2023 Fashion on the Ration Challenge

Gem-gem

Cherryfudge said:

@Gem-gem, I think you have a moral obligation not only to use, but to use up your husband's coupons. Waste not, want not. Husband is also thereby relieved of unnecessary worry and can carry on with his war work.

I'm not sure whether you are first past the post but there must be a few people close behind you.

Thanks Cherry Fudge, I do not want my husbands coupons to go to waste. Do you know if he can carry them over or if they have to be spent in that year of issue. He will need a new jumper for the winter. 

Gem-gem

Laura_Elsewhere said:

I tried to buy myself a new frock but really didn't like *anything* I found so gave up! 

I've started the Xmas knitting for my parents' collection of what they call "Laura's warmers" - legwarmers, armwarmers and now neck-warming cowls! And the original presents, their lap-blanket and lap-quilt... 

All those years they didn't want my needlework, but now they feel the cold so much more, they suddenly are much more interested, as are my nieces!!  

I was thinking of crocheting my Mum a lap -blanket for Christmas to match her water bottle cover that I gave her last year. 

I was also thinking of hot water bottles + covers for my niece and nephew. I hope that they will like / appreciate them. 

What are other people making as presents? 

Cherryfudge

Gem-gem said: Do you know if he can carry them over or if they have to be spent in that year of issue. He will need a new jumper for the winter. 

As far as I remember, coupons can be carried into the next year but not ad infinitum. Somebody please correct me if I'm wrong.

Gem-gem said:

What are other people making as presents? 

I'm impressed with all this industry and organisation! So far, I've no plans though I'm crocheting a scarf/shawl for myself using a snazzy yarn from stash that could be almost anything. The colours and weight are close to one from WYS but I don't think it's wool, so when I run out and the wrap is still unfinished, I may be coming back for ideas.

Laura_Elsewhere

The original coupons had to be used by year's end, but the Village Committee in Much Mending on the Borrow decided a few years ago to enable extra purchasing on a number of items, such as the free nylons, and carrying coupons over for only one year. 

Laura_Elsewhere

We're off again in an hour or so for a long weekend continuing the Great Sorting Out at my old place, combined with a niece's surprise-celebrations for her birthday which should be hilarious... 

I am not allowed to knit in the car, on the grounds that any sudden stop, whether impact or emergency braking, is not sensible with sharp pointy things... but I am allowed to crochet, so I'm taking a 3.5mm bamboo hook and the lace shawl, yet another 'Edlothia' pattern, I'm making for myself in undyed-white Shetland wool, Jamieson's 'Ultra' laceweight. 

diminua

I bought a top of the kind I wanted, which is a result. Another 5 coupons down!

Cherryfudge

We celebrated a couple of days in Shrewsbury partly by buying me some jeggings and just under 4oz of pale coral-coloured yarn, but no coupons were hurt in said purchases as they were from Shrewsbury's huge selection of charity shops.

Today I picked up some knitting and crochet implements at a car boot sale: three crochet hooks in 'old money', a stitch keeper, a well-used cable needle and a row counter. I wonder who they belonged to? I tried to find out when the modern system for crochet hook sizes started, with no luck (I did, however, find this on the history of crochet which may interest fellow geeks).

I've also been using a sock-weight yarn from stash to crochet a scarf/shawl (depending on how big it is when the yarn runs out).

ETA: I forgot I'd bought shorts too, but they were car boot bootie so no coupons.

MrsCD

Ooo, thanks, @Cherryfudge that was Very Interesting! Towards the end it seemed to be describing maybe a sort of nalbinding. As it was Northern European, I think, it would possibly have been known in Scotland. I haven't gone into the history of crochet very much, but I did like the tale about the 'lace maker' who employed ladies to crochet cheaper lace, and when they asked for more money, he told them to go out on the streets to work! Hence, hookers! Don't know if it's remotely true, but I often give a thought for those caught up in such a way, who don't want to be.....

PollyWollyDoodle

That's a very interesting read, thank you.  

Cherryfudge

Hello everyone, how are you?

In the interests of making things go further (I've already posted this to the charity shop thread but I thought you might be interested too), this article has all sorts of useful information about resurrecting worn clothing.