Fashion on the Ration: Month 2

Two months ago, I began my year long Fashion on the Ration challenge. For this year, I'm living on the UK wartime clothing ration that allowed each woman 66 coupons, which works out to roughly one-ish new garment a month. Second hand clothes are acceptable under a certain value. The focus is on a mindfulness toward quality and style.

Two months along! How am I doing? Well, with the promise of warmth makes me wish I had a limitless fabric budget so I can finally go full tilt into dress making.

March was another busy month. I did a bit of traveling for work, hosted a giveaway, participated in Me-Made-March and began to really consider what I like about sewing after my frustration with the UP dress. Part of the frustration of any fail for me can usually be chocked up to bad fabric choices. So I'm back in the classroom and took my first sewing class this month: Fabric Recognition and Care at Stonemountain and Daughter, up the street from me. I'm trying to inch in up from the wait list for tomorrow's sloper drafting class. So excited!

Anyway, the nitty gritty:

Made/Refashions

Finally finished the Uniform Project LBD.

Actually feeling a bit better about this. I've resolved a lot of the puckering with a serious press and a restitching of the hem.

These two quickies served as a salve post-UPD. Used self-drafted pants pattern for the cigarette pants from oversized thrifted stretchy pants, and like the original, used an elastic waistband. A testament to my thrill with it -- I immediately threw it in my suitcase and it became my go-to trousers for the next five days of travel. It doesn't wrinkle, and goes day to night.

The top is New Look 6965 (sewn twice before) using polka dot chiffon, leftover from the Tarra cardigan (below) and a mint silk yoke which is leftover fabric from when I was in my friend Charly's wedding two years ago. The yoke ripples a bit, but I so love the contrast between the color and the fabric. And the chiffon drape drape drape. I need to start working more fabric that does that, it's do flattering.

Patterns

In addition to the thrifted pattern below, JoAnns had their 99 cent Simplicity sale and I came back with these three.

Two Lisette patterns:


My buddy Debbie also has pattern love for Lisette (check out her new top). I was admittedly not initially impressed until I saw the glossy photos in the pattern catalog and the fabulous Flickr group. These are simple, chic pieces that are highly adaptable and flattering. They strike that nice balance, to me, between being stylish and contemporary without looking matronly or formal. If the fit is right, I have a feeling I'll be returning to them again and again.

And Simplicity 2579:


I never would have thought to love this pattern, but when I saw this dress made up on Sew Tessuti, I thought it might be the perfect warm weather dress; it really calls for a bit of print:


Bought

This book:

This bit of fabric from the thrift store (top), plus oversized khaki pants to make another pair with my self-drafted pants pattern. And a knit tee pattern.


Then two steals, a knit dress with a surplice top for $4 and leather sandals for $2. Can you tell I'm anxious for warm weather?


My class on fabric! Worth every penny, especially since I source so many of my fabrics at thrift stores or at massive fabric places where nothing is marked.


Repairs/Challenges:

Two quick repairs to make these two wearable:

Collar tweak. Not crazy about this cardigan, but I do love it over leggings.

Shift to Sheath, using Built By Wendy dresses. Worn twice this month, after having owned it for a year with nearly no wears.

Me-Made-March: Though I didn't document it daily, I still got a great deal out of it. It remains a great exercise in forgiving your me-mades by allowing them to become part of your daily wardrobe. I only flopped on two days—one deliriously stormy day and one insanely hot one.

Garments/shoes in ready-to-wear condition acquired: 7
Coupons spent: 6 (2 yards of wool for the UP LBD)
Coupons left: 60

I feel like I've been acquiring a lot even though I'm living on a clothing ration -- perhaps it's the fact that I have to 'fess up to it that I'm paying attention to what I actually buy!

Possibly on the sewing table:

This fabric given to me by my cousin after a family trip to the Philippines. It's a wrap so it's sort of batik-y and likely prone to wrinkling. I had been saving this for Colette's Crepe, but there's something about that dress that feels a bit precious to me (I think it's the bow). But I did see a lovely embroidered yellow linen that I thought would be perfect for the Crepe.


But the more contemporary shape of the Lisette Passport dress may just fit the bill. Likely the green for the bodice (since it's a more flattering color for me) and yellow on the full skirt. I want a birthday dress -- perhaps this'll be it! An homage to the old country, my family, and sewing :)

Happy sewing, all!