2025 Fashion On The Ration Challenge

PipneyJane

Laura_Elsewhere said:

Just pausing as I sprint past in the middle of tons of stuff- this re-enactment supplier has leather, lace-up,. traditionally-made (so can be re-soled and re-heeled), shoes for under £70 for various shades of tan/brown, 60 quid for white, or only 30 quid if you buy the black ones! 90 quid for higher-lacing ankle-boots.

These are the tan ones, extremely similar, if not identical, to the ones I bought 4 or 5 years ago from a supplier who has now stopped trading. 

NB, check sizing as most (all?) are US sizes which are not the same as ours...

https://www.sofmilitary.co.uk/shop-re-enactment.html?footwear_style=2776&gender=2132

Thanks @Laura_Elsewhere .  Looks like the perfect place to start browsing for good shoes.

As a rule of thumb, American women's shoes are two size numbers different to British shoe sizes, so an American size 7 is a UK size 5.  I do not know if this rule applies to men's shoes.  (How do I know this?  Well, Australia adopted the American sizing for women's shoes, while keeping British sizing for mens'.)

- Pip

dND

I've finally finished my cardigan 😁😁
I had a bit of a hiatus over Christmas but got my mojo back eventually.  As ever, the arms are far too long for me but at least I can use them to keep my hands warm next winter. 🤣🤣
The colours aren't true in the photo, the background should be lilac but it's the Drops sock wool so 75% wool and lovely and warm while also lightweight.
Thank you all for motivating me to try it.
I'm now on the lookout for a pattern for a sleeveless vest to wear underneath but I'm not in a hurry, it will be an autumn project. 😁 Dx
 

PollyWollyDoodle

Oh that is a lovely cardi @dND!  Really lovely.  I'm very impressed, I haven't made an adult garment for years.

I wish I could buy cheap shoes, but I have wide feet and need to fit in custom-made orthotic insoles ... most 'High Street' brands, even ones that say they are wide fit, just don't work for me.  Sadly it's not always the case that more expensive boots/shoes last longer!  I do try and look after mine but so many these days are not the sort that can be resoled/reheeled.  I'd say stick with what's most comfortable,  if you've found a brand that works for you.

If you look on the well-known resale sites you can often find new or almost new shoes if you have got a brand name and style to search against.

dND

Thank you @PollyWollyDoodle.  I've not made a jumper since the 80's, let alone a cardigan or used thinner wool so it was a bit of a dip into the unknown.  The pattern
https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/waltz-lace-cardigan
was pretty easy although there was a rather large learning curve on techniques required. 
Shoes!!  Like you I have wide feet and my toes splay - I ran around barefoot as a child as I spent the first few year of my life in a much warmer climate.  I have to try shoes on as it's not just the size but the style/shaping; I cannot wear tapering shoes. Dx 

wit40iwtwan

Spend to declare.  I need something waterproof to work in the garden as I am not a fan of getting too wet.  Today bought myself a pair of garden big and brace type overalls (more like dungarees).  so 6 coupons spent.  Takes my total spend to date to 15.

alicef

@dND - very impressive knitting and lovely cardi.  I haven't attempted lace work - I think the blocking out might do for me.  
@thriftwizard I love your cafetiere cosy - here below is my teapot cosy - which is not as impressive as yours - as I managed to shrink a wool hat, so repurposed it...

skogar

Hello,

I can't believe it's March already. There's been loads of stuff going on here hence me not being around to post. I thought I'll just go and add on a few things I bought before Christmas and had completely forgotten we'd be on a new year now. I've just totted up my coupons as I bought a few things before Christmas I hadn't updated - in just - but mostly because I never did get round to looking for some new t-shirts. Will carry over incase I do get round to going and looking for some... Will be time to set up my signature for the new challenge now. things have calmed down here now so should be back posting again...

2024 Fashion on the Ration - 3.5/66.5 coupons remaining

1 cardigan - 5 coupons

13 prs ankle socks - 13 coupons

5 prs leggings - 10 coupons

4 prs dungarees - 24 coupons

1 cord jacket - 11 coupons

total 63 coupons

thriftwizard

@dND that's simply gorgeous! And I'm smitten by @alicef's tea cosy too; that's imaginative re-purposing.

No coupons to declare here though we have acquired rather a lot of "wool" - some of it may be, mostly it isn't - via FB marketplace from a nearby machine knitter for DD2 to "play" with. (31 cones, many of them full, all in good condition, for £20...) She's also been given another knitting machine, which is a different gauge to her first, which has delighted her, although as it's quite vintage we're likely to have a lot of trouble finding a matching ribber, which apparently will be necessary in the long run. Anyway, it's keeping her very happy & well occupied for very little expense - so far...

Gem-gem

@dND - A very impressive cardigan. I'm in awe of anyone who can make clothes. 
@thriftwizard - A super cafetière cosy. What a great way to use up off-cuts.
I'm cracking on with my king sized blanket - crocheting. 
No new clothes / shoe spends for me. 

dND

Thank you @alicef,  @thriftwizard and @Gem-gem .  If it wasn't for the encouragement to knit the socks, I wouldn't have done the cardigan, so thank you all. 

I love the repurposing of the hat alicef. 😁

I've been really careful on the coupon front.  I did get a pair of H0tter sandals the other day from the local charity shop and that's been my clothing spend for the last few months.  However, my cotton socks are wearing very thin and will require replacing very soon but I'm not sure with what.  I keep looking at bamboo ones but I could get 3-5 pairs of high cotton for the price of one pair of bamboo.  So lots of contemplation going on here. Dx