2021 Fashion On The Ration Challenge

TwibbleDee

Cherryfudge said:

I think the 100 day challenge was done using a very basic black dress, wasn't it? And the one you have is, as you say, distinctive so someone would probably notice after a few days. I was trying to think how you could ring the changes... wrap the tie flat around your middle and put a feature brooch on the join, put a different skirt over it, make it look like a skirt with a black or gold sweater over it, wear a white or brown tee shirt underneath with or without a showy scarf or necklace... I searched 'What colour goes with teal' and other suggestions are coral, pink or navy. A lacy white sweater over the top might also work well - but that still leaves you with about 93 days to style!

I don't know much about sources of leggings, especially not long ones, but in the UK there is a company called L0ng Tall S@lly which seems to have a good selection. Perhaps someone taller than me can advise.

The primary colors I have picked out for general wardrobe improvements are navy (and/or dark blue denim), teal, and coral.  I'll probably end up ordering the navy blue version of the sleeveless dress, and if it becomes available soon enough, they're making a coral version of the sleeveless dress that's a lot longer.

I need to decide if I want to go with a mahogany/chestnut (ie, a more reddish and lighter) leather for accent pieces, or general dark brown leather.

PipneyJane

thriftwizard said:

Spinning is wonderfully relaxing & therapeutic once you've got the hang of it, as well as extremely economical & good for your legs. The best place to try out some wheels, find one that suits you, and learn to spin is your local Guild of WSD; there's also an online Guild, which is very good, but spinning is best learnt alongside experienced spinners for the simple reason that once you're over the initial panicky stage where it feels a bit like trying to drive a car whilst making candyfloss, you just kind of fall into the rhythm of it. There are certain excellent suppliers (Wingham Wool, The Threshing Barn, Herrings etc.) where you can also try wheels out; they are generally linked to a specific wheel-maker and are looking to sell new wheels, but at a Guild you can generally pick up second (third, fourth, fifth) hand wheels for  sensible price, which you'll almost certainly recoup when you come to sell it on. (I wouldn't recommend buying one on Ebay until you know what you're doing; a non-spinner's idea of a "working" wheel is often just that it goes round!) Most Guilds have people who can teach if you want to pay for private tuition; it's not expensive. But it's not hard to pick it up just by hanging around spinners in general, and it's not long before you start to be able to design the perfect yarn for the exact garment you want to make... not to mention dyeing it the perfect colour.

Thanks for the advice, @Thriftwizard.  Something for post-COVID, when people can meet up.  

Ghandi was a huge fan; he made the time to spin virtually every day, and looked on it as a form of meditation, as well as a way of feeling in touch with the world and his people. (Also as a direct poke in the face to the British industrialists, but never mind! I'm not sure we know that yet, in 1942) If you use a lot of good wool, and have the space for a wheel (some can be folded up & hidden behind a sofa) it's a very sound investment in both time & money.

We would have known about Ghandhi.  He became leader of the Indian National Congress in 1921, the same year he adopted wearing a loincloth and spinning cotton.  Spinning cotton was one of his rebellions because while India produced cotton, the British shut down local commercial spinning and weaving, shipping everything to Manchester.

- Pip

dolly84

Pip - I've never read any Pratchett.  Thank you for the quote though, I loved that and it is totally true, I've heard people say that they can't afford to buy cheap.

TwibbleDee - I like the sleeveless dress, it looks like it would be very comfortable. 

I think the 100 day dress challenge is best with a dark neutral colour, I've seen a few of the minimalist youtubers do something similar.

I'm tall and buy Long Tall Sally leggings although they are actually a bit long for my 34" inside leg, they are quite thick so not much of a problem with them being see through.

Laura_Elsewhere

@dolly84, a 34" inside leg? I thought my 31 1/2" gave me problems! Do you also have 3/4-length sleeves, no matter how much they intended full-length?  I'm sue it's why i started making my own clothes, because nothing ever fitted me...! 

CraftyLittleLisa

That took me a while to catch up again.  There is so much going on on here at the moment.  I finished making the t-shirt I had cut out from remnants of fabric from an earlier project.  I'm quite pleased with it.  It will definitely be a pattern I will make again.  As it was made from fabric remnants it is zero coupons so that's another bonus.

skogar

What a lot of posts.

I have success to report. I emailed the Lincoln Longwool Association and was replied to by the lady of the amazing woolly wedding dress herself. She gave me the contact I needed and so I have had an email back. They are not doing the farmers markets at the moment (as they are non-essential) but she has washed fleece and carded fleece available all year. The raw fleece is only available after shearing in May. In case anyone is interested prices were £25/kg for the washed, £40/kg for washed and carded and £5/kg for raw. No idea how that compares but its obviously a better rate for them than the wool marketing board. She has also offered to bring her peg loom to show me. I'm also aware of a couple of farms locally that have sheep - 1 sells their own lamb, the other - although they have a farm shop selling veg, eggs and cakes don't sell the lamb themselves - so it might be worth an ask there as well as we do use both for normal food purchases. I don't know what type of sheep they have but my Mum tells me that one of the farms has black ones so it might be useful for different colours. Will see how onerous the washing and preparation of the fleece is.

skogar

Thriftwizard - Really interesting that your groupp had a talk on the dress, a shame you couldn't make it. Many thanks for all the info on the Lincoln Longwool and the micron count. I have now found that there is a guide to sheep breeds and their wool on the British wool website so will now have a better idea of what types of wool are better for different things. I can't see me taking up spinning at the moment although i like the idea of making a peg rug from the raw fleece as it would be an end to end product. Mut admit it is tempting though. We stayed at a mountain hut in Italy in winter when it was very quiet. Also staying was a german couple. The lay was an accomplished knitter but also spun and had brought a small spinning wheel. The noise was great - they should have it on relaxation tapes - so I admit - I am tempted.

skogar

Laura - Lovely though that wool wedding dress is I like the sound of your wedding outfit even more. White is not my favourite - I much prefer more interesting colours and your autumnal shawl looks fabulous. You will be able to enjoy wearing it again for other occasions. I think that is much nicer. I can't really see the sense in spending a huge amount of money on an outfit that is only worn once. If it's a really nice outfit I'd want plenty of occasions that I was able to wear it. Your beading is beautiful and I am really looking forward to seeing the finished shawl.

skogar

Lisa - Your new t-shirt sounds great. Any chance of seeing a photo.

Laura_Elsewhere

Thankyou @skogar - Yes, when My Intended proposed last April, I made a decision fairly rapidly not to have "a wedding dress", and especially not a thousand quid of a meringue that would never get worn again! Instead I'm spending a couple of years systematically overhauling my entire wardrobe so I end up with a trousseau: the old-fashioned version of a capsule wardrobe, ie all the clothes you need to start married life in, from undies to overcoat and everything in between - but well-made, properly-fitted and in colours and fabrics that I love and feel good in. 
There will be a horrible problem in a few months when I face the fact that I have a load of bought cheap clothes which are not good enough for charity-shops nowadays but still wearable and surely not solely destined for textile-rag-recycling? I can't think what I can do though with visibly-worn Primark long-sleeved tops and suchlike... I guess they will all go in the rag-recycling... unless I make a mat for the kitchen, only it would be in pretty dull boring colours, and as it has no windows we try only to have vivid bright colours in there! 

But I hope to end this year a) married and b) with far fewer clothes but nicer ones!