2021 Fashion On The Ration Challenge

PipneyJane

Laura_Elsewhere said:

@PipneyJane ask for samples - they send, iirc up to five, free - and the wool challis - 'nuns veiling' - really does have to be handled to be believed. It's beautiful... 

I'm so pleased you recognise their shop! 

What would you make with wool challis?  It is so long since I seriously sewed that I need to have a pattern in mind....

- Pip

Laura_Elsewhere

@PipneyJane practically anything you might make with any soft light fabric but want it warmer - it would make a gorgeous light blouse, like a chiffon blouse to wear over a camisole, only made of wool and thus incredibly warm without adding weight or bulk. 

If I was suddenly in possession of an entire bolt of wool challis, I would make myself camisoles and blouses to wear together, and a light full petticoat. I might make myself a long-sleeved dress to wear in cold months. 
As well as floaty designs, if you back it with something stronger it makes gorgeous fitted things, so you could underline it with a good light twill and make a lightly-boned bodice for a winter dress. 

If I had a few metres of it (because nothing can be made from "just a yard or two!" for someone my size, not even undies!) I'd dye it crimson and make a blouse, wth a high Russian collar, with tiny spherical ball-buttons up the side, and long full sleeves gathered into a deep cuff wth the tiny buttons, and with concealed fastenings up the front. Or perhaps I'd make knotted frogging fastenings from rattail, and make a Chinese-style top...

MrsCD

I have my first spend to declare! I bought a new longer length padded coat from m and s in the sale, so I think that's14 coupons spent, leaving 52. I wanted a longer length warm coat for these freezing temperatures when I have my skirt on instead of trousers. I could do with some nice warm skirts, or maybe flannel petticoats?!
What pattern did you use for your petticoat, Laura?

Laura_Elsewhere

@MrsCD nice timing for buying a nice warm longer coat! And more cold weather to come yet...

I didn't use a pattern. I knew I wanted it to be about 30" long, in all. And I knew I wanted a really generous, deep flounce. So I did the top bit by just taking a piece 20" wide, and three times my waist. I sewed a wide hem along the top to put elastic through later on. I cut several strips 12" wide and sewed them together (I used French seams so no raw edges, as I don't have an overlocker) - I just used "all the rest of it" basically, as long as I could make it. My 1902 Singer has an attachment that gathers one piece and sews it to the piece below, all at the same time, so I just used that to put them together... With seams and overlaps and hems and whatnot, it came out about 30" wast to hem. I sewed the vertical seam. Add a bit of elastic and sew the ends together firmly.

PipneyJane

On a totally different subject, John Lewis are offering a free online class on how to organise your wardrobe in 5 easy steps.  Out of curiosity, I've signed up.  It's next Tuesday evening (2nd) at 6pm and lasts half an hour.

- Pip

TwibbleDee

I've got a spend.  Here's hoping it's as fabulous as it sounds when it arrives!
https://wooland.com/products/ellie-midi-wrap-dress?variant=31691602591814
If so, it'll be 11 coupons.

Laura_Elsewhere

@TwibbleDee, that looks lovely - hope it is as nice as it looks! 

(Dreadful irony in getting a pop-up advertising special rates to Europe, just as the UK ends up with all the extra tariffs and taxes and duties...)

PipneyJane

@TwibbleDee - that dress looks lovely.  You will have to model it for us.

- Pip

skogar

Dolly - I had a good look last night for things to go over shoes when cycling. I thought I had found the perfect ones but they seem to have stopped making that type - so I am currently hunting round to see if I can find anyone with them still in stock. So far i have ony found the largest size which will be much too big.

Nonna - Your double thickness mittens sound great. I am currently using a pair of cheap ski mittens for cycling. i can get away with mittens as on the back of the tandem there are no gears or brakes so my hands are toasty warn.

Twibbledee - The dress looks lovely. Fingers crossed it fits you.

Laura - I imagine the fashoion show you would be able to put on for us if you got your bolt of nuns' veiling.

I am getting the hang now of threading the sewing machine - much quicker now. Still to do any sewing really with it.

I have bought a small box of old singer sewing machine attachments on ebay - I am hoping they fit There is a ruffler which looks just like the one in the sewing machine instruction book Annoyingly in neither the manual or the service manual could I find the accessories with the part numbers. Need to practice the simple sewing first before I play with the new things.

Pip - The John Lewis wardrobe thing sounded good. Unfortunately it looks like all the slots have gone. Enjoy it.

TwibbleDee

PipneyJane said:

2 ounces of wool knitting yarn – 1 coupon

• 2 ounces of wool knitting yarn equals 50g of any knitting yarn containing natural fibres. Note: according to a display I once saw at the Imperial War Museum, there was a different coupon cost for man-made fibre, but I've never found out what so let's assume acrylic is half the coupon cost of wool.

Looking through Make Do and Mend.  In "Clothing Coupon Quiz" they list the wool yarn (applicable if the yarn contains more than 16 per cent by weight of wool), and under "Coupon-free Articles" they have a listing for "Mending yarn, made up in skeins or on cards, in quantities not exceeding 1/4 ounce in weight and of a yarn count not exceeding three-fold 20's".  

It also has "21.  Are coupons required for knitting yarn?  Yes, provided it contains more than 16 per cent. by weight of wool.  Wool means fiber from the coat or fleece of alpaca, camel, goat, lamb, llama, rabbit, sheep, vicuna or yak, whether or not subjected to any process of manufacture or recovery."

To me, that would indicate that only wool yarn was subject to rationing.  Would it be read differently in British English vs American English?

(See what kind of trouble I cause when I'm home with respiratory crud instead of in the office?)