Jeri here from sunny South Carolina and the blog My Modern Vintage. When the gals decided to start The Monthly Stitch I was super excited to be a part…until I saw the August challenge! Don’t get me wrong, I love the look of capes and they always remind me of Audrey Hepburn or Sherlock Holmes but since I live in a climate where the humidity is near 100% for months at a time it is hard to imagine how a cape would fit in to my wardrobe.
That’s where the tips in this post came in handy. I started a search for an easy cape and actually found one named after Audrey from In Honor of Design. I made a slight tweak by cutting more of an oval shape instead of completely round and I also added a lining but other than that it was pretty true to the original.
I tried buttonholes by machine for the first time and let me tell you, it was a pain! I definitely need a lot more practice to get proficient so before long you may see me finally tackle the Hawthorn shirtdress that is in my UFO pile. Overall I am really pleased with how the final garment looks. The oval shape covers my arms well but doesn’t hang down so far that I need to have slits to fit my arms through. I can definitely see my fabric sale sleuthing skills put to work while wearing this cape!
This pattern is adorable, and you’ve done a wonderful job with it – congratulations!
Agree about our hot weather… definitely not for capes just now. 😉
del
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At least we will be prepared when it finally does cool down! I would have never made a cape for myself without the challenge.
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I can relate to the Cape for August surprise, it’s been hot in CA too. My cape is made of wool, and probably won’t be worn until December. I like the style of yours. The black binding is a nice touch.
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Thanks! My son plays football so hopefully the cape will get some use later in the season. The cape is better than the quilt I usually take!
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There sure is. Kind of a surprise just for me 🙂
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Yay, you finished and it looks great! Know there’s a lovely raspberry lining behind the houndstooth…
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Very cute! Love the black trim, it’s a great contrast. 🙂
Good luck with the Hawthorn buttonholes! (No matter how many of them I do, buttonholes always scare me a little…. *sigh*)
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Thanks Kat. I’m definitely going to finish the Hawthorn…someday! For me I like instant gratification though and this dress won’t be it. A classic case of “slow” fashion!
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Cool cape. I always do practice buttonholes too, which was just as well on my cape as my machine decided to have a bit of an off day but it came right in the end.
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I love my machine which was my mother’s from 1970 but it definitely requires reading the manual and doesn’t have a lot of “fancy” automatic things like one-step buttonholes 🙂
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What a great cape! I love the fabric combination. I can recommend practicing on scrap fabric (although I think your buttonholes look great), I did my first welt pocket on the cape and even though the welt itself looks fine, it’s the wrong way around… So, should’ve tried it first on a scrap…
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I tried a couple of times on a scrap then just went for it. The sides were fine but I did have to hand stitch the ends to make it look acceptable!
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Hi Jeri, your cape looks great! Love the black trim and I am a sucker for houndstooth! 🙂 This looks like a great pattern, sort of like a wrap with buttons, simple and easy but looks amazing. Good luck practising your button holes, I always do a few practise ones for each new project on off-cuts of my project fabric, tweaking until I am happy with tension and length.
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I have the Colette Hawthorn cut out and it needs TONS of buttons so I am definitely going to get some practice soon!
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