We'd like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum... Read More »
PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING
Hello Forumites! However well-intentioned, for the safety of other users we ask that you refrain from seeking or offering medical advice. This includes recommendations for medicines, procedures or over-the-counter remedies. Posts or threads found to be in breach of this rule will be removed.📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!
2021 Fashion On The Ration Challenge
Options
Comments
-
Laura_Elsewhere said:The beads are only about 1mm, so even my smallest 0.6mm hook wouldn't go through the hole - most of my sewing needles won't!
But also, the main thing is that I simply don't know yet where the beads are going. They aren't in the pattern and I didn't think of it til quite a long way through. I have two silks in the shawl, one in muted autumnal shades and one in bright autumnal shades, and I have the tiny glass beads in about 8 or 10 different colours from gold to dark crimson, some of hem with the hole lined in silver, some not. I even have some iridescent-green-gold which I think may really bring out the russets and reds in the silk.
So they will have to be sewn on, once I have finished the shawl and blocked it so I can see where the beads want to go, and what colours where, and what colour thread they will be sewn on with. I have reeled-silk in quite a few colours which I can use with some beads to intensify the colours.
- Pip"Be the type of woman that when you get out of bed in the morning, the devil says 'Oh crap. She's up.'
It ain’t what you do, it’s the way that you do it - that’s what gets results!
2025 Fashion on the Ration Challenge 66 coupons - 39.5 spent.
4 - Thermal Socks from L!dl
4 - 1 pair "combinations" (Merino wool thermal top & leggings)
6 - Ukraine Forever Tartan Ruana wrap
22 - yarn
1.5 - sports bra
2 - leather wallet8 -
@PipneyJane thanks all the same but I don't want to use synthetic stuff - the entire thing is silk, so I'd prefer to use reeled-silk filament for sewing on the beads. But in any case, I still don't understand how i can "pull" anything through the bead when most sewing-needles won't go through, let alone a 0.6mm crochet hook.
I'm quite happy to use a beading-needle and reeled-silk filament in various colours.
Look, these are some of the beads, held on a beading-needle against the shawl:
2025 remaining: 37 coupons from 66:
January (29): winter boots, green trainers, canvas swimming-shoes (15); t-shirt x2 (8); 3m cotton twill (6);
.
2025 second-hand acquisitions (no coupons): None thus far
.
2025 needlework- *Reverse-couponing*:11 coupons :
January: teddybear-lined velvet jacket (11) & hat (0); velvet sleep-mask (0);9 -
Laura_Elsewhere said:@PipneyJane thanks all the same but I don't want to use synthetic stuff - the entire thing is silk, so I'd prefer to use reeled-silk filament for sewing on the beads. But in any case, I still don't understand how i can "pull" anything through the bead when most sewing-needles won't go through, let alone a 0.6mm crochet hook.
I'm quite happy to use a beading-needle and reeled-silk filament in various colours.
Look, these are some of the beads, held on a beading-needle against the shawl:
That shawl is beautiful. I love the autumnal colours.
- Pip"Be the type of woman that when you get out of bed in the morning, the devil says 'Oh crap. She's up.'
It ain’t what you do, it’s the way that you do it - that’s what gets results!
2025 Fashion on the Ration Challenge 66 coupons - 39.5 spent.
4 - Thermal Socks from L!dl
4 - 1 pair "combinations" (Merino wool thermal top & leggings)
6 - Ukraine Forever Tartan Ruana wrap
22 - yarn
1.5 - sports bra
2 - leather wallet8 -
OH I see.... no, well, I have quite a few beading needles and am quite happy using them with he beads and silk. I did a small amount of 17th-century beadwork, some years back, and have carried on adding odd bits of beadwork to various things ever since, as it's surprisingly quick and easy!
Scale in cm; reeled-silk filament, gold-purl and glass beads on white silk-velvet
2025 remaining: 37 coupons from 66:
January (29): winter boots, green trainers, canvas swimming-shoes (15); t-shirt x2 (8); 3m cotton twill (6);
.
2025 second-hand acquisitions (no coupons): None thus far
.
2025 needlework- *Reverse-couponing*:11 coupons :
January: teddybear-lined velvet jacket (11) & hat (0); velvet sleep-mask (0);9 -
Laura_Elsewhere said:OH I see.... no, well, I have quite a few beading needles and am quite happy using them with he beads and silk. I did a small amount of 17th-century beadwork, some years back, and have carried on adding odd bits of beadwork to various things ever since, as it's surprisingly quick and easy!
Scale in cm; reeled-silk filament, gold-purl and glass beads on white silk-velvet
- Pip"Be the type of woman that when you get out of bed in the morning, the devil says 'Oh crap. She's up.'
It ain’t what you do, it’s the way that you do it - that’s what gets results!
2025 Fashion on the Ration Challenge 66 coupons - 39.5 spent.
4 - Thermal Socks from L!dl
4 - 1 pair "combinations" (Merino wool thermal top & leggings)
6 - Ukraine Forever Tartan Ruana wrap
22 - yarn
1.5 - sports bra
2 - leather wallet8 -
@PipneyJane, thanks! It was my teaching-myself-from-scratch piece but I'm very fond of it. The body is in darker and lighter beads, but the antlers are a kind of spiral of real gold, held down with stitches, known as 'purl'; the hooves were built up with linen thread and then oversewn with real gold.
2025 remaining: 37 coupons from 66:
January (29): winter boots, green trainers, canvas swimming-shoes (15); t-shirt x2 (8); 3m cotton twill (6);
.
2025 second-hand acquisitions (no coupons): None thus far
.
2025 needlework- *Reverse-couponing*:11 coupons :
January: teddybear-lined velvet jacket (11) & hat (0); velvet sleep-mask (0);10 -
That's just exquisite, Laura! As is the shawl; fabulous colours.
in the meantime, I've occupied a rainy afternoon darning holes in two lovely wool jumpers and altering a third. Back in the days when we were Allowed Out, I found an oversized hand-knitted wool jumper in the 50p bins at the recycling warehouse, in perfect nick. I tried wearing it in the last cold spell, but the 9" collar itched abominably and simply wouldn't stay folded down over a cotton polo neck or even a silk scarf. So I located & undid the side-seam, then frogged it down to about 4", picking up the stitches on a circular needle, and cast it off there. It now has an asymmetric collar which I've stitched down here & there to make sure it stays where I want it in future! Nowhere near perfect (I'm no knitter & the wool was very halo-ey) but it's lovely & long, so I will be well warm in the next cold spell!
Angie - GC Aug25: £106.61/£550 : 2025 Fashion on the Ration Challenge: 26/68: (Money's just a substitute for time & talent...)11 -
@thriftwizard, you're earning your name nicely again! That is a wizard bit of thriftiness - nice work!
2025 remaining: 37 coupons from 66:
January (29): winter boots, green trainers, canvas swimming-shoes (15); t-shirt x2 (8); 3m cotton twill (6);
.
2025 second-hand acquisitions (no coupons): None thus far
.
2025 needlework- *Reverse-couponing*:11 coupons :
January: teddybear-lined velvet jacket (11) & hat (0); velvet sleep-mask (0);9 -
Are you all sure we're in 1942? These utterly extravagant lovelinesses surely can't be bought with coupons! Perhaps we have slipped back in time - wasn't the Great Hall supposed to have been situated across the back of where our present Village Hall stands? I seem to remember that archaeologist chappie back in the 1920s wanted to reconstruct it but Margo's Mother (I still think she needs capitals though she's been gone a few years now) was adamant the hall had been where the Ledbetter residence now stands, and put her foot down firmly in the form of a generous donation to add the present kitchen where the our cake tin and box of broken mugs now reside.
That aside, @Laura_Elsewhere, the shawl is a real heirloom piece (with somewhat better credentials than any of the above-mentioned buildings), and the beadwork is exquisite. @thriftwizard, the jumper is a great piece of reinvention! I think it's going to be keeping your kidneys warm for some winters to come.I think a bit of sunshine is good for frugal living. (Cranky40)
The sun's been out and I think I’m solar powered (Onebrokelady)
Fashion on the Ration 2025: Fabric 2, men's socks 3, Duvet 7.5, 2 t-shirts 10, men's socks 3, uniform top 0, hat 0, shoes 5 = 30.5/68
2024: Trainers 5, dress 7, slippers 5, 2 prs socks (gift) 2, 3 prs white socks 3, t-shirts x 2 10, 6 prs socks: mostly gifts 6, duvet set 7.5 = 45.5/68 coupons
20.5 coupons used in 2020. 62.5 used in 2021. 94.5 remaining as of 21/3/228 -
Love the jumper Thriftwizard, looks like a great job to me.
Laura, your skills are never ending, the bead work is so lovely. One of my friends who I lost last year used to do little bead motifs to put in card inserts at Christmas, for special friends. I am lucky enough to have a few as well as some x stitch ones she made. Obviously she didn't use real gold but they were still lovely. Can I ask Laura, where did you get the silk for your shawl? I have had a mooch around the internet but the results seem a bit variable. Even some places that state 100 per cent silk but when you read a bit more it is rayon. I find this quite worrying, how can they do that, and they were not cheap either.9
Confirm your email address to Create Threads and Reply

Categories
- All Categories
- 351.1K Banking & Borrowing
- 253.1K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
- 453.6K Spending & Discounts
- 244.1K Work, Benefits & Business
- 599K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
- 177K Life & Family
- 257.4K Travel & Transport
- 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
- 16.1K Discuss & Feedback
- 37.6K Read-Only Boards