2023 Fashion on the Ration Challenge

Cherryfudge

That's a really good point, @thriftwizard: I'd not considered the damage side of things and at least the hard work then gets appreciated again.

It's funny you mention cushion covers because I was thinking of updating some of ours with a crochet overlay!

@Liverpool_Anne, yes, there's loads of work  - and the pleasure of making them and anticipating them being given/used.

It raises lots of questions- how did our forebears, who span and wove by hand, feel when their fabric was cut into or accidentally damaged? What are the ethics of people like me producing items using acrylic (because it's cheap and comes in a million colours) when it will be in landfill forever or if the local authority doesn't use landfill, go towards electricity generation? Yet making them has a therapeutic value, and we are all into warm blankets with fuel bills being what they are - and I suppose the acrylic yarn market is probably smaller than that of artificial 'fleece' blankets, and there must be millions of them, which also have a lasting environmental impact. (I went down a rabbit hole on this train of thought and found this.)

Liverpool_Anne

Hi all,
@thriftwizard I love that you are saving the embroidery from the rag man. Some I have seen is really beautiful work and can be reused so easily if the damaged garment isn't repairable and I am sure that is exactly what would have happened in the past
@Cherryfudge very interesting article and a very interesting question I am currently salving my conscience by trying to use yarn from the cs whenever I can but I do worry about it and I really don't know the answers. As far as fleece is concerned I am not buying anything made from fleece but I do wear what I already have and people do buy me things as a present. I wash it as little as I can get away with and I suspect most of them will last me for years. It is a real conundrum
Take care everyone

MrsCD

Thanks for the cuppa and the flapjack! 
I do understand the recycling ideas about cutting the sections of crochet and reusing them, it was just the cutting into the stitches that got to me...😥
I like the idea of reusing the embroidered tablecloths, too. It makes sense to cut the rusty areas out, and make something useful with what's left.. I'm sure people in times past would have done something similar, although I think the knitted or crocheted items would have been pulled out and remade.
I'm off to sort yet more stuff in the 'spare oom'.

Gem-gem

One spend to report:

1 pair of sheepskin slippers - made 15 miles from Cheddar, Somerset. 

5 coupons

Coupons Spent 41/66

Left 25/66

Laura_Elsewhere

@Gem-gem, well done on finding sheepskin slippers made in Somerset - now I have a 'Zummerrset' voice saying "well, yourrr feet'll be noice an' warrrrm this winterrrr" (with huge apologies to all West Country people!)


I don't have much made with synthetic fleece but I have some microfibre cloths bought before I knew how much they shed into the water-courses - I keep those now for things like cleaning screens, final-polish on a cleaned window or on cleaned silver, so they only get washed once a year. If I had fleece jackets I think I'd try to just spot-clean marks, spray the underarms with vodka, and hang them inside-out to air and try to avoid washing, just like @Liverpool_Anne says... 

I'm still not sure what to use next time a baby is due in my social circles - I really don't want to wrap the poor mite in knitted plastic, but at the same time I am *not* landing new parents with a load of hand-wash delicates! Bamboo has differing reports on its environmental impact... I really don't know. 
Maybe I should sew something using organic cotton or linen, so it can be machine-washed, tumble-dried, but won't "cost the earth"? I could knit with either, of course, but my wrists hate knitting with stretchless yarns, and it always looks saggy and baggy to me, so... 
Perhaps I can learn to make excellent sun-hats for babies, suitable for wearing year-round? 

I still haven't finished making anything. Normally, once the Xmas making is done, in late November, I have a pause and then enjoy starting something for myself over Xmas, and by May I have usually made perhaps a slipover, a skirt, a cardigan, some socks... not all of them but perhaps 2-3 of those. This year, nothing. Not A Thing. Dunno why... just, everything seems to be taking months and months of effort, which I don't understand... 

Nonnadiluca

Laura, do you remember those wrap over baby vests in a sort of flannelette, if I remember rightly, that were tied with ribbon? I had some for DD, ( she's just turned 51 so it was a while ago!) and they were really easy to get on and off a tiny baby and very soft to the touch. I wonder if modern parents would think they were  old fashioned or cutely retro? 

I know you're quite a bit younger than me so maybe not.

Laura_Elsewhere

Nonnadiluca said:

Laura, do you remember those wrap over baby vests in a sort of flannelette, if I remember rightly, that were tied with ribbon? I had some for DD, ( she's just turned 51 so it was a while ago!) and they were really easy to get on and off a tiny baby and very soft to the touch. I wonder if modern parents would think they were  old fashioned or cutely retro? 

I know you're quite a bit younger than me so maybe not.

I know the things you mean - and yes, I bet they'd go down a treat nowadays!  

I had a look and instead of what I had in mind I found this free pattern, using a fat quarter to make a little baby jacket - that's settled, then, I can use non-plastic fabrics, machine-washable and tumble-dryable! Hurrah!

https://blog.spoonflower.com/2013/02/11/fat-quarter-baby-jacket/

Baileys_Babe

Nonnadiluca said:

Laura, do you remember those wrap over baby vests in a sort of flannelette, if I remember rightly, that were tied with ribbon? I had some for DD, ( she's just turned 51 so it was a while ago!) and they were really easy to get on and off a tiny baby and very soft to the touch. I wonder if modern parents would think they were  old fashioned or cutely retro? 

I know you're quite a bit younger than me so maybe not.

Both my teens had vests like you describe they made dressing little one's so much easier 😊

Nelliegrace

Chilprufe and Cherub undyed pure wool baby vests, @Nonnadiluca. The tie ones were easy to put on but the ribbons wrinkled and were a bit fiddly. You can still buy or knit merino wool baby vests. 

Before Baby Growbags there were long, white cotton flannelette baby gowns with a bit of embroidery on the bodice front and a ribbon fastening at the back of the neck, ducks or lambs for boys and flowers for girls. They were easy to wash and fitted for much longer than babygros which can put pressure on the toes if they get too short.

Two dozen Harrington’s Gold terry nappies, and a pack of nappy pins. Some bibs. A few knitted cardigans or matinée jackets, leggings, knitted bonnets or helmets, and bootees, cotton scratch mitts, a shawl, a few crib sheets and blankets. 

I used to give muslin nappies as presents, so useful as posset cloths when winding a baby. 
I knitted a complete lacy layette for my daughter in 3 ply from a pattern in Woman’s Weekly, and several pairs of baby’s knitted dungarees, and baby Guernseys, and an Aran duffle coat. 

Nonnadiluca

They're adorable Laura, I wish I knew someone who was having a baby!
DD had some of hose long nighties too, I'd forgotten about those, so much nicer and more practical than babygroes, though I suppose they did need to be ironed and new mums have enough to do without that!