2020 Fashion on the Ration Challenge

joedenise

Brilliant tip!  Can hardly see the stain now.  I could just see it without you pointing out where it was - that just confirmed it!

PipneyJane

joedenise said:

Brilliant tip!  Can hardly see the stain now.  I could just see it without you pointing out where it was - that just confirmed it!

I am kicking myself that I never thought to take a "before" photo until after I'd done the initial soak in milk.  Anyway, for spot "soaking", I think milk works best if the spot has already been dampened with water.  The photos above were taken this morning;  it's been washed 4 or 5 times since the original soak in a bucket of milk.  (NB:  The soak in the bucket of milk worked beautifully to lift the whole jumper back to "winter white" from something dingier but I can't justify wasting that much milk.) 

- Pip

CAFCGirl

I can't see it at all LOL so a very well done @PipneyJane

Purchases to report but no coupons.
Mom jeans and a lovely deep burgundy purple long sleeve button tied top (bit hard to describe) jersey fabric - both ebay so coupon free. Awaiting the cable jumper I won too, which hopefully will be here this week or I'll have to chase - which I hate doing...

PipneyJane

@catherinekate - that cartoon is spot on!  I first heard the phrase “mental load” in an episode of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation podcast, “Ladies We Have To Talk”.

I have a finished jumper to show off.  This is “It Cannot Fail to Please”, in Blacker Yarns Classic British Wool 4-ply.  I think the swatch lied, because it’s a little bigger than I was expecting. 



This is the second time I’ve made this jumper.  I soaked the first one in Eucelan and the next time I put it in the washing machine, it shed fibre like there was no tomorrow.  It also shrank quite badly, losing several inches off the length and width.  I don’t believe it was the yarn reacting with the washing machine, because I’ve knitted another jumper in it, washed it in the machine multiple times and never had a problem.  The only variable is the Eucelan.

- Pip

PollyWollyDoodle

Ooh what a beautiful jumper, Pip!  (And a great photo)  I don’t know what Eucelan is, I haven’t heard of it? 

PipneyJane

PollyWollyDoodle said:

Ooh what a beautiful jumper, Pip!  (And a great photo)  I don’t know what Eucelan is, I haven’t heard of it? 

It’s a no rinse wool wash, @PollyWollyDoodle.  It’s sold in yarn shops.  You don’t use much in one go - one capful per bucket IIRC.  I think it damages the cell structure of wool/alpaca.  I have only used it 3 times and each of those jumpers shrank and shed fibre when next washed on the wool cycle in the washing machine. 

- Pip

Laura_Elsewhere

Jings, that's a useful warning, @PipneyJane - I have a couple of tiny sample sizes sent out with yarn I've bought, and had been thinking of using it - maaaaaybe not! 

Baileys_Babe

That is a lovely jumper @PipneyJane
Thank you for the information on Eucelan, I was another who didn't know what it was, now I know to skip it.

basketcase

Another compliment from me on a beautiful jumper.

   Also more thanks about the info on Eucelan from someone else in no danger from it because I didn't know what it was! OTOH, I'll know to avoid it.  What a pity that an equally lovely piece of knitwear (not seen, but I bet it was!) was ruined by it.  Not to mention the work lost.

PipneyJane

basketcase said:

Another compliment from me on a beautiful jumper.

   Also more thanks about the info on Eucelan from someone else in no danger from it because I didn't know what it was! OTOH, I'll know to avoid it.  What a pity that an equally lovely piece of knitwear (not seen, but I bet it was!) was ruined by it.  Not to mention the work lost.

Here's the post-shrinkage photo of the original jumper.



This is after two washes in the washing machine.  (Stupidly, I thought that it had finished shrinking the first time.  It hadn't.)  Given that it was the same size as the blue one, you can see the damage.  Sadly, I didn't take a photo of it when I wore it the first time, prior to it shrinking (after the Eucelan wash but before it met the washing machine).  It was knitted in the most beautifully soft, pure Blue Faced Leicester wool, which made the shrinkage even more painful.  I'm lucky that it was knitted with the leftovers from my Virginia sweater, so at least I still have that one to enjoy.   (Give me a couple of hours and I'll post a photo of me wearing the Virginia to Ravelry and link it here.)

Eventually, I gave it to a friend to line her elderly cat's bed.  Mr Cat loved it and slept on it for the rest of his life.

- Pip