2024 Fashion On The Ration Challenge

PollyWollyDoodle

Good to see you back CAFCGirl.  We’re used to people being away on overseas postings and the like, always a welcome in the village hall. 

Cherryfudge

Lovely to see you @CAFCGirl, how are you?

I raided another charity shop this afternoon and couldn’t choose between two pairs of jeans so I bought both - coupon-free of course. 😊

One pair is inelegant but winter weight and a perfect fit (so if I manage to continue my slow but steady weight loss they will be too big in a few months). The other pair is a snugger fit but flattering, so will be worn when I want to look smarter.

PipneyJane

Welcome back @CAFCGirl.  Please take a seat, a cup of tea and a slice of cake and tell us all about your War Work.  Did anything exciting happen or was it all paper pushing?

I’m happy to report that the damp smell is gone from my leather jacket.  It was replaced by a dry-cleaner-chemical smell, which has almost dissipated/evaporated, since I put the jacket in the kitchen - warmest place in the house - to air.  

Can anyone tell me, please, how sewing machine needle sizes work?  Are the higher numbers thicker or thinner?  I have several sizes from a L!dl sewing kit.  To my knowledge, I’ve only ever bought three types of sewing machine needle: a one-size-fits-all for regular sewing,, a jersey needle, and a leather needle (very tough, used once).

What needle would you use on denim?  One of the happy side effects of my lymphoma is that I lost nearly two stone on weight  and gone down a dress size.  It means that I can now wear the size 10-12 jeans which were lurking in the bottom of a box and, amazingly, appear to be fashionable.  However, one pair desperately needs the inside leg seam topstitched for reinforcement.  Another pair is “gone” where the rear pockets join the main fabric - caused by carrying my mobile phone in the back pocket and then sitting/bending down - once reinforced/patched they will then become my gardening jeans.

- Pip

Sarahspangles

PipneyJane said:

What needle would you use on denim?  One of the happy side effects of my lymphoma is that I lost nearly two stone on weight  and gone down a dress size.  It means that I can now wear the size 10-12 jeans which were lurking in the bottom of a box and, amazingly, appear to be fashionable.  However, one pair desperately needs the inside leg seam topstitched for reinforcement.  Another pair is “gone” where the rear pockets join the main fabric - caused by carrying my mobile phone in the back pocket and then sitting/bending down - once reinforced/patched they will then become my gardening jeans.

- Pip

Unfortunately - a denim needle. They’re sharper to get through the tough fabric, and on a strong shank. The attrition rate on other needles is high.

PollyWollyDoodle

A useful guide here https://singeroutlet.co.uk/blogs/news/sewing-machine-needle-sizes-a-guide

I am guilty both of using the same size for nearly everything and of rarely changing the needle, I know you should really start each new project with a new needle. 

thriftwizard

I'd use a denim needle, but failing that, at least a 16, maybe an 18 if you can get hold of one & there are heavy seams involved.

dND

Now I’ve actually picked them up, I have a spend to declare.  I took advantage of the Sparks card discount on multipacks of knickers and am now the proud owner of 10 new pairs which I believe is 20 coupons.  That brings my total 46.  I think I am going to need some winter footwear so I might be blowing the budget but I may strike lucky in the charity shops.

What I may need is shoes or boots that I can wear with the socks I’ve knitted. 😁

This is the first pair and there are lots of faults if you look closely but I really don’t think anyone is going to look that closely at my feet.  They were fun to knit – once I got over being all thumbs with the double ended needles.  I’m now halfway through the first sock of the second pair which are being made from the multi blue coloured balls of yarn.  

I’m going to rummage around in my wool stash and see if I can find enough yarn to knit a cardigan or jumper next with ¾ length sleeves.  I really don’t like full length sleeves – and having short arms most commercially produced sleeves are too long for me anyway.  I’m itching to get my knitting books out of their boxes and see what old patterns I have there.

Thank you all for the inspiration you’ve given me to try knitting again. xx

Mrs_Salad_Dodger

Are you sure that was your first attempt at knitting socks dND 😉 They look wonderful 🤩 Well Done 🥳

Laura_Elsewhere

dND said:

This is the first pair and there are lots of faults if you look closely but I really don’t think anyone is going to look that closely at my feet.  They were fun to knit – once I got over being all thumbs with the double ended needles.  I’m now halfway through the first sock of the second pair which are being made from the multi blue coloured balls of yarn.  

Thank you all for the inspiration you’ve given me to try knitting again. xx

Those look brilliant- and tbh you've done far better than most other knitters on their first pair- it's highly usual to come out with two socks that are not the same because you improved so much on the second sock and end up knitting a third so that socks 2 and 3 make a pair So you've bypassed that, and made a pair to begin with- well done!! 

dND

Thank you Mrs SD and Laura.  I've done a lot of crochet so I think that helps with the tension.  The buried memories of primary school knitting - I was really proud of my tea cosy - meant that I didn't have any problem changing which hand holds the yarn either. ❤️