this is for my sister who needs a cloak but who doesn't have enough faith in her mad sewing skilz. ;)
our family is deep in the "little house" books right now--we just started "the long winter"--and most of our playtime and learning time and all times in between are about "the old times".
in "little house on the prairie", laura gets a fur cape and muff from the church for christmas. so one day when we were shopping for fabric ella picked out some fake fur and i made her "an exact copy" (sic) of laura's cape.
details: i used the free wild things patternmaking program from wild ginger software to figure out the dimensions for the cape but instead of printing out the pattern i just drew it directly on the fabric. i used some pretty, shiny stuff from my stash for a lining, stand collar, and ties.
this would make a quick and easy christmas present--you could use some fleece, or some pretty wool, and line it with something unexpected so there is a flash of surprise when you twirl!
and now my secret: 95% of the time, if i don't need an exact color or pattern of fabric, i make capes from skirts or dresses i find at the thrift store. if i use a skirt, i just slash it up the front and finish the edges. if i use a dress, i cut off the skirt then slash and finish. sometimes i don't even have to slash--if it has a front opening i can use that as a decorative element. the skirt/dress doesn't have to be a circle skirt--a half circle will make a more fitted cape, and a rectangle can be pleated or gathered at the neck to make more of a cloak or mantle. i've made really pretty capes from velvet dresses and you can even use parts of the dress for decoration--the collar can be re-used, the buttons, sometimes there is even a lining already there. if there are pockets in the right place, you can cut them out and you have instant arm holes!!!
and now--to make the muff! details when i get it done.
