2022 Fashion On The Ration Challenge

dreamyd

PollyWollyDoodle said:

Yes @dreamyd it’s Kate Davies, I bought the pattern on Ravelry I think. I remember knitting it on a cruise to Norway!  It’s a very easy knit because most of it is knitted in stocking stitch in the round. 

Thought  so ! I have some WI acrylic from Hobbycraft which I could use...I'm a novice to cabling, so this might be a good way in...

PollyWollyDoodle

I have a purchase to declare - I think this may be the first new item of clothing I have bought since 2020. An organic cotton dress from a company that has good ethical credentials, it arrived packed in a paper envelope, no plastic, and I think it’s something I will wear for a long time. I’ve lost track of my coupons but I’m pretty sure I carried some over from last year.  I’ll have to go and check!

PipneyJane

dreamyd said:

PollyWollyDoodle said:

Yes @dreamyd it’s Kate Davies, I bought the pattern on Ravelry I think. I remember knitting it on a cruise to Norway!  It’s a very easy knit because most of it is knitted in stocking stitch in the round. 

Thought  so ! I have some WI acrylic from Hobbycraft which I could use...I'm a novice to cabling, so this might be a good way in...

It's a lovely pattern, @dreamyd.  Very clearly written and easy to follow.  The owl is both charted and written out long-hand.

Have a look on YouTube for videos showing you how to cable without a cable needle.  I did a class years ago that covered it and it makes life a lot more simple, when you don't have to worry about the cable needle dropping out.  The late Annie Modesit was the teacher.  Not certain if she ever put anything on YouTube.  If you can't find it, then make sure you have a cable needle with a bend in it - looks a bit like a pyramid sticking up from a plain - and that will stop it dropping out of the slipped, cable stitches.

- Pip

maryb

Lovely Springlike day today.  I was wandering round the market in the sunshine and passed the fabric stall.  Well, actually, I didn't pass it.  He had some lovely batiks and I bought 1.5 metres of a navy background with a slight petrol tinge to it with cream blobs.  I'm envisaging a short sleeved blouse to wear untucked over cream trousers or a cream skirt.
According to the list a blouse is 5 coupons but 1and a half yards is only 3.  I'm assuming the difference is because a long sleeved blouse would take more fabric.  So that will bring me up to 21 coupons so far this year.  A bit ahead of budget but not dreadfully spendy

Laura_Elsewhere

PollyWollyDoodle said:

Yes @dreamyd it’s Kate Davies, I bought the pattern on Ravelry I think. I remember knitting it on a cruise to Norway!  It’s a very easy knit because most of it is knitted in stocking stitch in the round. 

I gather she's improved the pattern in recent years - many years ago it was the very first pattern I ever knitted, first thing that wasn't socks. Sadly, it had a problem back then resulting in a very peculiar fit on the back for many people in larger sizes, basically giving us pronounced boobs on our backs! Mine was unravelled sadly after only a few wearings. 

I think it was a major factor in my preference to make up my own designs... I had such high hopes and it was just soooo unwearable. 

As I say, I understand she subsequently made changes and I was just unlucky... certainly it works beautifully for lots and lots of people! 

Laura_Elsewhere

maryb said:

According to the list a blouse is 5 coupons but 1and a half yards is only 3.  I'm assuming the difference is because a long sleeved blouse would take more fabric.  

I think it's also that buying a blouse means your purchase involves time and skills being used by the manufacturer (fabric-making, then blouse-making) which could be used for the War Effort, whereas if you buy fabric, that's less time and fewer skills (fabric-making only) and it's your spare time and skills being used then to make the blouse, so you aren't hampering the manufacture of more silk parachutes! 

maryb

True  and I suppose there had to be some incentive to make it yourself so a saving in coupons is very welcome

PipneyJane

Laura_Elsewhere said:

maryb said:

According to the list a blouse is 5 coupons but 1and a half yards is only 3.  I'm assuming the difference is because a long sleeved blouse would take more fabric.  

I think it's also that buying a blouse means your purchase involves time and skills being used by the manufacturer (fabric-making, then blouse-making) which could be used for the War Effort, whereas if you buy fabric, that's less time and fewer skills (fabric-making only) and it's your spare time and skills being used then to make the blouse, so you aren't hampering the manufacture of more silk parachutes! 

I totally agree.  There were three factors at work:

1) The raw materials
2) The energy involved - electricity/gas/oil/coal (although you may think this is just another raw material)
3) Diverting labour away from the War effort

God knows, we're probably all going to have to consider these things in future, with the "Great Inflation" we're hitting.  (Wish I could come up with a better name.  Any suggestions?)

- Pip

CAFCGirl

** Coupon Question **

Where do we fall on buying items from resale retailers? So say like factory shops or Vinted/DePop who buy dead stock from other retailers and then sell at discounted prices?

Does this count as second hand? Or first hand but the long way round? LOL

PipneyJane

CAFCGirl said:

** Coupon Question **

Where do we fall on buying items from resale retailers? So say like factory shops or Vinted/DePop who buy dead stock from other retailers and then sell at discounted prices?

Does this count as second hand? Or first hand but the long way round? LOL

I think first hand but the long way round.  They're like retailers buying from a wholesaler, if that makes sense.

It's different if you're buying from somewhere that sells pre-owned items on commission to the owner.  (There's a phrase for that but I can't recall it.  It's going to drive me nuts and bug me for the rest of the day....)  Those items are most definitely second hand.

Got it!  "Consignment" is the word I was groping for.

- Pip