2026 Fashion On The Ration Challenge

maryb

If they are less than 50% wool I'd be inclined to go for other fabric ie 5 coupons.  It's possiblyy recycled wool anyway. Or you could average the coupon cost as you suggest rounding down to 6 since it is over 50% 'other'

PipneyJane

CapricornLass said:

I've been a good girl today and managed to resist buying the fluffy lined thermal leggings, even though it was a buy one get one free in the sale.  They were sized at 14-16, and I told myself they would probably be too small to be really comfortable....

I don't know whether I'm corrupting you or not @CapricornLass, but you could have cashed in two of your special Stockings Coupons...

thriftmonster said:

I'm sure this has been asked before so apologies. Ive ordered a pair of wool mix trousers for work and they are 45% wool, 2-3%silk and then about 52% other fibres. Should I count them as woollen (8 coupons) or other (5 coupons) or something else. I wondered about using 6 or7

Count them as Other, @thriftmonster and spend 5 coupons.  If the proportions were different, say >50% wool, I'd count them as woollen.

HTH

- Pip 

maryb

First spend to report.  Pair of Ecco sandals with a very good reduction in the sale.  Although summer seems sooo far away at the moment.  5 coupons so 61 left

SpikyHedgehog

I've bought a knitting pattern,  so I can finish a cardigan.   I started it as a test knit,  so had free access to the test pattern,  but didn't finish it to be able to be given the full pattern.   I'm going to use up that yarn I've got for it,  and move it out of taking up space in the living room and into warm clothing! 

thriftmonster

Thanks @maryb and @PipneyJane

That's what I thought but I didn't want to do any dodgy dealing. My job is because I've had to replace a man who's been called up and I want to make the most of it as I'm sure I'll be demoted again when the men return

kiwisavings

Laura_Elsewhere said:

Dashing in, to wave to everyone esp new folk, sending encouragement to Pip re her scan, and I'm up to my eyebrows making a new frock- double duvet-cover and two pillowcases reduced to £7, at till it came yo as £5... so asked re only other of that design, missing one pillowcase and all packaging, was told £3 but then he couldn't put it through the till so just gave me it!
So two double duvet covers and three pillowcases... any idea how many clothing coupons I need for that?! 

It's thin brushed cotton with small amount of polyester, one side a dark red background and the other an off-white background, and I'm using it double to make a reversible frock, wrap-around, long sleeved, rever collar, with cuffs and collar showing contrast and reversible belt; possibly band if contrast at hem...

The dress sounds fab @Laura_Elsewhere, in regards to the coupons needed for the duvet cover, this info from 1946 may help:

https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/commons/1946/dec/18/clothes-sheets-and-blankets-rationing

CLOTHES, SHEETS AND BLANKETS (RATIONING)

HC Deb 18 December 1946 vol 431 cc1964-71964

§The President of the Board of Trade (Sir Stafford Cripps) 

The instalment of the basic ration for clothing for the period which starts on 1st March next and ends on 31st August will be 32 coupons. 

Part of the increase is accounted for by the fact that, in order to secure fairer distribution, sheets and cotton blankets are to be rationed from 1st March. An ordinary single sheet will cost four coupons, and a double sheet of the normal type, six.

But, I'm thinking that we are in 1942 and so linens were not rationed at that stage...

Nelliegrace

The Gorridges Sale advertisement shows the coupons required for clothes but none for bedding.

thriftmonster

I seem to remember that in the Miss Silver book "The Clock Strikes Twelve" which is set in the war, one of the characters, Lydia, appears in an evening outfit made from curtain brocade because it was unrationed and available. 

I shall dig my copy out to check. And I think it was emerald green and a trouser suit which was seen as quite fast

PipneyJane

I know my mum made a dressing gown out of unrationed blankets, but that was in Australia so the system will have been different.

@Nelliegrace and @kiwisavings thank you for your research.  That Gorridges’ advert is quite a find! The fabric that went into those pyjamas!  I wish I had a pair now, to curl up in.  (I’m sick. I have the lurgy and my throat is on fire.)

  @Laura_Elsewhere you have your answer.  You are very cleverly repurposing unrationed items.  Very “make do and mend”.

- Pip

Cherryfudge

Get well soon @PipneyJane - time to curl up in the equivalent of those pyjamas and read a good book. Or are you at work today?