2021 Fashion On The Ration Challenge

Gem-gem

@Cherryfudge I bet your husband is tickled pink at his new jumper. Well done you. 

Bought a pair of jeans from the second hand shop near my Mum. Cost £10. Really pleased that  I was able to give them a new home and it didn't cost me any tokens. I had also sold three items totalling £31.00. So, it covered the cost of the jeans plus £21.00 came back to me. 😀👍🏻

Cherryfudge

Thank you so much for your encouraging comments ladies. The jumper has been a huge learning curve, the basic shape has stayed the same, but nothing else. Here’s the original, as found in a magazine of Mum's years ago:

Cherryfudge

PipneyJane said:

Girls, I have a difficult question for you to answer - does anyone know of a charity which takes yarn and volunteers knit it up into things?  Preferably somewhere in the South East of England.

I do hope you find somewhere, Pip. I have a friend who makes vast quantities of knitted things for charity but we aren't in the South East or I'd put you in touch. People have made excellent suggestions already: I've also come across knitters making baby hats for premature babies in Africa on the advice of a midwife. Apparently cold is still a problem for very tiny babies even in Africa and hats help them through the early stages.

Gem-gem

Mum gave me three pairs of thick walking socks that she will not be using any more. Well happy to be given these. I wear the thick socks at home during the winter / spring. 

She also gave me some embroidery silks that she hasn't used for 9+ years. 

florianatwobob

Currently feeling quite pleased with myself. Finally wearing the pj bottoms I replaced the elastic in and ohhh I did a good job! 

Cherryfudge

I love hearing about people's mends, charity shop finds and passed-on treasures - partly because it's so much the sort of thing I delight in, and partly because it's about valuing things rather than unthinkingly buying more.

Talking of walking socks, DH inherited some from his Dad which I suspect were knitted by his Dad's mum, and they're still going strong. No idea how old they are but the knitter has been gone nearly thirty years. 

skogar

Cherryfudge - great jumper - definitely a style statement with the off centre prominent red stripe.

Laura - I hadn't heard of the coffins although I remember being told about the trenchers which sounds a similar idea but with flat stale bread being used like a plate - I had never thought about whether they had soup or stews and what they might have put that in. I had assumed a bowl.

Floriana - Good to hear that the PJs are repaired.

Twibbledee - Hope you had a lovely Thansgiving (and your turkey thawed in time).

I have started to think about next years coupons. Doing the challenge has definitely made me think about what I am buying but I think the biggest change is to look more carefully at what I am buying. I had a tendency to buy "things that would do" in sales but I am not sure that is the most efficient way to do it. I have a weakness for nice prints and have tended to end up with quite a lot of prints for tops and dresses but few plainer items that could be mixed and matched a bit more. I have some lovely scarves but don't wear them due to the fact I don't have any plainer tops or dresses it would be suitable to wear them with. After a significant wardrobe clearout where I have got rid of a lot of things that are only fit for the rag bag, the wrong size, a poor fit, impractical etc. I now have a collection of more useful clothes but am starting to see the gaps and planning what might be sensible purchases to fill them.

No casual trousers (apart from my walking ones which as they are good (although old) I would prefer to save for their planned purpose so they don't wear out too quickly)

No winter cords

Bizarely - no sensible warm cardigan - due to the fact that whenever I decide to buy them it is the wrong time of year and the shops are only selling thin ones.

No plain shirt

No smart jacket (would prefer not to have to bother but might be useful to have one)

So currently I am looking at the following for planned coupon spends for next year working on 66 coupons).

Having completely failed for a number of year to find a nice pair of cord trousers that fit properly and having found that the company I got the yellow dungarees from does cord ones I am planning for casual wear.

Another pair of cotton dungarees - 6 coupons

2 pairs of cord dungarees - 12 coupons

2 wool cardigans - 10 coupons

1 plain navy dress - 7 coupons

That would use 35 coupons leaving 31 which would give me quite a few options if I can resist buying wool!

possible

another plain dress - 7 coupons

white shirt - 5 coupons

perhaps a couple of tops?

I have written a list of the gaps to try and keep myself focused - I wonder if it will work.

At least hopefully i wont have to buy shoes and cycling shorts next year.

Cherryfudge

I have the same issue with scarves, @skogar: why is it so hard to find plain ones?

Is it worth looking online for a second hand navy dress to save yourself some coupons? Things like woollen cardigans could look a bit tired second hand but a linen dress, for example, could wear very well. I have one in brown so I can vouch for this.

skogar

Hi Cherryfudge,

Some of the things on my list I think I will possibly be able to pick up 2nd hand. I'm not sure about whether buying the dress online would work - I have bought a couple sucessfully but one was from a brand where I knew their sizing quite well so I was fairly confident it would fit and the other was a very unfitted style. I would prefer to try it on really but I am in no rush for it so can keep my eyes open in case something suitable turns up - I may spot something in a charity shop etc. I agree that linen would wear well and you could probably find one online in good condition. When I bought dresses online in the past I usually got them delivered to the shop - went in to try them and a significant proportion (more than 1/2) got returned as I wasn't happy with the fit so this is why I am not sure.

Part of the idea of the list is so that I know what I am looking for - I suspect I may find some suitable tops in a charity shop.

Cherryfudge

That makes complete sense @skogar. My daughter's currently looking for a wedding dress and tried about eight on in the shop, all of which would have needed to be altered - so anything bought remotely is almost bound to 'need something done'.

I like your pre-planning. Mine is less organised but if I know I need, for instance, a long sleeved tee shirt or two but not a smart shirt, it does help me resist superfluities as well as justify purchases.

My wardrobe is suffering a bit from cheap buys from a few years ago: acrylic jumpers that have got tatty but are by no means worn out, thin tee shirts that haven't kept their shape or where holes appear in obvious places, etc. I'm trying hard to learn the lesson from that. I think if I like a basic jumper enough, I can buy a natural fibre yarn and make my own which should last me years as opposed to buying four that look pilled after a few wears.