2025 Fashion On The Ration Challenge

itsthelittlethings

CapricornLass said:

I've just bust my allowance and have had to spend on the black market   4 pairs of knickers and a light fleece comes to 13 coupons - whoops!

This is good to read and makes me feel much better!

CapricornLass

And I've just made it worse - a pair of chocolate brown cords trousers!  But brown is one of my colours, and its a lovely bitter chocolate colour.....

Gem-gem

I have a confession. T0ft started their BF sale today. They are selling the last of their 100g balls of 100% wool at 30% off, which is 50% of the price of their 25g balls at the same quantity. I have ordered enough to crochet a jumper in cocoa, a tank top in stone and a pair wool socks in steel for my husband and wool at 50% off to make a woolly hat in 2026. (2kg of 100% wool). I had already blown my budget. It is hard counting wool / yarn as well. I won't be looking at any more wool before until this time next year. 

kiwisavings

More confessions! I have definitely exceeded my coupons for this year, even if I steal some of my hubbies 

So i guess I will start afresh next year and try to do better.... 

Nelliegrace

I was doing so well. 
We had our members’ free pot of tea at the garden centre and browsed round the Regatta outlet there. I have been looking for a replacement warm, waterproof anorak and found just what I wanted among the men’s coats, for the length and longer sleeves. It was reduced to £35.99 in the sales, the rrp was £120, but who would pay that? I chose a fashionable dark khaki and a generous size to wear over lots of warm layers. 
So DH has no coupons left, but he has bought my Christmas present. 

I have been wearing a pair of gloves my mother spun and knitted using all garter stitch, and a sideways pattern. They are very comfortable and warm. I think by the stains that she made them for getting in the firewood, or collecting sticks on her walks. 

alicef

All fingers crossed for you @PipneyJane !

I have bought recently some darning wool (should be coupon free). I have one sweater, (worn for gardening), that is descending towards rags; one sweater where an elbow has worn through, and my most favourite sweater, (decades old), which has thinning elbows.  I did treat myself to some long darning needles (heady stuff). I also picked up 1.25m of tweed wool fabric from a charity shop - which I may make a hot water bottle cover from. (free pattern from m8rchant&m1lls https://merchantandmills.com/uk/free-sewing-patterns )

Must, must cast on the socks.




   

Nelliegrace

I bought a Harris Tweed hat. It is a factory second quality, but just as warm. I put it in my “think about it,” list and the seller knocked another £2 4s 10d off the price.

PipneyJane

Ooohhh….  Thanks for the link to the free sewing patterns @alicef.  That hot water bottle cover looks really smart.

@Nelliegrace, as I said earlier, if the coat is perfect for you and it fulfils your needs, don’t regret its purchase.  Sounds like you got a good bargain too.  Ditto on the tweed cap, although I’m assuming the latter was second hand, yes?

I succumbed to a pale blue, long-sleeved, 95% cotton t-shirt in MrT’s this afternoon.  It was on double offer -  £10 list price, Clubcard price £8 BUT Clubcard holders get an extra 20% off this weekend -  £6 and 4 coupons spent.  The cut isn’t brilliant - I think the raglan shoulders are a little too deep - but it’ll be fine under a jumper or under a suit jacket.   I won’t be going back for any others, though, until I’ve washed this one and seen whether it shrinks to a better fit.  (The last long-sleeved cotton tees I purchased from MrT shrank in the wash.  That was over 15 years ago.)

I’m having an “out of sorts” afternoon.  I’ve got a bit of sock mending to do - who knew that cuffs can unravel even when knitted top down? - and I’m procrastinating.  I also want to take apart and lengthen the Aran sweater I knitted last year, since it is too short.  (I mistakenly shortened it, when I knit the body, because I didn’t know if I’d have enough yarn to finish it and I can’t get anything close to the same dye lot.  I finished with nearly 2 skeins spare.)

- Pip

Nelliegrace

Top down knitting seems a good idea for jumpers, especially for lanky teenagers. 

The hat is new, but second quality, @PipneyJane, it says the tweed isn’t lined up perfectly and the button needs resewing. £16.10 with postage seems a good price. It is unfair that men’s hats come sized in centimetres, while women get just one size which may or may not fit. I have some variegated wool for a matching scarf.

Cherryfudge

That's a lovely hat @Nelliegrace, very much a classic.