Inverness Cape

[JerseyLawyer]

I have a cloak with a shoulder cape and lined it with the coverings of dead umbrellas collected up after a high wind arrived after most of the day had been calm but very wet. The streets were strewn with stricken brollies and I collected half a dozen, a couple of which were recoverable and the rest became something else.

I have this vision of the streets littered with broken umbrellas in a scene resembling the "cast of thousands" in 'Gone With the Wind'. At least they gave their lives in a noble cause, eh?

[Pyper]

Well I bought 5 yards of 60" black fleece (anit-pilling) today for $20.

Will update as progress is made. I figure at the very worst, it will be nice to wear around the house on cold mornings before the fire warms things up.

It should be a fairly easy project. You don't even need to hem fleece. In comparing the drape of the fleece to the drape of wool, it's not too bad. I agree a lined woolen cape would be a lot warmer, but this is South Carolina, so it's not really an issue 350+ days of most years.

I also saw some gray, coat weight wool. It would make a really nice looking cape. But it was also $24 a yard.

[Pyper]

Well, I started cutting pieces of the fleece material. I've got everything cut out but the collar. It took about two hours. It definitely takes 5 yards of 60" material. Fleece has a nap, so all the parts need to be aligned.

I'm still thinking through the order to sew the parts together. I think I need to assemble the body and the cape, and then join them at the collar. I still haven't decided for sure how I'm going to put the buttons on -- i.e., whether I want to put them under a flap or allow them to show. I'm thinking of the later.