2026 Fashion On The Ration Challenge

PipneyJane

The third colourway was Starling.

4 coupons x 8 skeins = 32 coupons, which puts me 7 coupons over. 3.5 months to go and I’ve blown my coupon count!

Hmmm…. Speaking in 1940’s terms, I wonder if I can claim that WYS were bomb-damaged, so the yarn is salvage and, therefore, doesn’t need coupons? Because, of course, we’d have gone to the Mill to help them clear up the damage….

• Pip

Laura_Elsewhere

@PipneyJane !!! :) honestly… tchah! :)

You make the rules so up to you- depending on your individual reasons for doing the challenge… in my case, it's to try to stop me buying so much new that never gets worn or knitted or sewn… so I definitely wouldn't want to use the wriggle-room of trying to invent coupon-free back-stories! :) (same reason I don't use the "free nylons" coupons as I don't want to add more synthetic stuff to landfill).

I must sort out my signature with the coupon-use as I have no idea where I am but I know I have some bits of paper somewhere, ahem, oops :)

I bought a 50g ball of wool recently from Tebay Farm Shop Services on the M6, as they have now started selling 4-ply knitting wool from their own flocks of hefted sheep. They currently only do a kind of green-blue and a porridge-colour so I shall knit something quick and plain so I can see how it knits up and whether it pills or whatever…

PipneyJane

Good points, @Laura_Elsewhere . That’s why I value your opinion and friendship. Instead of feeling guilty, I have to remind myself that it was a now-or-never purchase.

I love Tebay Services, so I will be interested in your findings re their yarn.

- Pip

PS: I think I do the Challenge for 3 reasons: 1) I’m fascinated by the Home Front and how people lived/survived it; 2) while I don’t like many current fashions, I do love clothes, and this is where I come to talk about them; and, 3) it makes me stop and think, instead of wildly purchasing stuff.

thriftmonster

Oh I was in Tebay N this afternoon and now I will have to call in South on my way home

I can totally relate to your reasons 2 & 3 @PipneyJane . I'm a 1930s addict but love it here because at least it's roughly the right area. I have just stocked up on some Signature but also another two shades of the Exquisite Lace for knitted undies

PollyWollyDoodle

I agree - we all have our own reasons for doing this challenge, and we make our own rules while trying to stick roughly to the coupon count.

It has made me so much more conscious of what I ‘spend’, not in money but in unnecessary items. I’m even trying to reduce my secondhand buying now.

CapricornLass

Hooray! Finally found some plain black trousers that a) fit b) I like! that can be used for more formal occasions.

And a black pair of jeans for when I do volunteering at Stonehenge. I don't normally have black anything, so I had to buy some.

10 coupons spent but happy.