2020 Fashion on the Ration Challenge

joedenise

I remember when I was at school in the 60s I was absolutely useless at sewing and when I was 14 was told that I'd never be able to sew anything wearable!  I was determined to prove my teacher wrong and made a dress which she was so impressed with I had to model it in our end of year fashion show!

Our first project was to sew our initials onto our PE shorts - I thought it was extremely unfair that I had to do 3 initials just because my older sister was at the same school and our initials were the same so I had to do my middle initial as well - no idea what would have happened if I didn't have a middle name, LOL!  Our next project like @Baileys_Babe was an apron and it took we the rest of the year to make it!

PipneyJane

On a completely separate note, I saw this on Facebook and immediately thought of all of you:



Thank you.  And thank you for living in Much Mending On the Borrow.

- Pip

skogar

Laura - about the spinning - I think it could be quite addictive although I have never tried it. One winter I was staying in a mountain hut in Italy. Also staying there was a German lady who was a keen knitter but also spun. She had brought a small spinning wheel with her  and because it was quite quiet when we were there (it was between Christmas and New Year) she used to get the spinning wheel out and spin. The sound of the spinning wheel was so nice, soothing, therapeutic even.

skogar

I also went to school in the  80s and we all (girls and boys) did cooking, sewing, metal work and woodwork. I liked metalwork best. Everything was very practical and hands on. With sewing we did quite a lot of different things in  the 1st year - I think 2nd year was a paatchwork cushion cover. The 3rd year we could pick a project to do. Unfortunately i picked to sew a guide camp dress (I'm sure it was a fairly simple pattern) but I had never done anything like it before, interfacing, darts etc. I think it was probably the one in the top left of the picture below it was certainly a very similar design to that. I would have been much better deciding to do a simple skirt or something - I could have probably finished that.

retiredinfrance

A request for help with ideas for repurposing ties. I think you ration experts might have some ideas on what to do with men's silk ties. I enjoy sewing and crochet and following you all here.
On the topic of schooling, I had the choice when I went to grammar school of HE or Science. My money saving Mum chose Science as there was nothing to pay, whereas with HE, or Domestic Science as it was then,she would have to fork out all the time for ingredients or fabric. And she could teach us cooking and seeing herself. I have inherited her money saving genes and her craft ones,too. 
I thought this would be the best place to post as my mum taught me how to remake a dress from a suit , a skirt from men's trousers - all wartime activities.
Keep safe everyone.

PipneyJane

retiredinfrance said:

A request for help with ideas for repurposing ties. I think you ration experts might have some ideas on what to do with men's silk ties. I enjoy sewing and crochet and following you all here.
On the topic of schooling, I had the choice when I went to grammar school of HE or Science. My money saving Mum chose Science as there was nothing to pay, whereas with HE, or Domestic Science as it was then,she would have to fork out all the time for ingredients or fabric. And she could teach us cooking and seeing herself. I have inherited her money saving genes and her craft ones,too. 
I thought this would be the best place to post as my mum taught me how to remake a dress from a suit , a skirt from men's trousers - all wartime activities.
Keep safe everyone.

Hi @retiredinfrance.  Please come in and take a (socially distant) seat around the fire.  It's tipping down outside at the moment.  Cup of tea?  Today's cake is Ginger, if you fancy a piece.

Ties are elongated wedges, so my first thought would be an applique patchwork pillow/cushion cover, placing the wider parts of the tie wedge to form a circle and sewing that onto a base fabric.   (I'm literally sprinting through here on my way to work, so haven't got time to find a photo, sorry.)  Once cut off, the thin ends could be sewn in strips to form the back of the cushion cover.

HTH

Pip

skogar

Hello Retired in France,

Great to meet you.

Do you have specific ties you are thinking of? Depending on how many  you have and what they are made of colours etc. might affect how they could be used. Like Pip I'd probably be looking at some type of patchwork effect but if they were really nice ones maybe a small clutch bag or shoulder bag might work or other small projects. Can you tell us how many you have and what they look like or is it a more general question? I'm trying to think of other things that are long and thin that they might be useful for making, belts, straps for bags?

skogar

Toy snake?

Laura_Elsewhere

Morning, @retiredinfrance, welcome to Much Mending on the Borrow! Pull up a chair, do... it's fair getting nippy out there now! 

I have seen patterns online for swirling skirts made from silk ties, so it depends on how many you have! 

You could make a patchwork piece, using them diagonally, to make the back of a waistcoat, if you didn't want a swirling skirt... 

PollyWollyDoodle

Welcome, @retiredinfrance. Ooh Pip, you didn’t tell me there was ginger cake in the tin ... 
I agree with others, a lot depends on how many ties you have, but I think patchwork is the way to go. I have seen these used to make a “memory bear” in other words a patchwork teddy bear.  Let me pour you another cup of tea, and tell us more about your ties!