2025 Fashion On The Ration Challenge

moginstein

PipneyJane said:

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.
- Pip

I always think of them as a present from Hobbycraft, so wouldn't count them, but I don't know if I should encourage you!
The socks look lovely though, really like the pattern it gives.

alicef

@thriftmonster I hope you're able to post some pictures of your G00dw00d experience!   Have a lovely, lovely holiday.

I think I maybe able to persuade the OH to one day, and I could make some Oxford bags/colourwork vest for him. Not sure for me - now toying with Hepburn style pants with a jacket & blouse.  I think my next year coupons might get a bit of a hammering, unless my fabric stash can come to the rescue.   I'll unearth it first thing next year - if I do it now I'll get diverted from sock knitting.

Nelliegrace

DH’s bowls club held an open day, a lovely event for Holiday at Home. There were bowls challenges for all ages, a bit like crazy golf, and a buffet lunch with vegetable and sausage pastries, cakes, and lots of tea.  DD brought our grandsons. 

I have ordered two the next size in GS10’s favourite T- shirt with a simple cat face in white on the front, 4 coupons. Clothing coupons do go out of date, I shall have to start Christmas clothes shopping.

Coupons used,

3  for a bathing costume.
2  for 2 pairs of ankle socks.
15 for 5 pairs of ladies other undergarments. Reduced to 10 coupons, with thanks to Pipney Jane.
4 for 2 boys cotton sports vests with sleeves.
Total 19 coupons. 

I found this interesting booklet on the free Internet Archive. 

https://archive.org/details/clothesrationing00mass?ref=ol&view=theater

“Clothes rationing survey; an interim report prepared by Mass-observation for the Advertising service guild.”

weenancyinAmerica

Very interesting reading - amazed at how many people thought the war would be of short duration and how many didn't plan their spending. Will have to look for studies that show what people did to plan a wardrobe during the war.

PipneyJane

Nelliegrace said:

DH’s bowls club held an open day, a lovely event for Holiday at Home. There were bowls challenges for all ages, a bit like crazy golf, and a buffet lunch with vegetable and sausage pastries, cakes, and lots of tea.  DD brought our grandsons. 

I have ordered two the next size in GS10’s favourite T- shirt with a simple cat face in white on the front, 4 coupons. Clothing coupons do go out of date, I shall have to start Christmas clothes shopping.

Coupons used,

3  for a bathing costume.
2  for 2 pairs of ankle socks.
15 for 5 pairs of ladies other undergarments. Reduced to 10 coupons, with thanks to Pipney Jane.
4 for 2 boys cotton sports vests with sleeves.
Total 19 coupons. 

I found this interesting booklet on the free Internet Archive. 
“Clothes rationing survey; an interim report prepared by Mass-observation for the Advertising service guild.”

Link please to the site, @Nelliegrace I would very much like to read the whole booklet.  (You are Much Mending’s archivist.)

Sounds like the bowling day was great fun.

- Pip

Laura_Elsewhere

I also want to read the whole booklet, please, @Nelliegrace ! 

Nelliegrace

I have added the link.

Baileys_Babe

Nelliegrace said:

I have added the link.

Thank you, I'm looking forward to reading the report.

Cherryfudge

I'm hoping the hive brain can stretch back to the seventies or earlier please!

I remember back in the day, when tights were nylons and prone to ladder (this may still be the case, but not in my world) that you could a) stop a ladder with nail varnish and b) mend tights with a hair.

I tried it: I even remember someone writing to a teenage magazine to say it was a good idea but now she needed to know someone with long grey hair!

Nowadays, I'm that person with long grey hair and it occurred to me this morning to try a hair as mending thread. Marvellous - though the white shows up very slightly on black socks.  However, for a bit of hemming on cream curtains, or stitching a seam on a shirt... perfect.

What I've learned so far is that human hair is very bouncy, and that takes technique. I used it double and knotted the ends, then on the first stitch pulled the stitch most of the way through then doubled back with the needle to put it between the two pieces on the stitch side of the knot, if that makes sense. Otherwise hair is so thin it just slips through the fabric.

My question is, has anyone else used hair for sewing, and can you please give me a fool proof method for finishing off? I've overstitched and sewn through the overstitching, but I'm not convinced it won't work its way out.

I have to say, it's a darn (sorry!) sight cheaper than the super-fine thread you can buy for about a tenner a reel.

PollyWollyDoodle

Wow - that’s amazing!  I have quite short hair, so I don’t think mine would be much good.  I remember stopping runs with nail polish, but not darning with a hair. 

I do know that embroidery made with human

hair was quite a thing at one time, and I’ve seen a picture made from it.