2024 Fashion On The Ration Challenge

PipneyJane

While I’ve been dressmaking since I was 5, I’ve never been brave enough to draft a pattern, @Laura_Elsewhere.  (I am in awe.). My mum trained as a dressmaker/pattern cutter, before she joined the WAAAF.  Watching her redraft a jacket pattern put me off for life, as a teenager.  It involved a lot of freehand drawing and i can’t draw.  I can adapt patterns - I have the knowledge/skills - but I’ve rarely done it.  (Mind you, I’ve barely sewn in the last 2 decades.)

@Nelliegrace, yes.  I saw that program and found it very informative.  Dr Chris has also presented several BBC podcasts about nutrition, ultra-processed foods, and exercise. (“A Thorough Examination” with his brother, and “Fed” about the food industry).  You may also find the Zoe podcasts interesting, since they cover similar subjects. 

(At one point, while I was really sick in hospital, I had a session with the dieticians discussing my regular diet.  Since I cook most meals from scratch, try to get 30g of fibre a day, and aim to eat 30 different plants per week, I was given a gold star!)

- Pip

Sarahspangles

Nelliegrace said:

One frugal blogger mentioned that she found boys cotton pants were better quality and far more comfortable to wear. 

I put some on once by accident. They weren’t a good fit but it did occur to me that here were pants with pockets

Laura_Elsewhere

My viscose shorts do have pockets- proper ones, in the side-seams! I have on occasion used them... 

I found this photo on eBay of a smaller pair in a paler colour so you can see- I cut off the ties, and it makes them a very comfortable pair of what I know as French Knickers, nowadays often called. by the 1970s name "tap-pants". A flat front-waistband and wide elastic at the back. 

@PipneyJane - to be honest, I've almost never used a sewing pattern. None of me is a standard shape or size, even as a child I had to have extra length added to the sleeves of jumpers knitted for me, and anything bought was just short in the arms and legs; even before puberty I had so broad a back that I had to have shirts from M&S men's dept as school-blouses because the uniform blouses stopped at a 34" bust (I can't imagine I was the only one!! I bet that'\s not the largest size now...). I was flat-chested but broad-backed, and even now, a blouse that fits my broad back will hang around the front on my now-medium bust, and a blouse that fits my front will be so tight that I can't move my arms without tearing the back of the armholes... 

So I have to adjust any sewing pattern for length, for breadth, for bust shape, for back width, for so many things I just gave up many many years ago and taught myself basic drafting! 

It's not as difficult as people think. Much of the time I do as tailors do and chalk directly onto the fabric, which makes life easier. I am about to use a pattern for a velvet-needlecord jacket, but that's a pattern I drafted a dozen or so years ago, so even that's not a bought one! 

Most people I know who make their own clothes started sewing because they couldn't buy clothing that fitted them... 

Nelliegrace

@Laura_Elsewhere, You could unpick an old comfortable pair for a perfect pattern.

Nelliegrace

@PipneyJane, I met the hospital dietitian on the cardiac ward in the district hospital. I had complained that the only choice for vegetarians was white or brown bread on their cheese sandwich for lunch and dinner every day. I suggested that they might as well serve toasted cheese sandwiches for breakfast. She said it was a very good idea to use up the leftover cheese sandwiches. 

I got an egg salad sent up specially from the kitchen, but I was taken to X-ray, and when I got back it had been thrown away, but they had saved me a cheese sandwich.
Relatives were forbidden to bring in food from home, because we were on a, “cardiac low-fat diet.” I suppose it worked, I lost 2 stone in the 2 weeks I was there, from hospital malnutrition.

I remember a child, on the mixed medical and surgical ward at the children’s hospital, asking another child, “Are you here because you are ill, or because they are going to make you ill?”

thriftwizard

Oh, @Nelliegrace, those patterns are to die for! I may have to invest in one... I do suspect I might have a few "economy design" pattern in my stash & hadn't realised they were saleable now; I've taken them on my stall to vintage events before now & they've just been talking points, as most people felt they didn't have the skills to upscale patterns. Hopefully the academy of YouTube has enlightened some of them! 

Liverpool_Anne

Hi all, spends to declare 2 pairs of walking socks for presents   so 2 coupons used 35.5 - 2 = 33.5 remaining.

I have finished the white baby blanket and made a pair of fingerless mittens as per pips' pattern, (thank you), as a present from my small stash of yarn and started the pink baby blanket I have been asked to make. It keeps my hands busy in the evenings

Some interesting chat about sewing. I used to make my own clothes when I was a teenager because it was cheaper than buying them but I haven't made anything for many a year now. I wouldn't have a clue how to draft a pattern but I would attempt something if I had something old I could take apart .

@Nelliegrace I had a pale blue and white striped stocking hat that I made when I was young . Those hats are such fun . I did see the programme you linked, very interesting thank you. I have considered trying to eat as per the rations but I am not sure I could survive on the meagre tea rations though I am attracted to the idea of losing some weight . I do try to cook everything from scratch but OH doesn't always. I could happily live on veg alone but that won't do in this house I'm afraid. I will have to do some more research into it . That choice of food for vegetarians on a cardiac ward is truly abysmal but I have found many of the medical profession are not as clued up about dietry needs as you would hope. When I was in hospital having my gall bladder removed there was another patient who was eating cheese and pork pie salads and then promptly being in terrible pain and being sick. I had to explain to her she needed to be on a fat free diet, none of the nurses had any idea of what she should avoid offering her biscuits and crisps as a snack. She thought she didn't eat much fat but I did get support from another patient and we were able to impart some information to her and the staff

Take care everyone
33.5/66 coupons remaining

Nelliegrace

@Liverpool_Anne, 2oz of loose leaf tea is a bit short for one person for a week, but 4oz for the two of us is plenty. We make three pots a day, using one caddy spoonful, rounded with tea, not heaped. The pot has to be hot, the fresh water boiling, the lid put on and the tea cosy to keep it hot, while it brews for three minutes. We pour out two large mugs of tea, and top the pot up immediately with boiling water. If we are not having a second cup it goes into a clean, hot flask, without milk, to have later. 

Cherryfudge

Another three coupons spent today: three pairs of plain white trainer socks all because I wanted to make an Olaf' with DGD and the shop didn't sell single pairs of plain socks. Then DGD was unwell and not up to crafts so I'll save that for another day, possibly tomorrow.

I'm also knitting a small snowman for a tree decoration but that's just using up yarn from stash.

keepcalmandcraft

I realise that I haven't updated my signature all year.  Whilst I thought that I had bought most of my clothes in charity shops, there are a few new ones:
2 x dresses 14
1 x jacket 11
1 x jumper 5
1 x bra 1.5
2 swimsuits 6
1 x scarf 2
1 pr boots 5
8m fabric 16
Total 60.5

This forum really curbs my buying, making me think several times before buying and then usually when things are on offer.  Thank you!