I always loved capes. Like I explained in my post here, they are just so elegant and feminine, and a very cute piece to add some glam to our fall and winter days. So when I found a sewing pattern for a cape that was suitable for beginners, I couldn’t resist to give it a try.

The pattern I used is from the Burda Style magazine (09/2015 edition).

The pattern only has 3 main pieces, 1 for the back and two for the front, and the collar. First I scaled it to a 34 since the pattern starts at size 36. Then, I followed the instructions given by Burda on how to resize the pattern to suit a petite (shorter than average, like me). This corresponds to a reduction at the height of the armhole (or just above the bust in this case) and another reduction at the height of the waistline. For the final length, I chose the shorter version of the cape, which falls right above my knee.

For the fabric, I picked a navy blue double-faced knitted wool (if this makes sense, otherwise please correct me). It’s very heavy and warm and since the cape is not lined I thought this fabric would be ideal. I bought it at the fabric market in Utrecht (the town where I live). You must visit this market if you can!

Sewing the main part of the cape was easy. I just tried to go slow and be nice for my machine as everything was a bit bulky. But it did well. In the main body, there are only raw edges, which are ideal for double-faced fabric. For the collar, I didn’t follow the instructions on the pattern. I liked to see if only folded in two and attached it to the body (not in the neatest of ways I confess). The problem was that when resizing the pattern I didn’t think of the collar. The original collar was too high for my neck and I only realized that when attaching it. So it took a few trials until it had the desired height. I also couldn’t add those folds in the arms (as you can see in the technical drawing). The fabric is too heavy and bulky for it to work. To fasten the cape it is recommended to use two snaps on the inside of the collar and then add buttons on the outside for decoration. I needed to add a 3rd snap on the opposite side so the collar keeps well in place, again because the fabric is quite heavy.

So, now for the finishing touches! I spent a long time thinking about the finishing on the cape. I was really caught by these military inspired pieces. The military trend is all around us this season – did you notice?

I adopted this trend by creating a navy inspired cape, with gold embellishments contrasting with the dark blue.

The buttons were a very special gift from my boyfriend’s mother. They belonged to her father! And how pretty they look! It makes the whole piece a lot more special, don’t you think?

When visiting A.Boeken in Amsterdam, my favorite haberdashery store, I did a long search through their trims. I picked this golden one that matches the buttons and contrasts perfectly with the navy blue. I added the trim along the side seams and on the back side of the collar. I sewed the trim to the cape with two rows of long and not so tight stitches, one in each side of the trim, as to not damage the embellishments. The final touches were hand sewn.

Feminine, elegant and looking very much high-fashion, this has to be one of my favorite ‘makes’ since I started sewing! Which by the way, is now 2 years ago!

You can see all the pictures from my styling post, wearing my new cape here. Hope you like it. Have a great weekend!

Xo,

Catia