2022 Fashion On The Ration Challenge

Laura_Elsewhere

PollyWollyDoodle said:

Oh dear!  Can I just say, those are the sort of mistakes I make without having the excuse of Covid!

Actually, that's a good point... there was the time I carefully chalked all the pattern pieces onto fabric *before* cutting because I had no spare yardage, only to find when assembling them that my careful preparation had included a front piececut on a CF fold , two back pieces with a CB seam, a left side piece and... oops.   Or the beautifully-fitted pencil skirt in my 30s, measuring everything perfectly and assembling the lined, fitted skirt so beautifully, only to find at the end that as it had no opening I couldn't actually put it on... 

PollyWollyDoodle

😂 I doubt if there is a sewer in the world who hasn’t sewn a sleeve on back to front, attached a facing on the outside, or failed to reverse the pieces on patterned fabric. 

When my sister was in the sixth form she made a patchwork waistcoat (it was all the rage at that time) and she hand-embroidered a patch for the centre back with a slogan. She forgot to check which way up the patch would be, spent weeks making the waistcoat, and then realised that when the patch was inserted the words were going to be upside down.  

I am often asked to shorten trousers for friends, and my biggest fear is that I will shorten the same leg twice!

Laura_Elsewhere

@PollyWollyDoodle, absolutely! But still, I have managed an extraordinary number of mess-ups in one seriously simple sewing job, resulting in a complete change of design and colour... not to mention, being unable to wear it til I've lost an inch or two!  

Cherryfudge

Lots of sympathy here, @Laura_Elsewhere. I know your sewing is streets ahead of mine so I don't doubt you will make it work. I do feel I've learned more from my mistakes than from the things that just worked nicely, if that's any (small) comfort. And I've just looked at my F!tbit heart rate readings from my brush with Covid and there's a big spike around the time the infection peaked. I wasn't aware at all. It can do odd things, this virus, so perhaps sewing errors need to find their way into the medical books alongside other things (brain fog is already in there, I believe).

@PollyWollyDoodle, thank you for the consoling words! I know they are addressed to Laura but I sewed a sleeve on inside out when I was about thirteen and have never tackled a pattern since! With years of other learning experiences behind me, I dare say if it happened now I would just put it down to experience, take it back and reinsert it, but at the time it felt major and I lost confidence. However, with perspective and time and your reassuring words, perhaps it's not so huge.

I wonder what happened to that dress?! It never got worn and the fabric was very pretty. There was no trace of it when I cleared my Mum's house.

I had to laugh at your possibly shortening the same leg twice!  

I bought a tiny cross stitch kit this morning at a car boot sale and have just spent around three hours unpicking stitches as they didn't all go the same way. Why do I do this to myself?! I had to throw away the needle that was left in it as it was rusty, but I did gain a pair of quite good scissors which aren't needed but were left in it. I didn't find them till I emptied it out but the woman was selling a large amount of kits so I think she'd given up on them.

PipneyJane

Arrgghhh!!   Sounds painful @Laura_Elsewhere.  You are much better humoured than me - I’d have thrown it in the bin and had a massive sulking fit by now.

@Cherryfudge - you obviously liked the cross stitch image.  Hopefully there is enough yarn to redo it.

I’ve spent 2 coupons today on sock yarn.  We’re in Rochester for the Sweeps’ Festival, staying at DH’s best mate’s (aka his Brother From Another Mother).  While we wandered down the High Street, I spotted a new-to-me bookshop/yarn shop/cafe.  It’s called Shop 104.  (NB:  I am fairly sure there used to be a wool shop in that site pre-pandemic, but it didn’t have a cafe at the back or a bookshop at the front.).  Naturally, I had to have a browse and came away with one ball of self-patterning sock yarn.  I’m supporting the shop and helping them stay in business (or so I told DH).

This takes my total spend for 2022 to 32 coupons.  I have 44 remaining because I brought forward 10 coupons from last year.

- Pip

Cherryfudge

PipneyJane said:

I’ve spent 2 coupons today on sock yarn.  We’re in Rochester for the Sweeps’ Festival, staying at DH’s best mate’s (aka his Brother From Another Mother).  While we wandered down the High Street, I spotted a new-to-me bookshop/yarn shop/cafe.  It’s called Shop 104.  (NB:  I am fairly sure there used to be a wool shop in that site pre-pandemic, but it didn’t have a cafe at the back or a bookshop at the front.).  Naturally, I had to have a browse and came away with one ball of self-patterning sock yarn.  I’m supporting the shop and helping them stay in business (or so I told DH).

- Pip

A worthy cause - I think we can put it down to a contribution to the War Effort?

I'm hoping there is enough left in the cross stitch kit to complete it but if not, it's small enough to come with me to some source of embroidery thread and get another skein. It's a Laura Ashley design, which is nice, but also a motif that means a lot to some people I know so it may become a gift at some point.

Gem-gem

PipneyJane said:

Arrgghhh!!   Sounds painful @Laura_Elsewhere.  You are much better humoured than me - I’d have thrown it in the bin and had a massive sulking fit by now.

@Cherryfudge - you obviously liked the cross stitch image.  Hopefully there is enough yarn to redo it.

I’ve spent 2 coupons today on sock yarn.  We’re in Rochester for the Sweeps’ Festival, staying at DH’s best mate’s (aka his Brother From Another Mother).  While we wandered down the High Street, I spotted a new-to-me bookshop/yarn shop/cafe.  It’s called Shop 104.  (NB:  I am fairly sure there used to be a wool shop in that site pre-pandemic, but it didn’t have a cafe at the back or a bookshop at the front.).  Naturally, I had to have a browse and came away with one ball of self-patterning sock yarn.  I’m supporting the shop and helping them stay in business (or so I told DH).

This takes my total spend for 2022 to 32 coupons.  I have 44 remaining because I brought forward 10 coupons from last year.

- Pip

Pip, we were supposed to be at the sweeps festival tomorrow but alas my DH' calf muscle/leg has become swollen, it is hot to touch, hurting and he is trouble walking. He saw the Dr on Friday, who gave him some antibiotics and said if it didn't improve in 48 hours go to A&E immediately, so it will most likely will be a trip down to A&E instead. 

PipneyJane

@Gem-gem sorry to hear it.  Hope your DH feels better soon.

Sweeps is a bit quieter than normal.  Not as many Morris Dancers in the High Street and fewer pubs putting on live acts.  The castle grounds were packed yesterday.  Sur les Dock headlined. 

- Pip

Cherryfudge

I hope he's okay @Gem-gem? Did you go to A&E?

2Scratters

Hi Peeps,
I'd like to jump on board with you all. Found this thread and am currently back in 2019. I'm am going to make my way up to date but learning and starting to practise and develop the skills to be successful at this. As I am semi retired and looking at cutting back and making good use of what is already stored in the house & loft and saving money. I absolutely adore the fashions of 30's 40's & 50's. Whether I end up being able to wear such styles is another thing however my intention is to practise less spending by using the restrictions of the coupons. Shouldn't be too hard (she say's) as most of my clothes are pre owned or from the CS. Yet when I spend on new it is seldom cheap. I have a blouse that was purchased back in 1996 and was nearly £100, it is still in my wardrobe and comes out at least 4 times a year. It washes and irons really well and I feel fab in it. The original shoulder pads were foam and that perished some time ago but looks just as good without. I still am hanging on to clothes I had pre 1985 I just can't seem to let them go. They come out periodically and I always aim to relieve 1 from the stash. 
 I love to route (in anything). I am already in the process of reducing my footwear and do notice that quality is most cost effective. 
I will be back in the future 
Speak soon
2Scratters xx