2025 Fashion On The Ration Challenge

Cherryfudge

A beautiful suit @PipneyJane, but the fabric is so wrong. What a shame.

@Laura_Elsewhere, I think I'm going to try your style bread sauce - it's closer to how I like to cook and I don't like to but white bread specially (I used to think spiced bread pudding needed white bread till I made it with a granary/seeded bread and, haven't looked back).

@Gem-gem, those colours are just what's needed on a winter's day! 

Thank you, everyone, for all the useful information towards my sock knitting! I'm not sure I'm using the same yarn as you: mine is from L1dl but it's Crelando Verena DK Sock Yarn. The needle instructions say simply 3.0-4.0. I'm scared of DPNs (perhaps I just knit too loosely but when I've tried, it was hard to keep track while ensuring I didn't shed needles that I wasn't actually knitting on) so I'm intending to use circular needles, if ever I can find the size I want. Long 4.0 seem not to be in any of the five shops I've visited, so that will probably be bought online.

maryb

Everyone knits so differently I wonder designers ever dare write patterns!  I love DPNs, can't get on with circulars or Magic Loop at all.

PollyWollyDoodle

I have to confess that I have no idea how many coupons I’ve spent this year, and I haven’t got the energy to go back and check.  I usually end the year with some coupons to spare because I hardly ever buy new stuff, but this year I bought thermals and some warm clothing for a long-awaited holiday in Norway.  I still thriftily managed to find a warm coat and waterproof trousers on a secondhand site. 

I may have spent some coupons on yarn and fabric…  I’m just going to draw a line under it and start again next year.  I love this thread, a source of inspiration and advice on everything from knitting to bread sauce! (One of the best bits of the meal, and should definitely be eaten cold afterwards - although there’s rarely any left with my family). 

I would like to continue and my aim for next year will be to buy more mindfully.  I’ve fallen into the trap of buying things just because they are cheap and secondhand and I have too much in the wardrobe.  Plans for next year also include making more stuff (but I say that every year).  

2025 has been a good year but work and holidays have taken me away from home too often.  Thank you to everyone on this thread who has shared their knowledge and wisdom. I look forward to spending a bit more time in the village hall next year.  Now, pass the biscuits and will somebody stop that dog from snoring?  

PipneyJane

@Laura_Elsewhere and @Wraithlady thank you for your recipes for bread sauce.  I will bookmark this page.  With which roast does it go best???

maryb said:

I think I'm just about ready to reckon up for the year.  To my astonishment I am ending the year with 3 coupons to carry over.  That's largely because whatever I bought I ended up taking most of it back because of poor quality/fit.  I will eventually have to find some wearable things to replace what is wearing out but that is a problem for next year's coupons

I take it we are running this again next year? It does help to keep me on the straight and narrow.

Definitely.  But I need responses to the big question, because we have a decision to make.:

The big question:  shall we stay on the original coupon cost or swap to the revised list from 1st July 1941?

Thoughts? Votes?  We’ll go with the consensus.

- Pip

PipneyJane

Cherryfudge said:

A beautiful suit @PipneyJane, but the fabric is so wrong. What a shame.

@Laura_Elsewhere, I think I'm going to try your style bread sauce - it's closer to how I like to cook and I don't like to but white bread specially (I used to think spiced bread pudding needed white bread till I made it with a granary/seeded bread and, haven't looked back).

@Gem-gem, those colours are just what's needed on a winter's day! 

Thank you, everyone, for all the useful information towards my sock knitting! I'm not sure I'm using the same yarn as you: mine is from L1dl but it's Crelando Verena DK Sock Yarn. The needle instructions say simply 3.0-4.0. I'm scared of DPNs (perhaps I just knit too loosely but when I've tried, it was hard to keep track while ensuring I didn't shed needles that I wasn't actually knitting on) so I'm intending to use circular needles, if ever I can find the size I want. Long 4.0 seem not to be in any of the five shops I've visited, so that will probably be bought online.

Your sock yarn is DK.  Use 3mm DPN’s and follow this formula:

Cast on 48st.  Join.
Work 10 rounds of K1 P1 rib.

Rounds 11-50 knit.

Heel work over 24 stitches.

Gusset pick up 15 st on each side.

Foot knit 30 rounds.

Toe work down to 8st on each side, then Kitchener Stitch.

This is the formula I use, which is based on a Regia leaflet I got years ago.  For more detail, follow the sock pattern.

HTH

- Pip

Cherryfudge

I will go with the consensus too, but my vote would be to go for the revised list as it reflects developments over time and we as a thread have been going for a while, too.

How would we price second hand items? I think there was some discussion on that but I don't remember what was agreed.

weenancyinAmerica

@Gem-Gem - I commented last Friday to one of my classmates, in the Knitting and Crocheting class I take, that you could just sew all of your test swatches together to make a blanket - that cover picture might be just what it would look like. Only have to make swatches and not go past that - maybe I could get that far.

CapricornLass

Doesn't the revised list have more items in it? Or is that my imagination?  if it does, then I think we should go with that.

diminua

I'd cast my vote for moving to the new list. I did pop back to the discussion at the time and I think it was left at anything secondhand over £100 would incur coupons, which also seems reasonable to me. I definitely don't want to have to do the sums they had to do every time (although I realise it might be good for me). 

Baileys_Babe

I'm happy to start using the revised list.