2021 Fashion On The Ration Challenge

PipneyJane

@maryb, I totally understand.  One of the reasons that I have barely sewn for years is that I don’t have a sewing space.  Every time I wanted to sew, I had to get everything out and set up my machine on my small kitchen table.  I didn’t have a cutting out table and there wasn’t really anywhere I could cut things out on the floor.  (Too much junk.). 

I have plans to create a sewing space, but a lot of other things have to happen first, including rearranging how we’re using this house, so it will take some time.  (I want to swap our bedroom to the spare room, which is larger but needs wardrobes.)

- Pip

maryb

It sounds as if you've got practical issues holding you back.  Mine were really just a reluctance to tackle a chore which really didn't take that long once I got started.  Cold and foggy here today so retreating to my workroom will do nicely

SezzaF

I have a purchase to declare that turned into 2 things! Oops - there was a sale!

I've been looking for a pretty blouse for Spring time and found a just what I was looking for! Very light-weight, with a chemise thing underneath, in fresh blue and white stripes with little darker blue bobbles on the fabric. It has a gathered stand up collar - almost a pie-frill collar that takes me straight back to the 80's - The Crown influence I suppose although it has a hint of The Dig about it.

I also got a khaki jersey dress with gold trim for the summer. It will be a perfect just slip on thing. It was something I saw in the sale but I can see the gap in my wardrobe where it will fit especially if we are still working at home, even part of the time, during the hot weather

All those coupons but they were carefully thought about purchases that fill gaps. 

Hopefully we may be venturing back to the office at some point and I think I will have to really consider what I want to have. I wonder how much the feel of what we wear to work will have changed?

TwibbleDee

I'll be back in the office again today after 2 days out due to massive allergies.  Not guaranteeing I'll be turning the light on, but....the headache at least doesn't seem as bad as it was.

The Texas governor said that the state will open back up again 100% with no mask mandate on March 10 - won't affect things much up here, as nobody actually enforces mask-wearing and only the big corporations were bothering to tally the people going in and out of the stores.

If I want to make honest-to-goodness hankies, what fabric would I want to use?  I have bandanas, but the cotton in those is not very absorbent at all.

PollyWollyDoodle

I think cotton lawn is what you need for hankies? I’m sure Laura will know. 

I am just gearing up for the daunting task of putting my house on the market, and I’ve promised myself that whatever I buy will have a sewing room. I could have had one here, I have a very small spare bedroom but I wanted to keep it as a spare room as the other bedroom doubles as my office. Obviously I haven’t had any overnight visitors in the last year!  I usually sew at the kitchen table, but it means if I want to use the table for meals (and I am guilty of eating on the sofa more often than I should!) I have to put everything away.  I hope, possibly erroneously, that if I could leave things out I might get on with them. I know that sewing is one of the things that brings me the most pleasure but I don’t do it as much as I could. 

Laura_Elsewhere

@TwibbleDee , you mean handkerchief as in for blowing your nose on? In the USA you can get something called "Handkerchief linen" which would be wonderful, 100% linen... 

Otherwise, yes, like @PollyWollyDoodle says, pure cotton lawn - I like Rose & Hubble's prints for my handkerchieves! Or, as I made my Mum, Liberty tana lawn makes glorious hankies...

But the main thing, I think, is that most companies nowadays put masses and masses of treatments onto their fabric so it doesn't crumple in the shop, and you'll need to put it through a long, hot wash first to get all that out... and then avoid using fabric conditioner because that coats the fabric and makes it less-absorbent, hence why you never use it on bedlinen, towels, tea-towels... actually I never ever use it and My Intended never noticed until I mentioned after a year of not using it that I wasn't using it... Honestly, how do they convince everyone to spend all that money on something you really don't need that actually prevents the fabric working properly?! 

So... pure cotton or linen, or a blend of the two, and wash it hard first of all, then make the hankies, and then avoid using fabric conditioner whenever you wash them... 

PollyWollyDoodle

Hear, hear  @Laura_Elsewhere, I never ever use fabric conditioner. I don’t like the smell, and I’ve never seen the need. I believe it makes ironing easier, but I hardly ever iron anything!  I did go through a phase of using white vinegar on towels, but I couldn’t honestly say it made much difference. The best thing for me is being able to hang the washing outside – I managed it at the weekend – you can’t replicate that smell. 

Baileys_Babe

PollyWollyDoodle said:

Hear, hear  @Laura_Elsewhere, I never ever use fabric conditioner. I don’t like the smell, and I’ve never seen the need. I believe it makes ironing easier, but I hardly ever iron anything!  I did go through a phase of using white vinegar on towels, but I couldn’t honestly say it made much difference. The best thing for me is being able to hang the washing outside – I managed it at the weekend – you can’t replicate that smell. 

We don't use fabric softener either and I prefer to hang the washing outdoors to dry.

When you meet people or pass them in the street and you can smelly the laundry detergent or fabric softener, ghastly, I itch and sneeze. Years ago my sister's neighbours laundry was so scented you could smell it on the line and make my sisters garden unpleasant to be in, as it was that strong.

joedenise

Seems like a lot of us don't use fabric softener - I've never seen the point.  I also don't iron anything apart from when I'm dress making, which unfortunately I seem to have lost my mojo for.  I'm sure it'll come back once my sewing room is a bit brighter!  At the moment it is so dark in there and I don't like working under the light, it's nothing like daylight.

TwibbleDee

I don't use fabric softener.  I use vinegar, but that's partly because otherwise the clothes smell funky coming out of the washing machine.  We've never been able to get rid of the funk.