Inverness Cape questions

[Pleater]

Frank! Frank! Frank!

Are there any written instructions to go with the design?

In particular, the closure for the cape - the buttons are shown on the coat part in the 'result' drawing but how is the cape closed? Are the buttons on the inside, covered over - or what? Is the usual placing of button and buttonhole reversed so as to make it easier to close from inside?

Anne the Pleater :ootd:

[frank_a]

I've been trying to find some written instructions Ann, but to no avail. I do have the pattern that BrewerPaul is working from for back up, but the wee lassie took a look at that old cape pattern and said "no problem." She made me button down shirts and suits many decades ago when we could not afford to buy them, and made most all her own clothes as a kid. Having said that I sure wish I could find some written instructions. I keep looking when I have time, but time is my enemy.

Also, there is an excellent pictorial here on making a tweed cape that I copied into a Word document and ran off for the wee lass: http://thesewingacademy.org/index.php?topic=2117.0

I'll ask Gail about this same things maybe tonight when I get back from Joann Fabrics. Interfacing for laying out the pattern and muslin for the first shot!

Thanks!

Frank

[frank_a]

I found these folks on the web. they have everything you might want for your new cape!

http://www.bblackandsons.com/

[brewerpaul]

I found these folks on the web. they have everything you might want for your new cape!

http://www.bblackandsons.com/

Ohhhh yeah I know B Black and Sons. Ive bought and drooled over some of their fabric before. Fortunately Ive found alot of fantastic fabric on EBay for a huge savings. The houndstooth wool Im using for my cape cost me about 29 dollars for 5+ yards 60 inch wide heavy wool. Ive gotten other bargains too from time to time. Have to sometimes keep myself from searching and buying because I have so much time and it all piles up.

Well time to hold my breath and think if Ive followed the golden rule "Measure twice and cut once." Im learning this works just as well with sewing as it did with woodworking and cabinet making. Here is my 5 yards or fabric ready for the scissors.



The brown tweed laying on the houndstooth is what I am considering for the lining. This will make one heavy duty warm cape.



A closer look at my two fabrics. Ive got some pewter clasps in mind instead of buttons. Ill get those as soon as I get further along.




Onward through the fog......

[frank_a]

Looks like you're doing great Paul! I made it to a fabric store after work tonight and for 35 bucks brought home 6 yards of interlacing (to use for a pattern) and then 6 yards of muslin to make a sample coat/cape. Once we know we're on the right track, first is a rain garment, then next is a lined wool garment. Again, this project will take some time, it will not be quick.

Hmmm, I have to try eBay for material. Never thought of that. Thanks!

Good luck with your Inverness cape. Do keep us posted on progress.

Frank

[brewerpaul]

Ok moving on at what seems a snail's pace but at least Im moving forward. This little segment will show the materials as this project has evolved and making a welt pocket. I had the wool houndstooth fabric from a buy on ebay and was till pondering the liner material. Recently I came across some nice mostly wool and silk blend suiting fabric that was just what I wanted. Also in the deep recesses of my brain I remembered having some waterproof nylon I had purchased for a possible hiking kilt. Well thinking that the wool and suiting fabric might look nice and be so so warm I decided I wanted some wind and water proofing with this cape. The scheme then evolved to sandwich between the outer fabric and liner the waterproof fabric. This would not only protect me from the weather but add some nice weight so the cape would hang nicely. Below is a photo of the three fabrics together.



The off white material is two layer treated nylon and feels like a supple soft thin leather. It hangs well and is pretty bombproof. The darker brown material is the liner and the houndstooth is the outer shell.

Front face of caplet with the nylon pinned to the inside.



This is my workhorse for heavy material and leather. I picked this gem up for 20 bucks from shop goodwill auction site.




My other 15 dollar purchase from goodwill is a nice Brother machine that has multiple stitches. I can zigzag my seams now and it works nice on the thinner material.



I sure like to recycle good machines so I was quite fortunate to get two that work so well.

So Ive got my caplet liner sewed together and the caplet face and nylon fabric sewn together. Before I actually attach the liner to the front I want to have the body of the cape together to check the caplet length. Remember measure twice cut once. So to put the body together I have to first make my welt pockets. I was at first rather fearful of making welt pockets until I ran across an excellent video showing an easy way to do them. Now I find them quite fun and people are really impressed when you tell them you made the pockets yourself. Colleen Leah has a great sewing site with tons of free instructional videos. Ill just post the link to the welt pockets for those interested.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93Va0XgGvKw&noredirect=1


So here is my version of welt pockets.

First you need to figure where you want them, the angle they should be and how big. Once that is figured then you make your welt and pocket pouch.

Here is my welt(inside out as I havent sewed the ends yet) and pocket pouch laid out on my front cape body.



The pocket pouch should extend beyond the edges of your welt. If you watch Colleen's video you will see clearly why.

Next sew the welt ends together with interfacing for some stiffness. I sew mine at 1/4 from the edge.



Clip the tip so when you invert it you will end up with a sharp nice point.




Invert the welt and press it. This is when I also do a top stitch on the welt edge. Next lay out your pocket welt and pouch pieces so you can make your pocket hole.

Welt pinned and one side of pocket pinned in place. The interfacing is there in order to show the pieces more clearly against the cape body.



The other half of the pocket pouch pinned to match the opposite side. Welt is under the pocket pouch.

[brewerpaul]

Now to sew the pocket and welt pieces on the front of the cape body. This is best explained by Colleen but Ill just show a photo of it.




Now on the backside you should have had a piece of interface for stiffness but it also aids in showing where you have sewn your pocket pieces. This will be where you cut your pocket hole.



The hole is cut in the center between the stitches and a notch is made on both ends. Again Colleen explains this all in a fantastic easy to understand way... Has to be, I got it so all you great tailors out there will get it in a snap.




Next your pocket outie becomes an innie as you bring the pouch pieces in and pin them together for sewing.




Sewn together pocket pouch.



If all went well you have a nice formed pocket hole and welt on the outside.





Last but not least I will hand stitch the welt to the body of the cape and have a nice deep warm welt pocket. This will be actually hidden under the caplet so my arms and hands will stay nicely warm.





Well that is where I am now. I have the other side to put the pocket on then hand stitch the welts. That will be done tonight while sipping a brew. Tomorrow Ill work at assembly of the body of the cape at least to the point where I can try it on and see how the caplet will fall. More photos to follow and all of yall out there making your own cape need to post some photos too......

[frank_a]

Wow! You're doing great Paul! I'm held up on mine while doing house renovations I hope to complete before our 9 day cruise in April. Been loading my Kindle up with Scot history books for the cruise, gonna have plenty of time to read. Keep up the great work, and keep us all posted. Thanks!

Frank

[Destin_scot]

Awesome progress guys...be trying that before too long myself.

[brewerpaul]

Got a bit done again today, well actually the past week as I work here and there on this project. The caplet is now ready for the body. This ended up getting a bit more involved after sewing the lining material to the outer material. This is now a three layer caplet with outer houndstooth wool, middle waterproof nylon sports material and inner liner of a nice wool/silk mix. It all sewed together nicely but I felt the lining would be too loose at the shoulders. I fixed this by running a stitch up each side of the caplet where the front meets the back. This meant a stitch in the seam of the outer/mid layer and then through the inner layer seam. This made the stitch invisible yet held the pieces together much nicer. I then turned in about an inch and one quarter on the front of the caplet and hand stitched it to the inner liner. Last was the topstitching. I wanted some thicker thread and founds some heavy top stitch thread by Guttermann. My old Dressmaker sewing machine is the one that handles the thickness of thread and material best. The next two photos show the caplet ready to attach to the body and collar. Once attached I will then work on sewing the lining and facing on the body. The end is in sight, I just hope the weather gives me at least one chance to wear this thing.

Caplet with the front open showing the face material turned in and sewed to the lining.




Caplet ready to attach to the body. It may look long but Ive made this to come to my wrists when placed over my shoulders. I have very long arms that require size 37 from neck to sleeve cuff so that is why the caplet is so long.



More photos as I attach the caplet, collar and body together.