2019 Fashion on the Ration Challenge

thriftwizard

Going through stuff is a bit of an eye-opener! I identified 2 jumpers & a cardi that are quite a long way past their best; I might keep the cardi for wearing round the house, as it's long & cosy still, if covered in snags. But one of the jumpers just doesn't go with anything else, and the other, although pretty, is really on its last legs. A couple of skirts have also bitten the dust, which leaves me - plenty more! Trouser/jeans drawer next...

I was in my friend's bedroom yesterday, admiring how her builders have cut down her old fitted wardrobes & drawers to fit the new space; they've extended into their garage space to make more room for her disabled husband to get his wheelchair round. And I realised that actually my clothes-keeping-space is pretty modest, thinking about how much space my friend has, or my mother, or my sister-in-law. I have a about a quarter of a half-length wardrobe, a big chest of drawers and a small one for undies. (OH has the rest of the wardrobe, but nothing else except a plastic box under the bed for his undies) I have a few long items hanging from a convenient high shelf, and basically that's it. My dance kit lives in the sewing room (previously DS1's room) and outdoor coats, jackets & shoes live in the utility room with everyone else's. Seems to me that that's really not a lot of space, is it? I'm kind of wondering whether I should sell the big day-bed in the sewing room, and pop a wardrobe & some more drawers in there instead.

But there's a danger I might fill them up with fabric & yarn...

Laura_Elsewhere

I think one of the most useful things I did accidentally was when I needed a non-formal photo for a work thing, and we went through loads taken in the previous couple of years and I realised how much one jumper featured in pics taken in all but the hottest months - then I spent two years looking for a replacement and failing, hence why I ended up knitting a new one recently in copper-rust-reds, and am about to knit a second one in rich-deep-forest-greens...

And I've decided on a "one in, one out" policy... I really do wear the cardis and jumpers I've knitted in the last few years but seem to have tons of older bought jumpers that I never wear...! I could possibly even do "one in, two out" but I'll aim for one out!

Crafty_Lisa_Hampshire

Betharooni - you are allowed to be nosy. I get it from SewHayleyJane based in Romsey in Hampshire. There are 3 boxes you can chose from but I get the Classic one which is £35.00. It provides me with enough fabric to make something worthwhile from without having too much fabric left over to not know what to do with. I love the fact it makes me try different fabrics that I wouldn't normally go for but when the garment is finished I absolutely love it. It may not be that frugal to sign up for something like this but its my only vice and I really don't spend much money on much else (apart from my gardening I suppose). I would definitely recommend giving one a go.

Betharooni

Thanks-will have a look into that!

lykkelig

Laura_Elsewhere wrote: »

Well, I started off wearing original Victorian ones, but I wanted ones I could put in a normal machine-wash without feeling huge guilt for destroying fine lawn and delicate lace!

You can make your own old-fashioned undies - there are modern patterns for historical re-enactors!

I think I want the 1920s-30s style "directoire" knickers, rather than Victorian long drawers, but there are lots of patterns:

This is the classic one used a lot by American Civil War re-enactors https://www.sewessential.co.uk/misses-civil-war-undergarments-simplicity-sewing-pattern-1139

This 1920s combination pattern is gorgeous! https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/263489925828

And this site, Reconstructing History, has oodles of 'em from many centuries! https://reconstructinghistory.com/product-category/underwear-patterns/

And you needn't worry about a gust of wind meaning everyone thinks, "ooh, that weird woman's wearing Victorian undies" because with modern fabrics and trims you can make them look just how you want!

Me, I fancy these for winter, although I'd probably leave the elastic off the bottom edge... and of course for summer, just make 'em shorter!
https://reconstructinghistory.com/product/rh1236-1921-ladies-bloomers/

You' re very kind going through all those with me. I do actually think the bottom link will be light and airy. I have also been looking at French knickers but I think they would rise up easily or not even be long enough for the problem area to not be a problem. :

PipneyJane wrote: »

Resizing a pattern isn't as difficult or as daunting as it might appear at first. We can help you with the maths. It all starts with knitting a tension square/gauge swatch....

Here's the crib sheet version, that I originally posted on the wartime recipes thread:-

Knit a 6 inch swatch in pattern. Wash it. When dry, count the stitches and rows per inch, so that you have your tension. Look at the tension given in the pattern: how many stitches/rows to the inch are they stating? Did you get it? If not, try again with a smaller or larger needle. If you don’t get tension, then all your measurements will be out or you have to do a whole lot more maths.

Say the pattern’s tension is 7 stitches to the inch. How many stitches does the pattern state you need after the ribbed waistband for the back? Say it’s 124 stitches. 124 divided by 7 is 17.7 inches, so that jumper is probably sized for a 34 or 36 inch bust, depending on whether it is worn with negative or standard ease. How many stitches aren’t there in multiples of the lace or cable pattern? Let’s say there are 12 stitches per multiple. Now measure yourself: waist and bust. Say you get 40 inches, which equates to 20 inches per side. 20 x 7 = 140 st but to get a complete multiple of the pattern, you’ll need 144 stitches.

To determine how many stitches to cast on for the ribbed welt: read the pattern. How many fewer stitches does it say to use for your cast on than for the main pattern? 10? 12? None? Say it says to cast on 112 st on the smaller needle and then to rib for 2 inches before increasing by 12 stitches and changing your needle to work the main body of the pattern. Then you’d cast on 12 stitches fewer for your rib (128 st in this example) than you need for the body of the pattern.

Now you can knit your jumper with a wider body than the original. Follow all the increases and decreases stated in your pattern. When you get to divide for the neck and shoulders, you have a choice of keeping to the original shoulder seam and making the neck wider or making the shoulder seam a bit wider +/- modifying the neck width. Just make a note of what you decide to do so that you can ensure the other shoulder seams all match up.

Knit the sleeves and armholes according to the pattern. Job done.

- Pip

This is ever so helpful info. I never swatch and really have felt that I should do. That shows you how much of a novice I am. I swore not to until I made a big enough mistake that made me learn my lesson. I haven't needed to learn that lesson yet but if it means I can adjust patterns for my larger chest it's a skill well worth knowing. You've shown me it's not just a sensible thing to do, it's a very useful tool to have. Thank you pip. I really would like to tap into the thread's learned experience to help me grow with some proficiency.

Laura_Elsewhere

Oooh, coupon-free cardigan!

I met up with a friend yesterday who had brought along a cardigan she made last summer that fitted her very poorly - it fits me nicely so she's given me it! How lovely...

Machine-washable merino wool at that... I am going to have to get rid of another old, worn, tatty, shop-bought, too-small jumper, aren't I?!

PipneyJane

Laura_Elsewhere wrote: »

Oooh, coupon-free cardigan!

I met up with a friend yesterday who had brought along a cardigan she made last summer that fitted her very poorly - it fits me nicely so she's given me it! How lovely...

Lucky you!!!

Machine-washable merino wool at that... I am going to have to get rid of another old, worn, tatty, shop-bought, too-small jumper, aren't I?!

Yes. But, let's face it, you wouldn't wear that tatty jumper anyway, would you?

- Pip



PS: I have a yarn horror story to report. In my stash are two jumpers' worth of Debbie Bliss Pure Silk DK, which I purchased in when I worked in central Reading in 2006. It was expensive but so beautiful that I couldn't resist. Since I couldn't decide between two colourways, I ended up buying both. Anyway, I decided that I'd make a second Blanche Too (designed by Susan Crawford). After attempting to wind 2 skeins on my swift/ball winder and a third by hand, I have to report that it is living down to the majority of comments attached to it on Ravelry. It is unevenly spun - in some places, it is very tightly over spun - and knots at the drop of a hat. In some places the fibres are matted together and had to be pulled apart (can silk felt??). Also, I don't think one inch of it is the correct thickness for "DK"; it's 5-ply/sport-weight, if I'm lucky, and that is too thin for the 4mm needles specified in the pattern. 1 will have to re-work it once I've found a decent looking gauge. At least I'm using up ancient stash and have not recently spent/wasted the money, but it's quite discouraging. Only 6 skeins left to wind...

Laura_Elsewhere

Oh how frustrating about the silk!

I can recommend knitting more than one strand at a time, though - would using two or even three to equate Aran or Bulky be worth doing for something like a boxy little silk cardigan?

I wouldn't be wearing the tatty jumpers.... no, you are correct in that. But I have to find a way to get them off the shelf and into the textile-rag bag for the recycling centre... ummm....!!

thriftwizard

Silk can be a nightmare for felting! I once abandoned a half-woven shawl as I couldn't clear the "shed" - i.e. the space for weaving through - because it had "halo'd" & tangled so badly I couldn't work the weft yarn through.

PipneyJane

thriftwizard wrote: »

Silk can be a nightmare for felting! I once abandoned a half-woven shawl as I couldn't clear the "shed" - i.e. the space for weaving through - because it had "halo'd" & tangled so badly I couldn't work the weft yarn through.

That’s what I’m now dreading. It’s taken me years to find a pattern for this silk. I want the jumper, and I’m even prepared to put up with hand washing the damn thing. Forget about wasting money, after 14 years the £70 paid is already “lost”, I just don’t want my hard work to turn out to be a complete waste of effort.

- Pip (about to go wind skein 5.)