2022 Fashion On The Ration Challenge

florianatwobob

Those jam tarts look lovely @Laura_Elsewhere. Glad you and Mr E are on the mend. 

No spends to declare however I have finally sewn a couple of poppers on two shirts to preserve my modesty. Now I just need to take a pair of trousers up but I need my sister to pin me up whilst I’m
in them. 

PipneyJane

Afternoon All

Thanks for the jam tarts, @Laura_Elsewhere.  They were yummy!

@Cherryfudge - I am now totally confused by your shopping.  Sorry.  What I will say is that the lady at the car boot sale sounds like she was selling her own stash, so that yarn is second hand and coupon free.  Her stash sounds like mine:  you’d be amazed at how many balls of denim blue coloured yarn I have, from multiple different sources and countries.

@TwibbleDee that rug is beautiful.  Your MIL must be very fond of you because a lot of love went into it.

Hope everyone who was poorly feels better now.

- Pip

Baileys_Babe

Glad to hear you are improving Laura. My Covid brain and fatigue are still with me but gradually improving. I noticed a big improvement around day 20 post covid. Wishing you both a full and speedy recovery 🤗

Cherryfudge

PipneyJane said:

@Cherryfudge - I am now totally confused by your shopping.  Sorry.  What I will say is that the lady at the car boot sale sounds like she was selling her own stash, so that yarn is second hand and coupon free.  Her stash sounds like mine:  you’d be amazed at how many balls of denim blue coloured yarn I have, from multiple different sources and countries.

Thank you @PipneyJane, I am also confused by it so I will do the sums now while I still remember what came from where. I'm glad you think it was stashed yarn as that's how she talked - perhaps she had decided only to sell full balls or had sold off part balls as a job lot before I came.

I was quite pleased to see three of the car boot trophies (£1 each) were the same make I'd paid £2.50 each for when I made the baby blanket.

I love denim blue yarn too: my sister gave me some and I don't know what I want to do with it. Fellow yarn enthusiasts will recognise this is not code for 'so I need to give it to a charity shop', but something along the lines of 'I will now spend an evening on the internet looking at possible uses and end up buying more yarn, downloading at least one pattern that might be suitable and end up down a rabbit hole of YouTube clips exploring a newly-discovered technique'.

I am already envisaging you making a denim-effect patchwork beauty out of some of your stash.

@Laura_Elsewhere, I'm remembering with gratitude that you told me needle sizes are a serving suggestion not a recipe! I am already down to old size 12s on a swatch of recommended yarn that started off with old size 9s. I'll get the swatch washed and rested soon but I've dug out some size 13s for the next attempt.

Another no-coupon buy, by the way. I spotted a vintage silk dress online yesterday which could be perfect for the wedding but has what looks like water stains. Research says I might be able to get rid of these myself and if I can't, I still have time to find an alternative dress. Total cost just over £20 so not too massive if it doesn't work out.

diminua

Just popping in to declare a top bought (actually 3 bought, but only one was new so that's five coupons). This is for a holiday to Devon I've had to put back as I'm another one who's had Covid and I was still testing positive up until yesterday. I've been quite lucky: I only developed symptoms a week ago and as far as I can see there's no lingering effect other than my skin being very, very dry - one of my symptoms was a very nasty stinging rash around my neck and on my scalp - and my eyes maybe a bit light sensitive still. Hope everyone else is feeling better soon. 

Gem-gem

Laura_Elsewhere said:

Gem-gem said:

Laura_Elsewhere, I am most interested in what you are saying about washing and drying your sample piece. I am making my first ever blanket out of 100% wool and on the card it talks about washing and blocking your squares?!? Is this really necessary? Please excuse my ignorance. 

Well… not necessary exactly- the blanket will still be warm without it… but doing proper washing and blocking will make it look and handle much better.
for one thing, you may already have noticed that the squares are not all square- so pinning them square whilst damp will mean they relate to each other more neatly when you sew it together. Otherwise you can end up with wonky angles, lumpy seams and uneven edges that won’t stop it functioning as a blanket but will stop your hard work looking as lovely as it could do- and should do!

Thank you for your advice, Laura. I will experiment first with the squares that I have made to make a hot water bottle cover with. 

Gem-gem

PollyWollyDoodle said:

Why to block   If you search elsewhere on the fabulous Techknitting site she also tells you various ways of doing it. I must admit I don’t always bother which is probably why my things don’t always turn out right …

Glad to hear the good news about your OH Gem-gem. 

PollyWollyDoodle thank you very much for the link. It was good to read - especially, do bony twist it or leave it out in full sun.

Gem-gem

Laura_Elsewhere said:

@PollyWollyDoodle, I don't bother for lots of things, but it would make a lot of sense for a blanket made of squares... especially if the squares are different designs and/or wools, even different colours of one wool can vary enough to make some behave differently... and trying to get a load of not-quite-squares to fit together and be flat and lovely...!

@Gem-gem, I should think all you need to do is wash the squares how you intend to wash the blanket (my washing machine has a very useful 'Rinse' cycle that uses only cold water and has a 1400rpm spin, which I use for all my woollens, really useful - wool never needs detergent), and then spread towels over a spare bit of floor or the spare-room mattress, and just pin the squares out and leave 'em til next day... 
We don't have a spare room and don't have any spare floor so I have to use either the only bit of sitting-room, meaning we can't set foot in the sitting-room all day, or our bed, starting first thing and hoping it will all dry in time for our bedtime! I really only bother with full blocking for lace shawls, tbh... 

Thank you Laura, I have a spare bedroom/bed so am tempted to pin them to the mattress. 

Gem-gem

Baileys_Babe said:

That is good news @Gem-gem you must both be relieved.

Yes, thank you. DH has been told that it should take up to four weeks to heal/disappear. 

Gem-gem

@TwibbleDee, the blanket is beautiful. I have seen a similar style on the internet. I did wonder if that style would be easier to crochet. I now have 36 squares made.