2025 Fashion On The Ration Challenge

MrsCD

I went blackberry picking last weekend with our younger daughter. We picked 4 big ice cream tubs full in just over an hour, but to me that wasn't the main reason. I was happy just doing 'something' with her, because she's always busy! Between work, accountancy study and meeting her friends now and then, I don't often get 1 to1 time with her. 😊 (even though she comes for dinner every Sunday!) 

Cherryfudge

PipneyJane said:

Having finally sat down today, I’ve started watching this week’s episode of Sewing Bee.  (DH is on his way home from work.  This is my only “my time”.). What did you all think of the Edith Head jacket? I’m only about 5 minutes into the program and my first thought is “that uses a lot of fabric!  It won’t be very coupon friendly”.

- Pip

I'm not knowledgeable enough to appreciate how the collar worked but clearly it was a Very Clever Thing and the resulting jacket was great. But yes, supremely wasteful. I would have been there gathering up the offcuts to make something else with them!

PipneyJane

I have a spend to declare.  (Totally forgot to add it yesterday, when I posted.). I decided to use my £5 Hobbycraft birthday voucher and bought another skein of West Yorkshire Spinners Signature Sock in the Wood Pigeon colourway.  This is their most subtle self-patterning sock yarn.




One skein is enough to make another pair of socks for me and either another pair of either fingerless gloves or a pair of afterthought heel socks.  Yes, I know, I’ve got two pairs of socks and a pair of fingerless mitts in it already….

The above brings my coupon spend to 41.5, leaving 24.5 coupons for the rest of the year. 

- Pip (In all honesty, it’ll probably become presents)

Cherryfudge

Lovely colourway, @PipneyJane. But surely, if it was bought using a birthday voucher, it counts as a gift and you shouldn't be charged coupons?
Whichever way, the socks will be beauties.

maryb

Pipney Jane am I right in thinking you said in an earlier post that short row heels used less yarn than a conventionally turned heel?  Would that mean one skein would make two pairs?

PipneyJane

maryb said:

Pipney Jane am I right in thinking you said in an earlier post that short row heels used less yarn than a conventionally turned heel?  Would that mean one skein would make two pairs?

Yes, @maryb.  In my experience, I use about 60 grams for a sock with a heel-flap, while an afterthought heel with contrasting heel and toe uses about 40g.  However, looking at my notes, I make the legs shorter on afterthought heel socks - 60-65 rounds instead of 68.  (Please refer to my notes on Ravelry.)

Cherryfudge said:

Lovely colourway, @PipneyJane. But surely, if it was bought using a birthday voucher, it counts as a gift and you shouldn't be charged coupons?
Whichever way, the socks will be beauties.

Not a present voucher @Cherryfudge, so I’ll have to count it.  If you’re a member of the Hobbycraft club, you get a £5-off voucher on your birthday each year, as well as other money-off vouchers every so often.  (They have a 30th birthday voucher offer at the moment:  spend over £30, get £5 off.).

Frankly, mine was a use-it-or-lose-it spend.  If I didn’t have the voucher expiring, I would probably not have gone shopping.

MrsCD said:

I went blackberry picking last weekend with our younger daughter. We picked 4 big ice cream tubs full in just over an hour, but to me that wasn't the main reason. I was happy just doing 'something' with her, because she's always busy! Between work, accountancy study and meeting her friends now and then, I don't often get 1 to1 time with her. 😊 (even though she comes for dinner every Sunday!) 

Sounds like a lovely way to spend the afternoon, @MrsCD.  What is your plan for your haul?

Since it’s meteorological autumn, I think it is time to start planning our winter wardrobe spend.  What do you want/need?  I’m on my annual lookout for a woollen, navy-blue, double-breasted jacket with matching skirt and trousers.  I’ve been looking for years.  (I know what I want but haven’t seen it on sale since the mid-1990’s, when I bought my last version of this suit from Next.  Wore it to death.)

- Pip

MrsCD

@PipneyJane, I gave one of my tubs of blackberries to my daughter, as she has overnight oats regularly and uses frozen fruit on them. My tub will be used to toss a few into an apple crumble for pudding after our Sunday dinners. They'll last me a good while. 😊