2024 Fashion On The Ration Challenge

PipneyJane

@Nelliegrace thanks for the link re the cricket sweaters.  I’ve saved the link and will have a browse.  Loved the story about the Christmas hankies/ribbons/sweets.

All this talk about hankies reminds me:  a couple of weekends ago, I met up with a friend I used to sing with in Australia.  In rehearsals, we’d sit and craft while waiting for our turn to sing (knitting, crochet, embroidery, needlepoint, tatting).  I have vivid memories of her adding a crocheted lace trim to linen hankies.  

@Laura_Elsewhere hope the water today wasn’t perishingly cold.

I have a spend to declare.  I finally bit the bullet and ordered 4m of that Harris Tweed I’ve been lusting after (HB132).  12 coupons spent, as well as all my Chase rewards/round-ups and my craft account.  I’d been saving the Chase money for a treat.  Now’s the time.  I’ll update my signature shortly. 

That brings my total spend to 51/66 coupons, with 15 remaining.

Now to find some decent, hardwearing, lining fabric.  Is it snobbish of me to want silk?  I actually have no idea what fibres were used for linings before polyester came along.

- Pip

Sarahspangles

PipneyJane said:

Now to find some decent, hardwearing, lining fabric.  Is it snobbish of me to want silk?  I actually have no idea what fibres were used for linings before polyester came along.

Silk linings are lovely, I had a lined skirt but if I wore it with tights static would build up. But I think silk would part at the seams as a lining for a heavy fabric.

The most expensive lining at our local mill shop is shot twill which is cupro/cotton. https://fabworks.co.uk/collections/all-occasion-wear/woven-lining 

Laura_Elsewhere

Silk linings are beautiful BUT… I put a vintage silk-twill lining in my Harris tweed jacket and as a result I basically carry it a lot but rarely wear it because it’s just too warm!! 

There are some really nice smooth cotton-lawn fabrics around (Hobbycraft of all places has a food plain black 100% cotton lawn, available online or in most shops) so I would suggest that instead…

The quarry was a lovely 14.8°C this morning swam 300m and stayed in about half an hour…

PipneyJane

Sarahspangles said:

PipneyJane said:

Now to find some decent, hardwearing, lining fabric.  Is it snobbish of me to want silk?  I actually have no idea what fibres were used for linings before polyester came along.

Silk linings are lovely, I had a lined skirt but if I wore it with tights static would build up. But I think silk would part at the seams as a lining for a heavy fabric.

The most expensive lining at our local mill shop is shot twill which is cupro/cotton. https://fabworks.co.uk/collections/all-occasion-wear/woven-lining 

That looks perfect, @Sarahspangles.  Since they only had a shade of green, I’ve ordered a sample (£1), to see if it will work colour-wise.  How lucky you are to have them as your local mill shop!  (Thanks to our nextdoor neighbour when I was small, I grew up believing that there are two kinds of people on this island, Yorkshiremen and the rest. God’s own county.  He was from Driffield.)

I was out with the team from Work last night.  My Director (who likes a good tweed blazer herself), complimented me on the one I was wearing, a blue and grey check blazer from Next Tailoring.  I didn’t have the heart to tell her that I’d bought it in a charity shop for £7.
I deliberately didn’t wear my new, Harris Tweed one, because I’m pretty certain that she has one too.

- Pip

Gem-gem

Coupon and non coupon spends to declare:

Last week: 

2 x jeans - 12 coupons (one cheap pair to wear around the house; one middle Price range to wear when going out).

This week:

2 x jumper 10  - one navy sweatshirt; one mushroom cashmere jumper that I am hoping to wear over blouses.

1 x t-shirt 4 - to wear at the gym 

1 x blouse 5 - it is so soft. It caught my eye last weekend 

This weeks were bought with a 15% and 20% discount 😀

Non-coupon spend: 

1 x cardigan 0 - second hand from Mum.

This has resulted in me going slightly over my coupon budget. Thank goodness my husband doesn't buy many clothes.

78/66 spent

diminua

I'm back from sunny Cornwall (it was quite sunny too - especially on the coast. I carried a jumper but it mostly ended up tied round my waist.)
Unfortunately I have spends to declare - one pair of trainers because my boots gave up the ghost on the SW coast path between Mousehole and Lamorna. My own fault - they're not really walking boots and I've been hiking in them wet and perished the leather - they tore in a line right above the sole. And one pair of trousers, because I didn't anticipate the path would leave so much grubbiness where I'd scrambled over bits or sat on rocks. 
So my coupons are well and truly bust! 
I've also gained 5 pounds (all that Cornish cream and butter) but luckily my clothes do still fit.

PipneyJane

Ouch! Re the boots @diminua.  Still, at least they gave you good service.

I’m heading out shortly to go and collect my leather jacket from the dry cleaners at W8trose.  It’s more like a short, black, leather car coat, 1960’s style, than a leather jacket.  Can’t find a picture online, anywhere, to share. I’ve owned it for about 20 years.  £61.75 for a specialist leather clean which, hopefully, will get rid of the damp smell.  (It reeked of damp.  No idea the cause.)

- Pip

Nelliegrace

A find! Someone put a box of 4 pre-war, men’s fine lawn handkerchiefs in the second hand sale for £5. 
It is 100 days to Christmas. I must get on with my knitting. The traditional tea cosy is annoying me, I knitted a purl row instead of all plain. I plan to save some of our rations for a packet of tea to go with it. My oldest sister would appreciate it. I have given a packet of tea, a bar of scented soap, a jar of our honey, and handkerchiefs as raffle prizes to raise funds. They were appreciated in these frugal times. 

There are some useful knitting patterns here. A member of our Smallholders group was in the WLA and milked cows by hand dawn and dusk every day, for the war effort. 

https://www.womenslandarmy.co.uk/world-wide-knit-in-public-day-gumboot-stockings-and-mittens-knitting-leaflet/

Cherryfudge

I hope the coat comes good Pip! And @Nelliegrace, thank you for the link. I will look into that.

Yesterday I frogged a crochet scarf that I realised I would never wear. It’s a very garish yarn that I imagine was for socks, so now I’m wondering about crocheting garish socks. A lot of work had gone into the scarf but I’ll put that down to hours of practice and new skills learned, and turn the resulting ball of yarn (artificial, but fun) into something wearable.

This morning I looked in local charity shops where we are staying and came away with a very good haul. https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/80998216/#Comment_80998216

The dress is one that could go over some tee shirts I already have, which would extend the season, and the scarves are just lovely even though I already have around 30 big scarves!

I’d better not say that too loudly in case I get accused of hoarding.

CAFCGirl

Hello!!!!

It has been some time and I fear my face and name may be forgotten but just in case its not, I'm returning from war business and thought I'd show my face at the village hall

Wishing you all well and may your coupons be lasting!