stupidly-fine thread), and I've got really simple little ankle socks in a single yarn, just a short rib, then onto the heel and foot, nothing at all fancy... and I've got an experimental colourwork boot-sock in cream and green, with what I call a "stand-up cuff", ie not ribbed, but done quite stiffly, so It sits above my boot-top visibly but doesn't hug my leg as such.

I've PMed you on Rav in case we're in the same bit of Scotland this weekend - it would be funny!

PipneyJane

Laura_Elsewhere wrote: »

I've PMed you on Rav in case we're in the same bit of Scotland this weekend - it would be funny!

Sadly, I don't think it will be possible to meet up, much as I want to. This trip is shorter than I'd hoped and sort-of thrown together at the last minute.

What about adding stripes, to distinguish your socks from OH's socks? Either throughout, or just at ankle, or maybe contrast heel and toe, or even just a 1-round stripe near the toe... even the tiniest bit of contrast yarn would make them absolutely distinguishable!

Yes, a contrasting row (or 2) on the toe should do it. Thank you.

Hmm.... I think there's some pink kicking around somewhere.... Excuse me. I'm going into the stash... I might be some time......

Pattern-wise, I'm feeling more and more inclined to make Monkey Socks, just to do something different to knitting round-after-round of stocking-stitch. (Remind me of this when I complain that I have to concentrate on my knitting and "why didn't I do something simple in stocking stitch?".:rotfl:)

I've got two long train journeys, only one change each way, as well as several empty (!) days and evenings, possibly with my parents out some of the time - so I've got... let me see... crochet lace (normal thread, and stupidly-fine thread), and I've got really simple little ankle socks in a single yarn, just a short rib, then onto the heel and foot, nothing at all fancy... and I've got an experimental colourwork boot-sock in cream and green, with what I call a "stand-up cuff", ie not ribbed, but done quite stiffly, so It sits above my boot-top visibly but doesn't hug my leg as such.

I'll look forward to seeing the photos. Re the boot socks, how are you going to get them to stay up and not slip down to your ankles? Are you just going to use one of your knitted garters? Or do you have a different plan?

- Pip

PipneyJane

PS: Did you see the article on the BBC: The Real Price of Buying Cheap Clothing ?

I think we can feel proud of ourselves for stepping off the shopping band-wagons. We are ahead of the trend here, girls.

- Pip

Laura_Elsewhere

PipneyJane wrote: »

Sadly, I don't think it will be possible to meet up, much as I want to. This trip is shorter than I'd hoped and sort-of thrown together at the last minute.

Ah well - I'll wave in the appropriate direction at the weekend and you can wave back!

PipneyJane wrote: »

Yes, a contrasting row (or 2) on the toe should do it. Thank you.

Hmm.... I think there's some pink kicking around somewhere.... Excuse me. I'm going into the stash... I might be some time......

Pattern-wise, I'm feeling more and more inclined to make Monkey Socks, just to do something different to knitting round-after-round of stocking-stitch. (Remind me of this when I complain that I have to concentrate on my knitting and "why didn't I do something simple in stocking stitch?".:rotfl:)

This is why I virtually never knit anything plain! Stripes, cables, colourwork, lace, all the above...!

PipneyJane wrote: »

I'll look forward to seeing the photos. Re the boot socks, how are you going to get them to stay up and not slip down to your ankles? Are you just going to use one of your knitted garters? Or do you have a different plan?

- Pip

Well... They are only mid-calf anyway, the boots come up over my ankles, so it's really just that there's 3-4 inches of knitting which should stand up reasonably - you know how a stranded colourwork cowl stays up round your neck without ribbing? If it's done at quite a tight gauge it sort of becomes stiffer... but not rigid!

You know those nice cuffs on Norwegian mittens? Like that, really... oh, and I've found a wonderful way of doing crochet afterwards onto plain knitting that looks just like those fiendishly fiddly Latvian braids, so I'm cheerfully adding those! I think I'm going to be adding them to everything....
http://techknitting.blogspot.com/2014/10/slip-stitch-surface-decoration-fake.html

PollyWollyDoodle

Interesting article Pip, thanks - I hadn't seen that, although a lot of the themes are familiar. I note that one of the suggestions is to have more sewing lessons in schools. I've posted before about friends who will throw away clothing because buttons are missing or seams have come undone. I'm often in demand for quick repairs, fixing hems et cetera - I find it hard to believe that people can't do these (to me) simple tasks.

Laura_Elsewhere

PollyWollyDoodle wrote: »

Interesting article Pip, thanks - I hadn't seen that, although a lot of the themes are familiar. I note that one of the suggestions is to have more sewing lessons in schools. I've posted before about friends who will throw away clothing because buttons are missing or seams have come undone. I'm often in demand for quick repairs, fixing hems et cetera - I find it hard to believe that people can't do these (to me) simple tasks.

I spent all my student years darning or sewing things in the corner of the Union Bar, paid in cider...

CAFCGirl

I think a lot of people used to be taught, or at very least watched their mum's or Nans do I g this kind of stuff, whichever doesn't seem to happen any more.

A local CIC group here have hired out a shop in the town's shopping centre, and it has machines you can rent by the hour, someone on hand to help with questions, cutting area, ironing boards, threads etc which to me is a fab idea, given the population it serves who can't afford a machine, lessons or even if they could couldn't buy a machine locally in a store.
There's a haberdashery shop next door which isn't bad on prices.

Laura_Elsewhere

And the Guardian had an article last week on how to make clothing last, from laundering tips to mending...

We are soooo on-trend with our lack of buying trendy new trends!

https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2019/aug/01/slow-fashion-how-to-keep-your-favourite-clothes-for-ever-from-laundering-to-moth-proofing

Crafty_Lisa_Hampshire

Pipney Jane - thanks for that article. It is quite scary. I don't understand how people have ever afforded to be so blas! with their clothes. I have never been in the position to buy garments just to wear once and then dispose of and, again, I have never been able to afford to get rid of clothes just because a button needs sewing on. I admit that I was never the trendiest person wearing clothes either at school or since. I sometimes feel like I missed out somewhere.


On the upside, I now feel very positive about my clothes and feel quite smug at the fact that I don't have loads of stuff cluttering my nice neat flat. I did the declutter of my work wardrobe the other day and have a bag of stuff to take to charity that I don't wear and I also have some more clothes for my "allotment/dirty work" drawer. I also went through all my shoes and bags. I might try and do some more sorting this weekend (especially as it is supposed to be pretty unpleasant weatherwise).


Since working out a capsule wardrobe for my work clothes I have now decided to plan a summer holiday capsule wardrobe so that I don't take too much when I go on my summer holiday next year (I know its early but I am planning on making the clothes that are missing so I need the time to do that).


The one thing that I do think about though is the fact that I really do like my sewing and although I am stopping buying clothes from the High Street I do still buy fabric to make things with. This seems to also have a negative impact on the planet so I am not sure how I am going to get round that fact as I cannot imagine not doing my sewing - I would go insane if I didn't do sewing, its my happy place.

PollyWollyDoodle

It's an interesting article, thank you Pip. I was amazed at the statement that most clothes are kept for 2.5 years - I would struggle to find many items in my wardrobe that are newer than that.

CraftyLisa I agree and its like many things - is it better to buy cotton (heavy use of pesticides, water and other resources) or artificial fibres (micro plastics, petroleum-based resources)? It's not easy being green.

I've decided to try and remake clothes or use second-hand fabric if I can, but not to beat myself up about buying new - hand-made garments will be lovingly cared for, and kept much longer than bought ones. We are still doing much more than many people who just buy and discard.