Monday, March 10, 2014

Finished: 1960s Cape

I am generally obsessed with capes. When a cape pattern was delivered to my house (surprise!) a few years ago, I knew I was going to make it. I had no idea it would take me several years to get started on it, and almost 5 months to finish it! To be fair, I was spending at most an hour a week on it, but still. It took forever.



I used Vogue 6032 from 1963. Look at that cover art - so gorgeous! But I had problems and self-doubt from the beginning. I had so many problems finding the right fabric. I wanted it to be wool and I was thinking some sort of pattern, like houndstooth. Or maybe a fun color like pink. I had problems finding any wool I liked though, so when Mood sent me an email with charcoal wool on sale I jumped on it. I loved the charcoal color, and it is a great color, but they had pink wool on sale the next week - boo.


So anyway, I started cutting it out and piecing it together with my trusty helpers and that's when I suddenly decided this was going to look awful on me. I was watching Harry Potter (for the first time) and being introduced to characters like Umbridge. Thank goodness I didn't get the pink patterned wool. I was also watching Call the Midwife, an amazing show, but I didn't really want to look like the nuns. It didn't help that the boyfriend was incredible excited that I was "making a nurse's outfit from WWII."


It also took quite a bit of time because the pattern from the 60s focused mostly on using a regular sewing machine with lots of hand sewing thrown in. I don't hand sew, and I really wanted to use my serger so there was a lot of plotting and converting to my equipment that took longer.

Not perfect, but as close as I'm getting.
It probably should have been easier, but I decided to take days figuring out how best to insert a lining rather than looking up tutorials. (Although I did use a LOT of tutorials for my serger - it took me quite awhile to get the hang of threading it, but I think it's all good now.)


So yeah! I'm pretty proud of this one because I finished something I've wanted for years and I did it mostly by myself.


I really loved working with wool. It's thicker than the fabrics I'm used to working with, it doesn't slide around, and you can hide your stitches in all the material. I used a lot of white thread for this, and you can't see it at all! Of course, that also means that if you mess something up, you can't unpick the stitches either.


I took my cape out for a stroll yesterday afternoon. I'm pretty pleased with the fact that I've finished just in time for the weather to warm up slightly. It's long and heavy and keeps me plenty warm in the 40-50 degree weather (that's 4-10 degrees for my non-American friends).


It's like wearing a fashionable blanket.

It is a little strange to walk at first because my arms don't hang at the side per normal, but they stick out the front. I found that if I slow down a bit, and especially if I lean on the arm of my handsome boyfriend, it works perfectly.


Of course, I could always open it up.


All in all, my cape is fabulous and perfect and I wish I had more places to wear it out.


31 comments:

  1. LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! so worth the wait. grey is such a versatile colour for outerwear too.

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  2. I like it, and the side effect it creates - having to lean on the arm of your handsome boyfriend sounds like a great problem to have! Rachel ☺

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    1. Yes, I thought my solution to the arm problem was perfect!

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  3. This looks really good Kristin! You deserve to be so proud of yourself on this make. Well done for persevering and getting the garment you really wanted despite the setbacks and difficulties. I hope everyone who sees such a pretty young lady wearing a cape will do a double-take and think to themselves "now why don't I wear a cape?"

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    1. Thank you so much!! Yes, I hope to bring capes back in style - and if not, I'll look stylish on my own. :-)

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  4. Am also obsessed with capes. Yours is so elegant. Love.

    Sassy Sewing Bees https://facebook.com/sassysewingbees ❀

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  5. Your cape looks lovely! Good job!

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  6. So cute! You are proud of yourself with a right. Projects like this are a lot of work but they are super rewarding in the end. Well done :)

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    1. Yes, it's amazing how it seems to be worth it once the finished product is ready. Thank you!

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  7. Great job! It looks wonderful on you.

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  8. I love capes too! Your looks so stylish. Nice work!!

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  9. What a fabulous '60s cape! I have a little vintage cape obsession myself---I've had a '40s cape in the works for a while, but outerwear really takes time to perfect.. Well done :)

    - Sarah (PatternVault)

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    1. Yes, it really does! I can't wait to see your 40s cape!!

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  10. Gorge! I really love that cape. I think gray was a great choice and you don't look like an old WWII nurse at all. Although I do REALLY love "Call the Midwife" so perhaps I'm biased :)

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    1. Haha, I also love the show so even if I did look like a nurse or a nun, is it really that awful? Probably not... :-)

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  11. So gorgeous, and the purple lining is a fun little surprise!

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  12. LMBO @ your boyfriend's comment! I love the results. You did an awesome job. And I truly understand your pain with all the hand stitching.

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    1. Haha, thank you! Maybe next year I'll make an amazing coat like yours - though I might have to wait as that would be such an undertaking I think!!

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  13. Your Cape, Your Cape!!! It came out beautifully Kristin! So classic and elegant in the long length and in grey. I think actually it looks better in a neutral colour since it is so long. Might be too much in a pink. Hope you enjoy wearing it!

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    1. Thank you, thank you! Ha, I can't believe it took me so long, I feel like I was just asking you about yours!!

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  14. I love your cape. I just bought this pattern and I'm cutting out my version in velvet. You've really inspired me!

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    1. I'm so happy to hear that! I love velvet and hope to work with it soon!

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  15. Where did you get this pattern - I'm looking to make this exact coat/cape to replicate the ones from Call the Midwife - and add the little cross chest straps they have on theirs!

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