Friday 27 January 2012

Travel clothes 3. South Island New Zealand

SAM_0687
Hooker Lake Walk, Mt Cook National Park
The rest of the family needed some additions to their travel wardrobes too.
SDC10058
Leggings BurdaStyle 01-2011-130, made from a rayon/lycra knit from Gorgeous Fabrics. This was sold as suitable for jeggings (which I think are psuedo super stretchy leggings with jeans type embroidery, being an interesting denim look fabric, but unfortunately was far too thin for this use. It worked nicely as leggings for travel, drying quickly, but the fabric was a bit too fragile for New Zealand scrub, and became rather full of snags and pulls after a week of hiking. I squeezed 3 pairs from 3 yards, so was rather pleased with the economy of the cutting out.
SDC10057
2 poly wicking t shirts adapted from BWOF 09-2008-143( I have to use up that polywicking stuff in the stash somehow) and polar fleece trousers adapted from BWOF1-2009-143 pyjama trousers. I used wicking poly knit for the trouser waistband and cuffs, which dried very quickly, particularly important for the cuffs which were subject to puddle abuse and creek crossings.
I did not think my son would really need polar fleece trousers, but my husband convinced me, and he was right. It snowed, quite unseasonably, in Milford Sound whilst we were there,which was very exciting, as my son had never seen snow before.
DSCF3790(yes, I know, hardly any snow at all, but we live in the subtropics)

I also made a poly wicking turtlenecks from BurdaStyle 09-2010-121 for my daughter.

This pattern had looked so hideous on me that I threw out the tracings, but my older daughter traced it out again for herself, and it suited her very nicely, and was very quick to sew. My younger daughter, who has a more similar figure to mine, found the turtleneck equally unflattering, and wore a previously made one from a Kwik Sew pattern. I have no photographs of the turtlenecks as they were worn under coats and jackets.
Lucky last, in fact, so last that I sewed the button on in the car on the way to the airport were a pair of seersucker cotton shorts for my older daughter.

BWOF 07-2009-113
SAM_0699
I suspect that these are more suitable to the subtropics than New Zealand, but again they dried quickly, and were worn with the leggings for the warmer days.

7 comments:

Gail said...

Looks like a great holiday - I hiked New Zealand in the late 70s and would love another go at it. Shame the leggings didn't stand up to the pressure. My DD would be envious of that snow. We didn't see a drop in Europe.

fabric epiphanies said...

I am sure the shorts would have been very suitable in lots of places in New Zealand at this time of the year without leggings but perhaps not so much in the mountains! You are very brave to take young children into such wild terrain.

Gabrielle said...

You were so productive! Looks like a great (but chilly) holiday.

neighbourhood.gal said...

Hey! It looks like you had a good time especially since you were prepared for the weather!

Do you know of any place that sells wool jersey? I have a friend who recently visited New Zealand and was quite taken with the wool base layers that seemed to be common there. She is hoping I can find her some fabric and make base layers for her - with lower necklines so they hide under regular clothes.

I have been searching the internet, but coming up fairly empty handed. I'd appreciate any information you could offer.

Sarah

Mary said...

Thanks for sharing such interesting photos. I rarely sew technical clothing, so I am impressed that you did. I love the terrain-have not been to that part of the world.

velosews said...

NZ is normally a 2-layer wardrobe place most of the year.

Joy said...

Looks like a wonderful trip. And how much more fun with handmade clothes? (I'd think that was exciting anyway,hehe).