2024 Fashion On The Ration Challenge

Cherryfudge

I am so behind on posts! I'm not ignoring you all but have been putting off replying till it looks like an unused Christmas card list, come January... so please excuse me not commenting on all the things people are doing. I will sit here in my corner of the hall supping my cuppa and nodding with interest, having grabbed Pip on my way in to say it's lovely to see her back in circulation, and nodded especially hard at Laura and Mr E's inspiring progress on rehoming things.

We are getting towards knitting or crochet season again, chez Fudge. Lots of projects got dropped because the weather warmed up and I've had a busy summer. A few items have been bought off-ration (I think most of them made it onto this thread) and I think the only coupons this year have been spent on a dress and trainers.

A couple of updates: the charcoal-grey jumper that I got for a song has washed beautifully and today I intend to take it on a shopping trip to get a matching embroidery thread for the very small hole that needs mending. The Laura Ashley jacket is in the washing machine right now: being on a hanger has improved the shape and I'm hoping that will set a bit if repeated while damp.

And thanks to Pip for reminding me I was 12% through 'Less'. It had dropped down the queue on my Kindle but it's back at the top now. A fascinating book.

Nelliegrace

There are boxes of Mass Observation papers available on the free, online, Open Library, under various headings such as Food and Travel. 
I started listening to Less by Patrick Grant, on DH’s subscription to Spotify. I found out recently that it includes 15 hours of audiobooks a month, so they are mine! I share his love of well made British clothes in natural fabrics. 

I am furious at the chapter on throw away clothes, made in millions, by people paid about 3p a dress, and often scrapped unsold, just to make vast profits. 
I was calmed a bit by ironing the batch of prewar, lawn handkerchiefs. They have laundered beautifully after several soaks with oxiclean. I must take some hankies to WI, perhaps for a donation to the Red Cross? I have far more than I need. Some colourful hankies will go in the shoebox appeal for children. I wonder how much the Irish women were paid per dozen? These cost me 37p each. My Goodness, that is seven shillings and sixpence! This terrible inflation and purchase tax!



My sister liked her Mabel Lucie Attwell hankies. She said she remembered her printed ones. They were probably from Woolworths, in her Christmas stocking one year. It took ages to find her these. 
The picture reminds me, I sat in the library for ten minutes, putting a few pieces in a large jigsaw puzzle, and listening to a women telling a funny story about using her knitting needle to push the key out of the lock, to break back into her house after the builder had left it. After much effort, and her neighbour’s knitting needle, they got in, only to find that the other door was unlocked. 

PipneyJane

Lovely handkerchiefs @Nelliegrace.  

Isn’t it cold today!  Cup of tea, anyone? I’ve just made another pot.  There’s still boiling water in the kettle, if you fancy a different drink.  This weather is making me think about thick jumpers.  I’m 18 cm into my current project, an Aran sweater, which I’m knitting in the round and can’t wait to wear it! 

After Saturday at The Oval, I’ve decided that my next jumper will probably be a cricket jumper. A quick search of Ravelry turned up very few “real” cricket sweaters; plenty that don’t have any relation to one.   This one is the closest to what I have in mind, but I will need to change the neck.  (Not a problem.). Fortunately, I have 1900m of a suitable cream DK in the Stash - 70% wool, 30% alpaca - so I only have to find/buy something to form the contrast stripes.  Now debating whether to go for an Australian cricket sweater, a Surrey one (since I’m a member), an England one with the blue stripe, or to leave it stripe-less.  Won’t have to make up my mind until (probably) January.

- Pip

Laura_Elsewhere

Nice jumpers! What colour stripe would Surrey be? 

I'm approaching the body/sleeve divide on my green-cream striped cardi. The last half-dozen stripes are taking yeeeears, because once I divide then I get to work the cabled owls, and I really want to see how they look  

I also have to get on with the 3-ply plain-white baby hat and socks to go with the mitts, as we'll be visiting MiL in a couple of weeks and I want to take them down then... 

First thing it was cooler but still nice, then it was sunny and startiong to feel quite warm as I picked blackberries and sloes on the way back form the shops- then the sky turned black, the wind turned cold and I trotted briskly for home! In fact, the threatened storm passed over us, but it's definitely cooler- Mr E has the window closed while he's WFH today, first time this autumn...

PipneyJane

Laura_Elsewhere said:

Nice jumpers! What colour stripe would Surrey be? 

 

Good question, @Laura_Elsewhere.  Eu de Nil and brown are their colours but I can’t find a picture showing their classic cricket jumper.  They don’t have one for sale now.

- Pip

Laura_Elsewhere

PipneyJane said:

Laura_Elsewhere said:

Nice jumpers! What colour stripe would Surrey be? 

 

Good question, @Laura_Elsewhere.  Eu de Nil and brown are their colours but I can’t find a picture showing their classic cricket jumper.  They don’t have one for sale now.

- Pip

Would that have the advantage of going with warm colours (the brown) and also with cooler colours (the Eau-de-Nîl)? ie more versatile?

Nelliegrace

Thank you, @PipneyJane
Some more vintage British handkerchiefs arrived this morning from the second hand store, eB, unused old stock from a shop. They have a few left. Christmas gifts are going to be useful things this year, though we all agreed not to exchange presents some years ago, I like to tuck a nice
hanky in the card, or a ten bob note for the great nephews and great nieces.

The sender had opened a small corrugated cardboard box, turned it inside out and stuck it back together to reuse it. I must put it in the salvage.



There is half a mug of hot tea left in the flask.
It has gone colder, a grey, windy day with rain soon. Knitting seems a good idea to keep my hands warm. Last night it was chilly and I grabbed my Welsh wool chair throw, which makes a generous shawl for reading in bed. Daisy Dog was on her rug on the end of the bed, a good foot warmer.

DH refereed a bowls tournament all day Sunday, in the rain. The bowls splashed through the puddles. He was glad of his knitted pullover, an extra layer under the waterproof jacket. I like the pattern, but the V does seem too deep, like too much cleavage, a bit worrying. Perhaps you could put both Surrey and England colours in the stripe? 

Sarahspangles

PipneyJane said:

Lovely handkerchiefs @Nelliegrace.  
A quick search of Ravelry turned up very few “real” cricket sweaters; plenty that don’t have any relation to one.   This one is the closest to what I have in mind, but I will need to change the neck.  (Not a problem.).

Sirdar who produced that pattern are a couple of miles from me, though I suspect it’s now just their HQ and the yarn is spun elsewhere. Growing up my little sister modelled for their Hayfield patterns and my mum always aspired to design for them - though she never actually did design, even in her free time, so that was a pipe dream. At the time the business was run by a formidable, glamorous woman who would have fitted in on ‘Dynasty’.

I looked at the same pattern for me recently but the neck put me off - how would you rework it? It feels like the cables need to flow into a firm edge of stocking stitch, and then pick up the neckband stitches in fabric that is ‘clear’ of the cables.

Sarahspangles

PipneyJane said:

Laura_Elsewhere said:

Nice jumpers! What colour stripe would Surrey be? 

Good question, @Laura_Elsewhere.  Eu de Nil and brown are their colours but I can’t find a picture showing their classic cricket jumper.  They don’t have one for sale now.

- Pip

I think there’s just one company that is the main supplier for all clubs. My sister grumbles about the cost, her husband and son have to have two different ones. One is possibly M’sex as husband’s grandfather was something like the secretary and there is still an association, and the other must be the clubs they actually play for. I had a look at one - advising on repair! - and they are nicely made but nothing really special.

MrsCD

https://www.lovecrafts.com/en-gb/p/collegiate-cable-jumper-free-knitting-pattern-for-women-in-paintbox-yarns-baby-dk
Is this any help to anyone? I know it's not proper cables, but maybe the neckline would be in the right place!