2023 Fashion on the Ration Challenge

PollyWollyDoodle

Wow - lots to think about!  It’s not easy being green  

I’ve just bought some nice new cotton knicks. The environmental impact of producing cotton is huge - it needs large amounts of water, and is often produced using pesticides, artificial fertilisers etc.  how do we compare that to the impact/cost of producing artificial fibres?  

Cherryfudge

Laura_Elsewhere said:

One thing I am doing that I said I'd do before and didn't... I shall start actively trying to find ways to use up the fabrics and yarn I already have! 
I said a year or three back that I would start keeping a separate tally of how many clothing coupons I 'saved' by making things from what I already have, and see if I can sew and knit and crochet my way up to 66 coupons in a year. Time to do it...! 

After all, it is already in the flat, taking up space and having cost me money so it's sensible to use it instead of buying more- save money, save resources, save space in the tiny flat! 

Ooh, I remember that! And I remember saying 'what  good idea' and intending to join in, then not doing it.

Have you managed to make any items this year that would count towards it, Laura? I'm thinking it's a huge challenge unless you knit socks at the rate of more than one pair a week. I will give it a go too if you'll lower the bar! How about 'anything counts, race to December for most points?' I still wouldn't win but I might manage something.

And what will you count? Most of my 'savings' are in terms of mends, large or small, which isn't really repurposing but saves coupons/fabric.

Is this part of Fashion on the Ration or a separate challenge? I want to see how it goes!

Laura_Elsewhere

Cherryfudge said:

Laura_Elsewhere said:

One thing I am doing that I said I'd do before and didn't... I shall start actively trying to find ways to use up the fabrics and yarn I already have! 
I said a year or three back that I would start keeping a separate tally of how many clothing coupons I 'saved' by making things from what I already have, and see if I can sew and knit and crochet my way up to 66 coupons in a year. Time to do it...! 

After all, it is already in the flat, taking up space and having cost me money so it's sensible to use it instead of buying more- save money, save resources, save space in the tiny flat! 

Ooh, I remember that! And I remember saying 'what  good idea' and intending to join in, then not doing it.

Have you managed to make any items this year that would count towards it, Laura? I'm thinking it's a huge challenge unless you knit socks at the rate of more than one pair a week. I will give it a go too if you'll lower the bar! How about 'anything counts, race to December for most points?' I still wouldn't win but I might manage something.

And what will you count? Most of my 'savings' are in terms of mends, large or small, which isn't really repurposing but saves coupons/fabric.

Is this part of Fashion on the Ration or a separate challenge? I want to see how it goes!

I haven't managed to make ANYTHING this year for myself except the Shetland cream Edlothia shawl...! It's been awful, just not got anything done... 

I thought I'd just keep a note in my signature of how many clothing coupons I've made, iyswim, not a separate group or anything. You could always do a Mending Tally, and tot up how many items you have mended, ie list the item's coupon-cost? 
I think it's not a huge challenge as such... I mean, a skirt is 7 and a petticoat 4, and a blouse is 5; people in here have made pyjamas, I know, and those are 8 coupons, as would be a dressing-gown... so although I might not get to 66 in a year, if I really tried, I bet I could get to 33! 
If I include the black linen dress I'm making myself begin making, that's 7 coupons; petticoat is 4 (11); blouse for under the dress is 5 (16); cardigan to go over would be c.300g so 12oz of wool, 12 coupons (28); throw in a camisole and knickers for 4 coupons as camiknicks (32) and make a new 3-coupon apron to keep it all clean when I bake, and that's 36 coupons...

What makes you think that it's an impossible challenge?  

Cherryfudge

Laura_Elsewhere said:

What makes you think that it's an impossible challenge?  

My lack of sewing skills!  

Cherryfudge

Laura_Elsewhere said:

Is eyelash the stuff that has a lot of 1cm-long fibres all along one side, out at 90 degrees to the main yarn? If so, you can knit it up into excellent flamboyant fake-fur cuffs for gloves or short ankle-warmers to go at the top of ankle-boots...  

Oh, frabjous day! I have to try that!

Cherryfudge

PipneyJane said:

@Cherryfudge and @Laura_Elsewhere eyelash crochets up very quickly into lovely, curly scarves too, which is a great way of getting rid of it. (Yes, of course, I have plans to use it up this way.) Recipe:  Use a 6mm to 7mm hook.  Work 150 chain.  In the first row, Double Crochet into every stitch.  Chain 3 at the end of each row.  In the second and subsequent rows, work 1 DC into the first stitch then 2DC into the second.  Repeat to end.  Five rows will give you a lovely thick scarf and use up possibly 4 balls of the stuff.

- Pip

Anecdote alert: years ago my very stylish friend made an eyelash yarn scarf, short and smart and very becoming, and it was so gorgeous I asked her how to do it. So I wouldn't be copying directly, I made a gigantic version (not quite Tom Baker, but definitely influenced) which I wore for about a year and is now Taking Up Space. That's what I always think of with eyelash yarn. If ever I wear a navy coat again, I must remember to resurrect the scarf - which may now get matching gloves thanks to Laura.

Laura_Elsewhere

Cherryfudge said:

Laura_Elsewhere said:

What makes you think that it's an impossible challenge?  

My lack of sewing skills!  

Ah, you can get inventive! Do you have a sewing friend who might make you something simple from materials you already have (spare duvet-cover? Old pillow-cases? That voluminous maxi-sundress you bought by mistake?) - a t-shirt style top? A new apron? All kinds of fairly simple things are possible... and you 'pay' by making them a fabulous eyelash scarf!  

And the gloves with eyelash cuffs are great fun- and quite seriously I reckon 1940s women would have loved them! You can always make the cuffs for gloves you already own and sew them on (or get a friend to sew them on - that's the kind of thing I've done for non-sewing friends many times over the years- meet up for a fish and chips lunch, they buy me lunch and when we part, 90 minutes or so later, their strappy dress has two straps attached again, and their trouser-hems are properly staying up once more, that jumper's elbow is darned, and the feathery-eyelash cuffs are sewn onto their gloves ) 
I can picture black gloves, quite neat ones, not big chunky things, with a gorgeous 2-3" deep cuff on the wrists!  

Cherryfudge

PollyWollyDoodle said:

Wow - lots to think about!  It’s not easy being green  

I’ve just bought some nice new cotton knicks. The environmental impact of producing cotton is huge - it needs large amounts of water, and is often produced using pesticides, artificial fertilisers etc.  how do we compare that to the impact/cost of producing artificial fibres?  

Such a good question - and I don't know the answer. What materials go into making acrylics, where are they transported from, what are the peripheral cost in terms of water, power, human labour, space taken to manufacture, transport? There are statistics for cotton but a comparison would be helpful.

What's the cost per wear comparison for each item, cotton or otherwise? What could be done with the fabric post-usable knicks stage? (Who knew there was such a thing as 'useable knicks stage'?) How long would it remain in landfill afterwards? 

Then again - micro plastics vs tiny bits of air-borne cotton? Cost in terms of health, environment, at time of production, over the life of the garment and afterwards?

What about the cost to the people who make the fabric, or the garment?

I'd go for cotton, as it's natural (though deadly nightshade and black widow spiders are natural too) and won't be around in a hundred years, but I'd be trying to balance that out with making it last as long as possible, which raises the tricky question of how long is reasonable. How long is a piece of string, and is the string cotton or acrylic?  

I'm not sure there's a definitive answer to any of this and its too easy to get bogged down in detail and not do the practical stuff that makes a difference, however small. I think just being aware can change our behaviour for the better, especially if we feel answerable - yay for Fashion on the Ration.  

Cherryfudge

Laura_Elsewhere said:

Cherryfudge said:

Laura_Elsewhere said:

One thing I am doing that I said I'd do before and didn't... I shall start actively trying to find ways to use up the fabrics and yarn I already have! 
I said a year or three back that I would start keeping a separate tally of how many clothing coupons I 'saved' by making things from what I already have, and see if I can sew and knit and crochet my way up to 66 coupons in a year. Time to do it...! 

After all, it is already in the flat, taking up space and having cost me money so it's sensible to use it instead of buying more- save money, save resources, save space in the tiny flat! 

Ooh, I remember that! And I remember saying 'what  good idea' and intending to join in, then not doing it.

Have you managed to make any items this year that would count towards it, Laura? I'm thinking it's a huge challenge unless you knit socks at the rate of more than one pair a week. I will give it a go too if you'll lower the bar! How about 'anything counts, race to December for most points?' I still wouldn't win but I might manage something.

And what will you count? Most of my 'savings' are in terms of mends, large or small, which isn't really repurposing but saves coupons/fabric.

Is this part of Fashion on the Ration or a separate challenge? I want to see how it goes!

I haven't managed to make ANYTHING this year for myself except the Shetland cream Edlothia shawl...! It's been awful, just not got anything done... 

I thought I'd just keep a note in my signature of how many clothing coupons I've made, iyswim, not a separate group or anything. You could always do a Mending Tally, and tot up how many items you have mended, ie list the item's coupon-cost? 
I think it's not a huge challenge as such... I mean, a skirt is 7 and a petticoat 4, and a blouse is 5; people in here have made pyjamas, I know, and those are 8 coupons, as would be a dressing-gown... so although I might not get to 66 in a year, if I really tried, I bet I could get to 33! 
If I include the black linen dress I'm making myself begin making, that's 7 coupons; petticoat is 4 (11); blouse for under the dress is 5 (16); cardigan to go over would be c.300g so 12oz of wool, 12 coupons (28); throw in a camisole and knickers for 4 coupons as camiknicks (32) and make a new 3-coupon apron to keep it all clean when I bake, and that's 36 coupons...

What makes you think that it's an impossible challenge?  

A thing of beauty is a joy forever, and your shawls certainly qualify. Double win.

And did you make anything that wasn't for yourself? Surely that counts too.

Your list of things make/to complete is awesome. May we see the dress pattern? I've been regretting not buying and M&S black dress that was around in the summer and which looked like my perfect dress both style-wise and in versatility. As you know, I'm not confident with a sewing machine so I'd only really thought of the challenge in terms of knitting.

I like the idea of counting mending in my signature, or maybe I will once again keep a 'ration book' (AKA cheap diary) of coupons spends and record the mends in there as it doesn't involve remembering to update a sig.

Laura_Elsewhere

PollyWollyDoodle said:

Wow - lots to think about!  It’s not easy being green  

I’ve just bought some nice new cotton knicks. The environmental impact of producing cotton is huge - it needs large amounts of water, and is often produced using pesticides, artificial fertilisers etc.  how do we compare that to the impact/cost of producing artificial fibres?  

All I can think is: it comes down to trying not to buy on impulse and then not wearing the thing, trying to buy better quality where possible so the thing lasts longer, trying to wash things only when necessary so the thing lasts longer... 
Maybe fewer clothes, but clothes that last longer- I think that's my aims, synthetic or natural, second-hand or home-made or bought-new...