2025 Fashion On The Ration Challenge

maryb

The WRVS did have a uniform but members were expected to provide it for themselves and many women couldn't afford it so just had the hat and an armband

PipneyJane

Nelliegrace said:

From The Times 6th, March 1941.


The exercise classes are going to be started again. Do we all join in with the 7.30 a.m. exercises on the wireless, and sit with pencil poised to take down the frugal rations recipes at 8.15 a.m.? There is something new this week, the 9 p.m. chime of Big Ben, with a minute for everyone to pause and reflect, before the News. 

You could be describing me, @Nelliegrace.  I have a new exercise book just waiting for those ration-saving recipes and I’ll be joining the 7.30am exercise class.

- Pip

thriftwizard

Phew, finally caught up - 60-odd posts whilst I was away on War business in the wilds of South-West Wales! Where I may have fallen (again) under the spell of Melyn Tregwynt and their fabulous fabrics... I should probably cough up some coupons as I invested in some of their offcuts to play with; not a lot, probably doesn't add up to a whole yard, but I will measure & report back. And I'll be saving all my coupons & cash and possibly selling the odd offspring into slavery to afford one of their jackets! DS1 & DDiL have been investing in some of their cushions and treasure them. It was a lovely day out - lunch at the mill (great food, decent value) then a walk down to the beach at Abermawr, surrounded by a carpet of snowdrops, crocusses (crocii?) primroses and, in the woods, scarlet elfcups. It's a stunning part of the world.

Cherryfudge

PipneyJane said:

You could be describing me, @Nelliegrace.  I have a new exercise book just waiting for those ration-saving recipes and I’ll be joining the 7.30am exercise class.

- Pip

Pip, if you're near the wireless at 8.40, there's something else might interest you.

kiwisavings

Love the Troll Hat pattern @laura_lau, all this knitting has inspired me as we go into autumn here in New Zealand.

I came across this youtube video that is a review of a series of British 1940s knitting books by Margaret Murray and Jane Koster. The video is quite long at 47 minutes, but the book review starts in at 27: 20
Some really interesting changes from the first book published in 1940 to the books written during clothes rationing. 
Some ideas on saving wool include sweater patterns with short sleeves, shorter lengths and more fitted silhouettes. At  37:38 it briefly shows the idea that using finer ply wool means you would use less weight of wool.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttgIK9yy62w

At my local library I managed to find this book, it is based on the 1941 book in the above series. It mentions using stocking stitch as a way to make your yarn go further.
 

Laura_Elsewhere

Nelliegrace said:

From The Times 6th, March 1941.


The exercise classes are going to be started again. Do we all join in with the 7.30 a.m. exercises on the wireless, and sit with pencil poised to take down the frugal rations recipes at 8.15 a.m.? There is something new this week, the 9 p.m. chime of Big Ben, with a minute for everyone to pause and reflect, before the News. 

I’m up, ready for the 7:30 exercises programme!

Cherryfudge

A fascinating video, thanks for sharing it @kiwisavings. I skipped the bit on the 1920s but her analysis of the knitting books is really interesting and now of course I wouldn't mind a copy of my own.  

PipneyJane

Cherryfudge said:

PipneyJane said:

You could be describing me, @Nelliegrace.  I have a new exercise book just waiting for those ration-saving recipes and I’ll be joining the 7.30am exercise class.

- Pip

Pip, if you're near the wireless at 8.40, there's something else might interest you.

Oh yes!  The Australians on the Forces program.  I had a listen, @Cherryfudge.  Made me homesick.  (I listen to a lot of podcasts from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.)

@kiwisavings thanks for the link to that program.  I will watch it eagerly, later this weekend.

Hope the book lives up to your expectations.  I have several “vintage” knitting books, starting with collections from Vogue Kntting that were published in the 1980’s-1990’s, and now including all of Susan Crawford’s books.  There are several websites that will sell you PDF’s of old patterns but, before you spend your hard-saved cash, may I suggest you browse Trove?  It’s free.  Trove is an Australian National Library project to digitise old newspapers and magazines.  I’ve linked to a Ravelry search  - each pattern has a listing and link to the original document - because you could get lost for hours on the Trove website and not find anything.

In the UK, there is a huge collection of vintage patterns at the University of Sussex.  I don’t know if they have digitised it.

- Pip

alicef

We've been away in the fens - such a different landscape from us. 

I need to settle, brew a pot of tea and catch up on all the posts.  I have noticed mention of Melin Tregwynt - we have a number of their throws and I love the company ethos & their wares!



I'll be looking forward to catching up with 'Towards Zero' snuggled up under one of these.

I've spied wonderful knitting/crochet projects in the thread, so I shall be reading up on those. I will be back on socks tuition  with a 1 to 1 next week, (toe up & afterthought heel). 

I need to try to catch on my GYO - apparently I should be at the tail end of Mr Middleton wk 1 of March - e.g. !!!!!! out leeks, pot tomatoes and prune gooseberries, (ummmmm, haven't quite achieved any of this).

Nelliegrace

I bought two pairs of ankle socks and some scented soaps in the sales at Mr Max’s store, to put away for DD for Christmas. 2 coupons used. I read the newspapers every day to see what is likely to be in short supply or is likely to be rationed. If fat is rationed, soap must be soon, and these fancy boxed soaps may be unobtainable. 



It was her birthday this week, so I have a basket of homemade marmalade and jams, honey and a dozen fresh eggs from our hens to deliver when we visit on Sunday. We are taking the family out to lunch, which saves the rations. 

Coupons used,

3  for a bathing costume.
2  for 2 pairs of ankle socks.