2022 Fashion On The Ration Challenge

PollyWollyDoodle

Another one with too many socks and knickers, I actually only threw a pair out the other day when my fingers went through them as I pulled them on …. I don’t know why I’m so stingy, I could afford to buy new ones if I needed them and I must have enough to last at least three weeks!  Anyway, Laura and I are going to make our own this year. 😆

 I can honestly say that when I did the “Marie Kondo” thing on my clothes it was hugely successful. Every time I opened the wardrobe there was something I wanted to wear, because I had thrown out all the things that were slightly too tight, scratchy, didn’t really sit right and so on.  I could also see exactly what I had, because things weren’t crammed in tightly. I’ve tried to keep to this, because it makes life so much easier. 

I now need to apply this method to the fabric stash.  I managed to fill a black sack yesterday with fabric that I don’t recall ever seeing before.  In fact, I think I may be the victim of crime – I have suffered a reverse burglary, where someone broke into my house and hid things because I’m sure I didn’t bring all this in!  It’s quite a random mix of fabrics, and I’m going to put the bag on Freecycle. No doubt there is some poor sucker out there, like me a few years ago, who will be thinking “yes, I can use that”! 

TwibbleDee

I’m worried that if I kon Marie my closet, I’ll have practically nothing left right now except for what I bought last year!

PipneyJane

@keepcalmandcraft said:

Hi Everyone, I'd like join again this year.  I had a gap in the summer last year and never quite caught up on the thread!
I'll start with 66 and no carry over.  Looking forward to being a part of this group again.

@keepcalmandcraft - welcome back!  We assumed you were seconded to war work in a different part of the country last year.  Very hush-hush stuff.

PollyWollyDoodle said:

Another one with too many socks and knickers, I actually only threw a pair out the other day when my fingers went through them as I pulled them on …. I don’t know why I’m so stingy, I could afford to buy new ones if I needed them and I must have enough to last at least three weeks!  Anyway, Laura and I are going to make our own this year. 😆

 I can honestly say that when I did the “Marie Kondo” thing on my clothes it was hugely successful. Every time I opened the wardrobe there was something I wanted to wear, because I had thrown out all the things that were slightly too tight, scratchy, didn’t really sit right and so on.  I could also see exactly what I had, because things weren’t crammed in tightly. I’ve tried to keep to this, because it makes life so much easier. 

I now need to apply this method to the fabric stash.  I managed to fill a black sack yesterday with fabric that I don’t recall ever seeing before.  In fact, I think I may be the victim of crime – I have suffered a reverse burglary, where someone broke into my house and hid things because I’m sure I didn’t bring all this in!  It’s quite a random mix of fabrics, and I’m going to put the bag on Freecycle. No doubt there is some poor sucker out there, like me a few years ago, who will be thinking “yes, I can use that”! 

  


Sometimes I feel that way about my stash, too, @PollyWollyDoodle.   The problem is that I can remember where I bought it, when and who was with me.  (It's all their fault, of course!)

@retiredinfrance - one of my favourite clothing chains is French, Un Jour Ailleur,  Most of my work suits come from there. They used to have a lovely store in Calais at Cite Europe, where the shop assistant would style your outfit for you.  I first encountered that shop a couple of weeks prior to my wedding in 2003 when my sister, who'd flown from Australia to give me away, needed an outfit for the wedding.  (Hers had met with a laundry disaster a couple of days before she flew out.)  Forget that neither of us had more than a few words of French, they were lovely and picked the perfect clothes for her.  Not the most expensive things in the shop, either.  A couple of months later, I went back with a friend - girly day trip to France - and bought a tweed suit for work, which I still wear.  

ETA:  they are excellent for capsule wardrobes.  I usually buy a suit jacket, matching trousers and skirt.  Occasionally, they do two different sets of trousers or two different skirts to go with their jacket, so I buy the variables too.

Sadly, Calais now only has an outlet shop.  Last time I looked, the nearest branch is in Dunkerque.  There was a branch in Bayeux, about an hour from my friend's place (where we stay about once a year), but that has also closed.  Pity.  That shop also styled you.  Next time I visit there I may have to trek to Cherbourg.  

- Pip

maddiemay

Another one of the guilty regarding pants and socks, I have masses of each, this very morning I pulled them all from the drawers and they are currently in the washer.  The problem that I have is they all seem very tight, by that I mean they are sort of hard and unyielding which I put down to the hard water here as they are no better from being line dried or dried on airer indoors, all are mainly cotton.  My dexterity is poor and hand pain levels awful so wrestling them on is a nightmare, they will be put in the TD and then pulled into shape as put away, I have even added the dreaded fabric softener - nothing to lose by trying it.  I might even count them all later.

I would add that although  I have gained 4/5 pounds, many of them are from when I was at least a size bigger than I am now.

PipneyJane

maddiemay said:

Another one of the guilty regarding pants and socks, I have masses of each, this very morning I pulled them all from the drawers and they are currently in the washer.  The problem that I have is they all seem very tight, by that I mean they are sort of hard and unyielding which I put down to the hard water here as they are no better from being line dried or dried on airer indoors, all are mainly cotton.  My dexterity is poor and hand pain levels awful so wrestling them on is a nightmare, they will be put in the TD and then pulled into shape as put away, I have even added the dreaded fabric softener - nothing to lose by trying it.  I might even count them all later.

I would add that although  I have gained 4/5 pounds, many of them are from when I was at least a size bigger than I am now.

Instead of adding fabric softener, how about adding vinegar @maddiemay.  We have very hard water and added vinegar counteracts it quite well. 

I have had glasses go milky-white from the hardness.  Soaked them in a pudding basin full of vinegar and they looked brand new afterwards.  FWIW, now I mix my washing-up liquid half-and-half with vinegar and have not had a repeat of the problem.  (The washing-up liquid dispenser is a recycled, pump-action hand-soap bottle.  Three squirts per wash, plus one applied directly to very greasy items and wiped over with the sponge.)

- Pip

Cherryfudge

I add washing soda to the detergent drawer to counteract our hard water and reduce detergent use - it seems to help.

Still laughing at  @PollyWollyDoodle's reverse burglary. They called at mine after yours, Polly.

Laura_Elsewhere

@PollyWollyDoodle, we certainly are going to make our own knicks this year! I am test-wearing all the "maybe I'll keep those ones" bought knickers this week and next and today's pair, gorgeous though they are, are making me feel a desperate urge to hitch the sides up as they feel as if they are falling down the whole time - they are very good M&S ones in a size too small so I shall wash them and put them into a small box marked, "Try again when thinner" I suspect the majority are going for textile-rags (our excellent Council tip takes all conditions and types of textile rags, not just clothing). Once I've worn my way through the bought knicks, I shall be assessing five pairs of briefs I made a few years ago to find out why I had stopped wearing them. Meanwhile I have nearly finalised the pattern for my French knickers  

@maddiemay, I second the use of white vinegar - I know just what you mean about the socks in particular, yes - but vinegar is far cheaper and imo much better, and no, you don't end up smelling like a chip-shop!  

PipneyJane

One more word on White Vinegar:  I buy mine by the 5L bottle from a Chinese cash-n-carry.  I think the last box of 5 bottles cost £2.65 but I may be miss-remembering.  It was certainly less than £5 for 25 litres of the stuff.  Definitely better value than your average supermarket.

If you don't have a branch of Wing-Yip handy, any large Asian shop should sell these bottles.

- Pip

Laura_Elsewhere

Many years ago our neighbours *did* actually have a reverse-burglary - it genuinely does happen!

Back in the mid-1980s, we came down one morning to discover that overnight our car had been broken into, and our very old 1960s pair of binoculars had been stolen. 
Then we spoke to next-door, whose car had also been broken into and their very fancy top-end Polaroid camera had been stolen - but they were very puzzled about the appearance in their burgled car of an old pair of binoculars...!  

PollyWollyDoodle

Ha - thank you @Laura_Elsewhere, so I’m not imagining it! 🤣