Toasties can we go on chatting forever? Looks like it!

[Countmeout]

New thread. Woke (blooming cat) to find it’s nearly full.

I often admire the Plümo collections and have bought a few items in the past, but I agree wholeheartedly with @ScottishMouse . If you happen to recognise an individual brand, you can browse their full range and buy directly at cheaper, but still profitable prices. Trying to extract that info however ...

It feels disrespectful not to honour the original designers and makers. Toast has form for this too, sometimes 'featuring' the origin, sometimes not. Plus, it makes tracking down those future beloved new designers that much harder. (Still wearing Magicfelt slippers, bought directly, after figuring out their origin after a brief appearance at ?Toast decades ago).

Current Obvious Exhibit: I can spot a Harley/Bosie knit anywhere. They've been having a moment these past few years, at Plümo and lots of other indie brands. Sometimes in custom colours, always with hefty markup.

ps. @ScottishMouse Thanks for the Aiayu pointer, I'd not figured that one out yet!

Interesting, Plümo has a couple of pairs of boots I love this winter, unaffordable, but I'd tracked down the designer anyway - Lofina. Now the product page of one style explicitly says Lofina at the top, but the other still doesn't. Both styles available elsewhere for ~£100 less.

@ScottishMouse - definitely worth flagging.

Always worth doing a reverse image search on Plumo stuff. There's usually another supplier that does it cheaper (not necessarily direct- just less hefty mark up).

I seem to remember a Kindred gift in November last year. Anybody remember when it was?

Thanks

@IlovePond - did a quick email search and didn't find the 2023 one. In 2022, it was 17th Nov that I got a Kindred gift.

Thanks @Stoic123

I could be persuaded to buy the boiled wool scarf with a kindred gift attached😹

They usually give us Christmas decorations as a gift, don't they?

I saw some nice clogs on Plumo - they were £100-ish. I tracked them down to a small business where they were hand made to order - I think I paid £40-ish. I wouldn't have minded a small mark up but that was silly

I think it was the basket last November- I am new to kindred. I think I have had:

Summer 24: bandana - lovely - must start using it!
Winter 23: basket - lives in my front room
Summer 23: socks - very nice

The gift before that was the enamel mug but I wasn’t Kindred then.

I think my sister got a garland the year before.

I hope Toast keep this programme going - it’s great!

Talking of Fairisle, first time I've worn this, it's lovely and warm. I got it in the sale this summer for £78. I'd had my eye on it for ages but felt it was expensive, then suddenly saw it on sale. Looks like they've restocked them this winter too. mamaowl.net/collections/womens-sweaters-cardigans/products/siskin-women-s-lambswool-fauna-sweater-juniper

That’s lovely @Netcam

Morning Toasties,

I’ve dug out my bargain pop up fisherman’s jumper today as feels a bit cold today for once - it seems to have survived storage. The Kindred bandana matches it perfectly, so that’s getting an airing too.

I need to start wearing what I have, rather than buying more, (but if money was no object, I would have the orange/black coat and the blue Uruguayan jumper!)

@Netcam Gorgeous fairisle and love the colours, what a great find .

@Netcam - that looks lovely and warm - and such a bargain!

Your fairisle knits are gorgeous @Bimblesalong . I am in awe of your skill! You need a good even tension to master stranded knits.

Don’t suppose anyone here recognises this dress pls? Is it a toast? Tia

it’s on a slow living you tuber

@Rosescountrylifecottage Looks a bit like the landscape dress but in a lighter material?

Agree, a great bargain. Most of my wardrobe is made up of winter clothes bought in the spring/summer and summer clothes bought in the autumn/winter. It's amazing what bargains can be had for good quality stuff. And it's lovely have something new ready in my wardrobe for the next season.

Thankfully I'm not a follower of fashion and am quite happy to wear last season's clothes. Actually, I only really buy anything I imagine I'd be happy to wear for years to come.

Those who sell on eBay, I need some advice, as I know eBay always side with the buyer.
I sold a Toast knit last week. It was new and unworn and in perfect condition. The buyer has just contacted me to say there are loose stitches and has attached photos. I am convinced she has damaged it on purpose in order to return it, as it was definitely not like this. What can I do? I don’t want to accuse her of anything, but I know for certain it was in perfect condition when I sent it to her. From bitter experience, I know that eBay will take her side, so I’m not sure how to handle this. Any advice? Thanks.

I had that happen and I had to take it back .. I fought not to. Someone pulled a hem down. Probably it doesn’t fit and they have done it deliberately

Oh bleep! That's horrible. Do you have beforehand photos of the area in question to counter her with? From the listing, or others you didn't include? Don't have any recent experience of eBay dispute system, but I dread it when this happens. Sorry, not much use, but solidarity!

If you end up going via eBay representatives, it might be worth voicing your suspicions, even if you can't prove it, as the buyer might have form.

Thanks @Rosescountrylifecottage and @Stravaig. I do have photos, and the area looks perfect in the photo. But I am not sure what to say - how odd that it looks perfect in my photos, you must have done something to it??!! I feel like I am going to have to take it back, but now it is damaged so I can’t even sell it again. Why are people so awful?

The buyer doesn’t have much feedback, but it is all positive, so it’s not like anyone else has said if they have had an issue.
She has now sent more messages, and her story is getting more and more complicated, it sounds like a complete fabrication. I am so angry. I have replied saying that I don’t understand how this happened as the photos I have showed it was perfect, and she is claiming that Toast often have faulty stitching and that the whole garment is going to come apart!!

As you can prove prior condition, I'd contact eBay yourself and ask for their help. Include your beforehand listing photos and also expanded/zoomed in/annotated versions of the relevant areas to make it really easy for them to see. It might be for nothing, but worth trying.

Ebay are really struggling to retain sellers and hold their own against the likes of Vinted - hence the recent removal of fees for sellers. So they may be more supportive of sellers than they used to be?

Thanks @stravaig, I will try.