2023 Fashion on the Ration Challenge

wit40iwtwan

PipneyJane said:

Laura_Elsewhere said:

One incredibly useful thing Mr E has pointed out is that I need to stop "knitting socks in isolation" - ie I knit socks because it soothes me and I love having nice socks BUT I don't think about what I will wear said socks with - I rarely wear trousers so my socks show, and for example I seem to have several pairs of turquoise-ish socks and absolutely no clothing that they don't look odd with...  
So no more socks to be cast on without a clear decision as to which skirt or cardigan they will go with... 

 

Why turquoise?  Would it be one of your favourite colours @Laura_Elsewhere?  Good idea from MrE, but you need to figure out what consistently draws you to that colour or you’ll make the same mistake.

If you can’t find outfits to wear with those socks, could you gift them to someone?  Alternatively, could you frog them and turn them into something-else that you can wear?  (A top or a hat-gloves-and-scarf set?)

wit40iwtwan said:

I need to declare a spend - I bought a t shirt on holiday in South Africa - spent 5 coupons on a £1.50 bargain! ha ha

Did you have a good trip @wit40iwtwan?  Do take a seat and tell us all about it.  Cup of tea?  Where is that cake tin? 

Found it!  Ooohhh it’s full of honey cake!  Please have a slice.

I am surprised that you only bought a t-shirt.  I find the shops in the southern hemisphere have much wider range of summer clothing, so I’m more likely to find something that appeals to my taste.

- Pip

Hey Pip - oh I had a super duper time!  I am not much of a shopper after years of doing fashion on a ration (on and off).  I was even looking at the t-shirt and thinking - really - I am going to spend my 5 precious coupons on something that costs so little... but in the end, it was the words of the t-shirt that were the real motivation.  So my holiday was fab - 2 weeks in sunny South Africa - a lot of driving and painting (the walls inside my home there) but lots of lovely laughs, catching up with old school friends and food... lots of nice food!

Madbat60

I had to buy knickers, 2 packs from Marks and Spencers, how many coupons is that? 

Laura_Elsewhere

Madbat60 said:

I had to buy knickers, 2 packs from Marks and Spencers, how many coupons is that? 

Each pair of knickers is 2 coupons, so it depends how many were in the packs! 

On the front page, it says:
"Ditto one pair of Cami-knickers would equal two pairs of modern bikini-style knickers or thongs, making each pair of modern knickers 2 coupons."

PipneyJane

Laura_Elsewhere said:

Oooh, well done, @Cherryfudge - a good darning mushroom is definitely A Good Thing! 

I've used odd ends of Rose & Hubble to make lovely handkerchieves - ime it washes really well without fading, and is soft on your nose when you have a cold too! 

I have to do some coupon-adjusting - I've lashed out wildly on two pairs of plimsolls, and a new swimsuit - 18 quid reduced to 5.40 and at the till it came up as a quid...! How many coupons is a swimsuit?!

Swimsuit?  I'm assuming they'd fall under "other undergarments, including corsets" and cost 3 coupons.  OK, they aren't undergarments, but they use about the same amount of labour and fabric.

I'll amend the front post, @Laura_Elsewhere

Oh, and quick question for you Laura:  is the yarn you are knitting with recycled from earlier garments or is it the end of a large purchase of yarn?  I realised that your post about it could be interpreted both ways so am now confused.  Beautiful colour, either way.

- Pip

Laura_Elsewhere

@PipneyJane, thankyou!

The cobalt blue yarn is re-used, yes - I knitted it into a cardigan a good 15 or so years ago, decided it fitted oddly, unknitted and re-knitted it a bit differently, went off that after a year or so and unravelled it and knitted it, about 7 years ago, into a shrug with a shawl collar which never quite worked, and unravelled it - it's been sitting as one huge ball of yarn every since until suddenly I realised that "not really enough for a cardigan in my size now" is almost certainly enough for a slipover, so the Cobalt Cabled Slipover was started  

Liverpool_Anne

Hi all, still working on the baby blanket

@Laura_Elsewhere what a bargain

Take care everyone

PipneyJane

Please Miss, may I buy a skein of sock yarn in order to knit pair of socks for a good friend?  I will use her coupons, since she has asked for a pair.

I am a complete and utter muppet since I bought 1 skein of this yarn last May and stood in the shop debating whether I should buy 2 skeins for a good 10 minutes. I promptly knitted a pair for myself.  (One 100g skein makes 1 pair of socks, while 2 will make 3 pairs.).

I can’t give her those socks, because her feet are larger than mine, but the colourway is perfect for her.

Please?  

- Pip

Laura_Elsewhere

@PipneyJane - well, it's basically your friend buying the skein for her own socks, just with your cash, isn't it? So I think that doesn't break your yarn-fast...

PipneyJane

Laura_Elsewhere said:

@PipneyJane - well, it's basically your friend buying the skein for her own socks, just with your cash, isn't it? So I think that doesn't break your yarn-fast...

Thank you @Laura_Elsewhere.  I love your logic.

- Pip

CapricornLass

My mother told me very firmly that it wasn't enough to have the money, you had to have the coupons to buy anything.  (She's currently writing an account of her childhood during the war). As your friend is donating her coupons, then its not a problem, you can buy with a clear conscience!