2021 Fashion On The Ration Challenge

MrsCD

I thought we might have had a few points from one or two countries, but yes, as you say, @PipneyJane, I don't think we have many friends left! We'll survive; we usually do.

Liverpool_Anne

I have another spend to declare. I am approaching half way on the lucky shawl and I can see I will definitely need more wool so another 50g has been ordered. Bit annoying as the pattern says 200g, 230m used and I got 4 x 50g, 113m each so I thought I would have plenty and my tension is pretty much spot on, it must be a misprint in the pattern. Anyhow another coupon spent bringing my total to 11 so far this year.

Liverpool_Anne

@Pip, the linen yarn I saw was all linen, not a blend, I think it was either on the ewe and ply website or the black sheep website. I was curious about how it would knit up. I might give it a try later in the year. I seem to be drawing up a bit of a list of things to make but I will not be buying any materials until I need them. I have in the past been a bit of an impulse shopper for craft stuff generally based on the principle that I might not be able to get it again, I seem to have miles of ribbon in multiple colours, so I am determined not to do the same with yarn.

PollyWollyDoodle

Well I finally spent some coupons, when I was getting dressed the other day and my knickers ripped as I was pulling them on I decided it was time they were retired! I had to go to a big shopping centre yesterday to get my second jab and I took advantage of a trip to M&S. So I have coupon spends to declare, 10 pairs of knicks is a whopping 20 coupons but they are badly needed. I also bought some socks, five pairs at one coupon per pair so that’s 25 in total. Quite shocked to realise that that is more than a third of my annual allowance, however the good news is that last year I only spent 36.5 coupons in total, hardly surprising as I didn’t go anywhere. So I still have 11.5 coupons to add to this year’s allowance.

Interestingly, the first thing I saw in M&S was some branded clothing. They are now selling four well-known brands, apparently this is a new initiative which only began last week. They are all brands I like, and there were some lovely things there, but honestly - £80 for a cotton dress … even if I weren’t saving coupons I wouldn’t pay that. I have banned myself from starting any new projects, but simple cotton frocks seem to be a thing this year, and it’s something that I know that I could make fairly easily. If summer ever arrives I might be tempted

Laura_Elsewhere

@Liverpool_Anne, Ewe & Ply list three yarns with linen, all blends - but tbh in knitting terms, a cotton-linen blend or a nettle-cotton-linen or rayon-linen blend, those will all be equally without the 'give' that wool has - it can make it hard on the wrists to knit it, and it won't hold its shape too well either - excellent for floaty drapey things, not much use for anything fitted, nor socks, unless you do a lot of ribbing and you work your ribbing very tight and even then...

It can be lovely stuff, knitted linen - but choose your projects wisely!  

Laura_Elsewhere

@PollyWollyDoodle, it may be a whopping great chunk of coupons spent, but at least you know they'll last a year or three! Even if M&S are not quite the quality they used to be they are likely to last better than very cheap packs from the fast-fashion chains or supermarkets!

I've finally finished knitting the ribbing on the waist of my Sparkly Chestnut Slipover, which feels like it took years but in fact the last 25 rounds of the 50 were done in only two days, which is amazing, as I calculated that the fifty rounds of 260 stitches are a staggering thirteen thousand stitches, just for the waist ribbing!
Now I have lots of tidying-up of yarn-ends and sewing ribbons onto the inside to cover the cut steeks and so on, but I hope it will be washed and dried and in wear by the end of the week! Two strands of cashmere laceweight held together, each with a strand of gold lurex, so it is gloriously sparkly, and then the subtle striping done by adding one of four different mohair cobweb strands, crimson, scarlet, rust and navy-blue. 

Mrs_Salad_Dodger

Sounds beautiful Laura ☺️ I hope you are going to put a picture up 🙏 

dreamyd

Hi everyone - Hope you had a good weekend. 
We caught up with friends we haven't seen in ages (one of whom we hadn't seen since August last year) which was fabulous.  They helped me setup my sewing machine and I hemmed two new curtain panels from offcuts. So much better than the ones which had been up there for *years*

 

Liverpool_Anne

@Laura_Elsewhere, advice on linen noted, thank you. I think it was while looking at patterns and the recommended yarn that I was led to the linen so you would hope it is suitable for the garment. I tend not to wear fitted jumpers so if I try it, it will be because I like the pattern and it is a recommended yarn. Of course it is quite a way down my list so I may not get to it anytime soon

PipneyJane

Hi @dreamyd.  Those curtains look lovely!

I have a "sad" to report.  While chatting like mad playing golf on Friday with a friend, I managed to lose the very-shrunken Alpaca sock that I use to cover one of my woods.  It was one of a pair that I knitted years ago, that promptly shrank.  (I think DH washed them on Full.)  I just shoved it in the golf bag, while trying to keep the rest of the clubs dry, and it must have fallen out.  It was very wet and extremely windy.  We'd been looking forward to playing for months - and we're both hardened Southern-hemispherians - so were determined not to let a bit of weather get in the way.  We didn't bother scoring.

No idea where the other sock is.  If I find it, it now has a job.  If not, then I'll check out my other handknitted socks and see if there are any others that should be volunteered to be golf club cosies.

- Pip