2024 Fashion On The Ration Challenge

thriftwizard

10 coupons added; I've just cracked & bought myself a couple of roll-neck tops, partly to wear with my new-to-me tweedy skirts. I'm also on the hunt for a pair of brown leggings, but I'm finding that "cotton-rich" seems to mean 51% cotton - which just won't do!

Laura_Elsewhere

I've been on a Wild Spending Spree, I think only the second time in my life that I've bought as much as three dresses and a blouse in one go! All from Joanie Clothing, all much reduced in the sale... a yellow-check cotton round-necked dress, a blue denim square-necked pinafore dress, a red cap-sleeved shirt-dress, and a blue and white V-neck short-sleeved blouse. 

My signature is about to overflow!! 

PipneyJane

Laura_Elsewhere said:

I've been on a Wild Spending Spree, I think only the second time in my life that I've bought as much as three dresses and a blouse in one go! All from Joanie Clothing, all much reduced in the sale... a yellow-check cotton round-necked dress, a blue denim square-necked pinafore dress, a red cap-sleeved shirt-dress, and a blue and white V-neck short-sleeved blouse. 

My signature is about to overflow!! 

They’ll look lovely on you @Laura_Elsewhere

Cup of tea anyone?  I’ll put the kettle on, if you can man the teapot and cups.  Excuse the face mask, but I have a cold.  (I have scrubbed my hands thoroughly since putting it on.)  Feel rubbish, if the truth be told.  Sore throat and cough on Tuesday; rang in sick Wednesday morning.  I’ve slept a lot, over the last 3 days.  Now, if my nose would dry up, I’d feel a load better.

- Pip

Nelliegrace

I have made the Christmas cake at last! The fruit soaked in a small tot of medicinal brandy, and then DH was too busy to help with the weighing and lifting until today. The butter was made with some yellow stickered cream, the eggs came from our hens, and we have saved dried fruit, orange peel, and the sugar ration. If nobody reports me to the Minister of Food, I might manage some mock marzipan and a scrape of icing on the top. 

https://the1940sexperiment.com/2012/12/01/mock-marzipan-no-100/

CapricornLass

Did you use a war-time recipe, Nelliegrace?  Only I seem to remember Marguerite Patten saying that  that war-time Christmas cakes couldn't be made too far in advance, but a week or two before.  I think it was something to do with the amount of fat in the cake.  

In which case, your cake has been made at the right time!

Mind you, Delia Smith has a Christmas cake recipe which could be made on Christmas Eve!

Laura_Elsewhere

I usually use St Delia's cake recipe but I could try my Gran's Min of Food recipe leaflet, posted out to her home during the war...

Nelliegrace

I used Delia’s recipe but with mixed dried fruit. I made a Christmas cake once with a jar of mincemeat. For some reason I didn’t save the recipe. 

Nelliegrace

I have been thinking about coupons for slippers, @Laura_Elsewhere, and found details of these 1940s sewing pattern.
There were quite a few British, Economy Design patterns available in the online second hand shops. 

Nelliegrace

I hunted for 100% cotton lingerie too @thriftwizard. It has gone colder and I am wearing my old, short sleeved, plain cotton camisoles, which were labelled as T-shirts. I have some which were labelled Men’s, which have higher necklines, long sleeves, and longer bodies. They are warmer than my strappy cotton vests. I found 100% ladies lingerie, cotton vests and camisoles or spencers, (and 100% cotton, thigh length panties, and long johns,) on eB and Amazon, by Gabrielle, Snowdrop, White Swan, and Slenderella/Vedonis.

M&S do cotton for men and children under 14, and some skinny sizes. Women of an age to appreciate cotton have to sweat in synthetic junk. “Cotton Rich,” means really that it is cotton poor. An advertisers con.

PipneyJane

Nelliegrace said:

I hunted for 100% cotton lingerie too @thriftwizard. It has gone colder and I am wearing my old, short sleeved, plain cotton camisoles, which were labelled as T-shirts. I have some which were labelled Men’s, which have higher necklines, long sleeves, and longer bodies. They are warmer than my strappy cotton vests. I found 100% ladies lingerie, cotton vests and camisoles or spencers on eB, by Gabrielle, White Swan, and Slenderella/Vedonis.

M&S do cotton for men and children under 14, and some skinny sizes. Women of an age to appreciate cotton have to sweat in synthetic junk. “Cotton Rich,” means really that it is cotton poor. An advertisers con.

Well said @Nelliegrace.  I totally agree.   (As does my DH, who has been known to complain loudly - in store - when he can’t find 100% cotton tee-shirts or boxers or dress-shirts.)

Also, I am in awe of your skill at finding wartime sewing patterns.  It never occurred to me that there would be any available secondhand.

- Pip