2020 Fashion on the Ration Challenge

PipneyJane

Noaidi said:

The Knit Pro interchangeable cords do fit the Lykke.   

That's good news!  Happy knitting.

- Pip

Laura_Elsewhere

PipneyJane said:

@CraftyLittleLisa, think of the coupons you spent on  bras as an investment. Good foundation wear is important. You will wear them for two or three years, possibly longer if you are really careful laundering them.  

- Pip

Especially as *no* bra manufacturer has ever recommended machine-washing a bar, no matter how much you use a 'delicates' cycle or put them in a mesh bag. 
Handwash them in lukewarm water, using shampoo or face-soap, rinse well, hang to dry by doing up the back fastening and hanging it by that chest-band, not by he shoulder-straps. 
If you can, then never wear one two days running, and when you take one off, try hanging it by the chest-strap to air overnight before putting it away. 

I had never actually worn a bra til I was 24, so I never got the hang of being complacent enough about these expensive things to chuck them in the washing-machine. I still only wear them half the time or less, but I do try to look after them, and it works pretty well. I have quite a lot which are years old and still in very good condition, despite being worn quite a lot. My very best one I bought in France in 2006 and it is still wonderful - a tiny shop in Paris, with a tiny monoglot spherical Frenchwoman about 4'0" tall, who looked at me from several angles, told me in French to sit down, produced a box, and told me this was what I wanted - and it remains the most flattering and comfortable bra ever... I hand-sewed some grey velvet 1/2-inch ribbon over the underwire channels recently because the wires had started to work through each end of the channel-fabric, but that's the only sign of wear at all after 14 years, being worn more than only occasionally. 

Cherryfudge

Hello everyone, is it okay if I join in? I've been lurking since Martin's mention of this thread turned up in the margin on my computer and it's taken till now to catch up. Some of that time was spent in awe of hand made socks, and I've learned a huge amount from you all.

I'm fascinated by all domestic things 1930-1960, i.e. my parents' formative years. I'm still in the long process of clearing their house as they've been gone a few years (long story but it's 100 miles away and I'm the slowest clearer ever) and among the treasures I found two little 'shirt fronts' that my Mum must have had as a teenager in the war. She told me how people used to make these to wear under a jumper or jacket to extend their wardrobe, so I was delighted to be their new keeper (I'll probably never wear them as she was a super slim young woman and I'm... not).

I love the idea of trying to restrict my clothes-buying by using ration coupons. A few years ago I decided not to buy more socks or knickers till I'd worn out some of the drawerful that I already had. I think I cheated and bought a few towards the end of the year but I buy very few now as I'm still working through the backlog. I did Kon Marie them at one point and got rid of some dreadful ones in a dingy yellow or harsh pink that just made me miserable and were clearly going to last forever, and this year I bought a pack of five to go with work clothes, but other than that I have (amazingly) bought almost nothing to wear this year. My workplace has introduced a uniform and I've added one work shirt to this to make laundry simpler, but I'm counting the uniform as my boiler suits (!) so I don't think I've spent coupons apart from the socks (5 coupons?). I'll need shoes later in the year and possibly other items.

I've got plenty of clothes and little temptation to buy more at present but I would love to be able to make my own. Am starting small with masks... I can knit and crochet a bit but have noticed that any attempt to use up items from stash inevitably means the stash increases, rather like the contents of the vault in Harry Potter, if you know what I mean.

Sorry for the long intro. I'm a chatterbox but I think I need to sit down, shut up and study socks instead.

Laura_Elsewhere

Welcome @Cherryfudge (ooh, now I want some cherry fudge... mmmm)

You may think you're a chatterbox but then there's me and my 5,000-word posts  

I think there's still a bit of gingerbread left - I've put the kettle on, should boil in no time. Take a seat!  

And you are spot-on... every time I use up something it leaves me with more than i began with, you're right. I had never noticed that before, but it is true! Also, it is indeed the ugliest garments that never ever ever wear out...  

basketcase

Laura_Elsewhere said:

Welcome @Cherryfudge (ooh, now I want some cherry fudge... mmmm)
And you are spot-on... every time I use up something it leaves me with more than i began with, you're right. I had never noticed that before, but it is true!

Ah, but does it count against your coupons if it just... arrives?

Hi Cherryfudge!  I'm with you.  This thread's fascinating and I stand (well, sit) in awe of sockmakers...

basketcase

BTW - I bought some wool to knit a rabbit as a joke present for DD.  Does that count against my coupons total?

catherinekate

@Noaidi that's good news as I also have Lykke needles! I was a bit worried buying them as they don't seem to have as big a range available as KnitPro.
@Cherryfudge welcome. I'm learning a lot from this thread too!

Cherryfudge

Thank you for the warm welcome!

I do hope knitted rabbits aren't going to count as clothes or I shall have spent a couple of coupons knitting nurse dolls for people... They are definitely not wearable.

My 'thing' is make do and mend, by the way. I have several balls of tee shirt yarn that I haven't crocheted into anything yet, my jeans tend towards embroidery to cover up wear and tear, and I have an ambition to turn a ruined woolly pully into slipper boots.

@Laura_Elsewhere , by the way, those accidental trousers of yours are lovely. Such a perfectly even hemline too. And the gingerbread was yummy (past tense).

MrsCD

Basketcase and Cherryfudge...and anyone else wanting to make socks. I learned from Winwick Mum, Christine Perry. She has free tutorials on her website and if you get stuck there are YouTube videos to help. I made my first two pairs of socks last year after many years of deliberating. 😁 
Watch out though, you might fall down the rabbit hole too!!!! I'll see you there...
Arne and Carlos on YouTube are lovely and show you how to do different heels.
Have fun 😃

Cherryfudge

MrsCD said:

Basketcase and Cherryfudge...and anyone else wanting to make socks. I learned from Winwick Mum, Christine Perry. She has free tutorials on her website and if you get stuck there are YouTube videos to help. I made my first two pairs of socks last year after many years of deliberating. 😁 
Watch out though, you might fall down the rabbit hole too!!!! I'll see you there...
Arne and Carlos on YouTube are lovely and show you how to do different heels.
Have fun 😃

Ah, the magnetic rabbit hole, I feel its pull

Thanks, I will definitely investigate.