2024 Fashion On The Ration Challenge

PipneyJane

Thanks All.  I am feeling a lot better today.

Fortunately, after washing, the only thing that still has marks is the mat that was around the toilet.  Since that came with the house, 21 years ago, and we have towelling ones to use instead, I’m not too worried.  If it ever stops raining, I may try soaking it with ammonia and drying it in the sun.  Alternatively, since I’m 99% certain that it’s cotton, I could soak it in chlorinated bleach and then re-wash it.  If it dissolves, well, it was old before it came into our possession (or why was it left behind?).

- Pip

potplant

Oh, I'm very glad to hear you're a bit better, it sounds horrid.  A lot of useful stain removing tips - agree that sunlight is really helpful,  though it's rather hard to come by at the moment!

Cherryfudge

It's good to hear you're feeling better and that the stains are mostly gone. Don't let it put you off the Singapore Noodle stuff! 

Today I've had a go at mending a couple of things. The lining of my overnight bag has torn so I patched it with electrical tape or something like that, thinking it's strong and flexible, but I don't think it's going to stay stuck. The bag is canvas but the lining's plastic, hence the tear. If it doesn't last, I will probably rip it all out as the bag's useable without it but not flexible enough to be turned inside out to try to replace the whole liner.

I also coloured in the bleach mark on a pair of trainers and to my surprise, black biro and a light touch seems pretty effective. Sharpies just didn't work as the colour is too intense. The shoes have plenty of wear left in them so now it doesn't matter too much if I wear them somewhere 'nice'.

Liverpool_Anne

Hi all,
@PipneyJane glad to hear you are recovering

I have spends to declare, 2 t shirts bought as a present for OH's dsis and some baby clothes for birthdays. If I remember correctly the t shirts were adjusted to 4 coupons and baby clothes are coupon free but please correct me if I have misremembered . So 97.5 - 8 = 89.5 coupons remaining.
Take care everyone

diminua

Another 7 coupons gone. This time a black linen dress for funerals - one this month, one next. 

PipneyJane

diminua said:

Another 7 coupons gone. This time a black linen dress for funerals - one this month, one next. 

Sorry to hear that you have funerals to attend, @diminua.  My condolences.

Big hugs

- Pip

Gem-gem

Good evening everyone. 

Went clothes shopping today and purchased a couple of bits: 
1 pair of trainers reduced from £150 down to £95 and then another 10% off. So well pleased. They are exactly the same pair that I am wearing now. 5 coupons. 

1 pair of leggings - navy (15% off) 2 coupons
1 t-shirt - navy (15% off) 5 coupons
1 long sleeved T-shirt  navy (20% off) 5 coupons

Total spend: 17 coupons
Total spend for the year: 22+17 = 39 coupons
27 coupons left.

Sarahspangles

I’m really interested in this challenge, maybe I’ll opt in next year as (fingers crossed) I’ll then be a few months from retirement, when I should have time to knit and sew.

In the meantime I have bought the little pink ‘Make do and Mend’ book (reprint) from IWM. The first chapter has tips against moth, this plus seeing a few has spurred me on to tackle some clothes overflow from my wardrobe. I splurged on some Clothes Doctor woollen wash and spray when it was on offer and am putting away my woollens all clean and scented (of cedar wood and vanilla).

I do have a couple of items with single holes, I’ve never worked out if these are moth. We’ve had bits of carpet damaged in the last couple of years which I am certain is the beetle stage, but when clothes are hanging up, or in a pile waiting to be put away for a couple of weeks, how do they get damaged?

To make space in the wardrobe, some smart things that I used to wear when ‘going to the office’ was a thing are being donated. Plus lots of T-shirts are going to OH for rags. But are they really 5 coupons to replace? Maybe I need to buy better quality and swap to a deodorant that doesn’t mark. Or just wear white ones?

Cherryfudge

Hi and welcome @Sarahspangles.

I'm not a moth expert so I'll leave that side of things to those who know more than I do, but re the tee shirts (I have probably too many so have come across various issues): the difficulty with white ones in my experience is that the neckline discolours where it's in contact with moisturiser: I think it may be the sunscreen element if it, and of course make up marks show up too.

Deodorant marks are another matter: I've switched to a natural salt deodorant which hasn't marked my clothes at all, but isn't an antiperspirant so if someone is hot enough to get sweaty, sweat that transfers to clothes may be an issue. There are various things recommended for deodorant stains, so it may be worth googling.

PipneyJane

Welcome @Sarahspangles.  Do come in, pull up a chair around the table and tell us all about yourself.  Cup of Tea?  Piece of cake?  It's Jam Crumblie, made with lemon curd.  (The recipe is at the start of the monthly grocery challenge.)  I see that you're a knitter and that you sew - what do you like to make?

You don't have to wait until the New Year to join the challenge.  If you can't remember/don't want to figure out what you've purchased since the start of the year, you're welcome to prorate your year's worth of coupons.  If you officially start on 1st May, you would have 44 coupons for the rest of the year.

I feel your pain re antiperspirant markings because my DH has this issue.  He always wears a white t-shirt underneath his dress-shirt, and the older t-shirts have yellowed and almost solidified in the armpit.  Nothing I've tried will eliminate this problem.  It doesn't seem to matter which brand of antiperspirant he uses.  When they get too bad, the t-shirts go in the fabric recycling.

Like @Cherryfudge, I use a solid, salt based deodorant, currently "Salt of the Earth" brand (but there are others out there).  It's excellent for odour control and doesn't stain/mark clothing.  It's also quite frugal, since each 90g stick lasts me well over 2 years. (No need to wet the stick - after a shower, I apply it to my wet armpits before I start drying off.)  

Re the coupon cost of t-shirts, earlier this year, we agreed they are 4 coupons, not the 5 they'd been previously.  However, in my chemo-brain fog, I forgot to add a note to the first post.  That's been rectified. 

- Pip