Cargill's Castle, Dunedin, New Zealand

As a child, I spent many happy hours with my Grandmother, listening to stories of her extended family, who settled in Dunedin after arriving from Denmark. Many of the stories revolved around time spent with cousins at 'The Cliffs' or as it's known locally, 'Cargill's Castle'. Her uncle - Harry Lyders - built the 'castle' for Edward Cargill, subsequently purchasing the property early in the 20th century for his own family.

One story in particular has stuck to this day - how as children, she and her cousins were allowed to use the ballroom as an indoor rollerskating rink! The ballroom was added some years after the castle's original construction, which Uncle Harry considered a "folly", and consequently had no desire to preserve. A holt was put on indoor cricket matches however, after windows were smashed and needed replacing to keep the weather out.

Earlier this year, the combination of cheap flights and Wellington anniversary weekend provided the opportunity to make a pilgrimage to Dunedin and visit the castle. (Interestingly, I drove unaided directly to the property, even though never having been to Dunedin before). Now surrounded by a new subdivision, it's inaccessible to the public, but by telling my story to a neighbour watering his garden, he allowed me to pass through his property to reach it.

The passage of time has not been kind, with the castle now so structually unsafe it's ringed by a barbwire topped fence. Well past the point of restoration, I believe there are plans to sure it up enough to allow it to open as a ruin? (Please correct me if I'm wrong).

It was quite a strange experience walking in my forebearers footsteps. As the future of the castle hangs in the balance, I'm glad I made the effort to visit this once.

Kelly Green Merino Hoodie - Butterick 6101

A few years ago, I was tempted into buying a piece of merino sweatshirting I saw on TradeMe. It wasn't cheap - about $35 p/m from memory, and a minimum of 2 metres, but I was intrigued because I hadn't seen merino in this form before (nor since), plus it's my favourite colour. The idea was to make something warm for shavasana, as my yoga class can be chilly mid-winter. I pinned many ideas over the years, before settling on a classic hoodie.

At Moeraki boulders wearing Kelly Green Merino Hoodie (Butterick 6101)

An old, tried-and-trusted pattern - Butterick 6101 (ca. 1980) became the basic template, with a few tweaks. Pockets would be a must, plus I added cuffs and a hip band. The hood in the pattern is lined, but because the merino has a wonderful soft fleecy backing, I left it unlined, instead making a flat-felled seam down the centre back to keep it neat.

The hardest part was finding a zip and cord to match. I considered white, lime green, daffodil yellow, brass and chrome, before finally finding a dark green zip in The Fabric Warehouse - not perfect, but close enough. There doesn't seem to be any cord in Wellington that isn't black or white, so I created my own out of fabric.

Hands-down my favourite make in recent times.

(BTW, can anyone tell me what happened the lady's leg (with the tennis racket) on the pattern?!)

Vogue 8628 (ca. 1955) for an afternoon wedding in rural Queensland

Attending an event in another country means serious planning. Besides travel and accommodation, finding something comfortable and appropriate to wear rockets up the essentials list. Thank goodness I can sew!

After resisting buying the cotton sateen fabric (but totally making it up in my head), as soon as the wedding was announced, I raced into Morelands and bought 1.5m. I knew exactly what it was going to become.

Vogue 8628 (ca.1955) is another of Tara's patterns hangin' out in the stash, waiting for its moment to shine. Pocket flaps were eliminated, as was the front button closure – a back zipper added instead (and centre front placed on the fold), but other than these small changes the pattern is as is. Surprisingly, the fit is perfect, even though it should be too small.

Originally, I planned to wear the same purple pumps worn to the last wedding attended, but a little shopping in Cotton Tree turned up a pair of leather sandals in exactly the right shade of pinky-purple - it took very little convincing they were better suited to the rural setting. Belt is from Pagani.

Wonderful wedding, lovely newly-weds, terrific venue and I've a versatile new frock (and shoes) to boot!

Southern India

Images from my travels to Southern India (Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu) and Gujarat 2015-16.
To see more, go to a kiwi in india

Ayana’s Homestay, Alleppey (http://www.ayanashomestay.com/) - highly recommend

Kerala spiced fish - yummy!

Indian Travel: why I will take anti-malarial tablets

If you'd asked me a couple of months ago if I'd be taking anti-malarial tablets in India this time, I would have replied "No". 

However, I'll be travelling in the Tamil Nadu region and will pass through Chennai, where there was flooding earlier this month. And everyone knows malaria is a waterborne disease.

Even though they make me feel ghastly, I'm not going to take any unnecessary risks. 

I feel it's inconsiderate to expect India to provide emergency medical care for foolish tourists who wish to play Russian Roulette with their lives. We in the West have so many advantages that there's really no reason not to take responsibility for ourselves.

"What all the Stylish Travellers are wearing in India this year"

It's been a dilemma deciding which hat to take to India this time, because - although it's winter - temperatures in the south this time of the year are late 20's to early 30's celsius (which equals a really good summers day in New Zealand!). 

Much to-ing and fro-ing has taken place, eventually narrowed down to a toss-up between a cotton sunhat I took last time (too warm, have really unattractive photos of me in front of the Taj Mahal with sweaty helmet-hair plastered to my skull) and a cap from the San Diego Zoo (screams !!!TOURIST!!!), both unappealing options.

Finally, after another look through the hat box, I found this:

My "Christmas Hat" - a $5 paper Trilby from Cotton On several years ago, usually decorated with a necklace of flashing christmas lights wrapped around the crown.

But it needed personalizing. So off came the naff black cotton bias binding trim, and on with a lovely piece of blue and white striped grosgrain ribbon from Made Marion. It was the lovely MrsC herself who jokingly gave me the title for this post while we discussed my plans.

Not sure at the time exactly what I would be creating, I bought a metre ($7) to give me plenty to play with, and in the end needed that whole metre. It took about a hour to replace (half of that was picking all the bits of glue off the hat left by the original trim) - a little Googling for ideas, a bit of steaming to shape the ribbon into a curve, snip snip, fold the bow and pleat, and a couple of stitches to hold it all in place. 

Done, and doesn't it look terrific!

Indian adventures

Between Sunny and I we amassed so many beautiful photos of our time in India, we decided to create a separate blog to share them with the world.

Take a look - akiwiinindia.blogspot.co.nz

And here are a few shots as a preview.

Away to the camels!

Camels? WTfudge?

I’m off to India for a month at the end of the year, and my journey includes a camel trek into the desert at Pushkar. It seemed the perfect opportunity to make a pair of 'camel riding' culottes.

When I found this pattern - Simplicity 9787 - in St Vinnies earlier this year, it seemed like divine intervention, as I'd been hankering after a pair of seaside culottes I'd seen in a movie set in the 1930's. View 2 fits the bill perfectly.

The linen was picked up from Arthur Toyes for 50% off during their summer sale, but is now gun-metal grey, thanks to another bout of dyeing. Finishing them very, very shortly!

Sale madness in Melbourne

Picked an excellent time to visit Melbourne. Sales on everywhere, 50-70% off in most cases. However, mindful of my baggage limit on the flight home, I didn’t go completely crazy.

Except for Buttonmania. The sale was by weight; below cost Aussie $4.

Completely forgot to take swatches of all WIP fabrics before leaving NZ, but luckily did have some swatches with me in a notebook I always carry.

In no particular order:

• green buttons match one of those swatches, couldn’t decide which style I liked best so hey! bought both
• grey for coat fabric given to me by Auntie Muriel
• black buttons are always useful
• brown buttons either end because I liked them
• buckles are for future projects
• and how cute are the little two-toned cream and brown buttons in the centre.

There was just so much stock; I had to giggle when I opened a box and found a note inside “Didn’t get to this box - ran out of time!” I know the feeling.

Next time, just wait until next time!

These boots are made for walkin’

SunnyJim found some cheap flights and we’re off to Melbourne for the weekend! 

What a treat. Melbourne is my second most favourite city in the world (after Wellington, of course!) but I haven’t visited in about 7 years, thanks to the mortgage. Looking forward to checking out the old haunts and discovering some new ones.

AND will still be there on Monday for the start of the Buttonmania sale!

So packing the sensible shoes for all the walking I’m planning on doing - sorry beautiful red suede Minx boots, you’ll be staying in the closet.