2023 Fashion on the Ration Challenge

Gem-gem

Lovely hankies @Nelliegrace. I inherited my MIL hankies and had some of my cousins and uncles hankies when they died. 

The only time I use tissues is if I have a very heavy cold. We only buy one box of tissue once a year.

Nelliegrace

We have had some heavy rain. We could have a dip in the flooded potholes from one end of the village to the other, like the Charlton Heston film. Some may have swimming lessons and lane swimming organised. 

Liverpool_Anne

Hi all,
@Laura_Elsewhere, yes there are some wild swim people near but they swim in the Mersey which I don't think is really that safe, strong tides, large ships etc. It is ok if you just want a dip but not so safe for a swim. We had a very experienced wild swimmer drown last year. We also have a couple of quarries near by but we have had 2 drownings there already this year so that puts me off going there. I think I will have to settle for putting my feet in a bowl of water and stick to the pool for swimming
Take care everyone

skogar

Spend to report - 1 bra so 1.5 coupons.

Unfortunately I have failed to find the shoes I have been looking for - saves on coupons though.

Laura_Elsewhere

About twenty years ago I saw a floral-linen skirt in a Boden catalogue for an eye-watering sixty quid... I eventually bought myself the skirt as a reward on condition I stopped smoking, and after six months I could... yeah, right.  

I did end up stopping, but not then and by then the skirt was forgotten - when I finally rediscovered it and tried it on for the first time, I discovered it actually looked awful. Really awful! The main skirt is just a front and back, with side-seams and two miniscule, pointless darts on the front-waist, and just hangs there like a flour-sack with an incredible emphasis on my pot-belly; then there's a weird barely-flounce on the bottom of that, just enough to sort of be wavy rather than full, but a good foot deep. 

So I never wore it - but I did still love the pale-green pure linen printed with pink, blue and yellow flowers and green leaves, in clusters... 

Finally today I've dismantle3d it and cut it up and a camisole is on its way, made from the main skirt-piece, and I think the flounce will actually make a pair of french knickers (aka tap-pants in the 1970s phrase)... I'm using some leftover vintage coppery-salmon-pink crochet thread to edge it all with, as well... 

Cherryfudge

Talking of linen, if you've not already seen it, there's a discussion on linen bedding and old linen elsewhere on the boards: Shop Charity in '23! - Page 79 — MoneySavingExpert Forum

PipneyJane

< sneaks into the hall.  Puts a fresh bottle of milk in the fridge. Fills the kettle…>

Good morning All

@Laura_Elsewhere, re safe swimming in the Borrow, isn’t there a billabong just beyond where the river curves around the edge of the cricket ground, below the hall?  That would be perfect to swim in and safe.  (I think billabongs are called ox-bow lakes in Britain.)

Those hankies are lovely, @Nelliegrace. Re cleaning linen, don’t forget the old technique for bleaching by laying wet linen out flat in the sun.

I have a spend to report.  We went to the Oval last weekend, to watch Australia beat India at the World Test Championship.  Naturally, I wore my Australian cricket shirt which, being made out of polyester (why???), was far too hot and uncomfortable.  (We were in full sun until 4.30pm.)  Fortunately, they were selling WTC branded, cotton team t-shirts in the match-day-shop, so I bought one and changed in the toilets.  It looked good with my khaki green shorts and akubra hat.  4 coupons spent.  I will update my signature in a moment.

Has that kettle boiled yet?  Who wants a cuppa?

- Pip

Nelliegrace

I have borrowed a pair of DH’s comfortable, stretchy shorts, as he had to get larger ones. 

MrsCD

Thanks for the cuppa, @PipneyJane! I'm sort of watching the cricket, in between sorting through mountains of old crochet magazines and doing the ironing. DH loves it, so I learned some of the rules by watching with him. 
I've washed my Yuletide blanket for the first time, and it's blowing nicely on the line. 😊

PipneyJane

Nelliegrace said:

I have borrowed a pair of DH’s comfortable, stretchy shorts, as he had to get larger ones. 

Lucky you, @Nelliegrace.  Unlucky for your DH, though.  Is being on rations helping control his weight?  (Personally, I'm living in hope for a chocolate shortage.  My DH binge eats it.)

- Pip