Inverness Cape questions

[brewerpaul]

Getting close, I think this weekend I can finish this cape up. Might even have some decent foul cold wet weather to wear it in. After all that is what I made it for. Got the caplet, collar and body together then sewed in the facing on both fronts and the lining material. I had to actually use a sewing needle for leather to go through the many layers at the collar. If I didnt have the nylon in the caplet it might have worked but the slicing of the leather needle worked fantastic. Now all I need to do is press all the seems, secure the liner to the body of the coat portion, sew the arm holes together, top stitch the coat section and add the pewter clasps. Being stuck home this weekend with call I should have plenty of time to do all of this. More photos and a final wrap up thread when I get done. Oh and Ill give a final weight to the thing when I get it on a scale, it is quite heavy.

Cloak, caplet, collar and liner all together awaiting the final hand and top stitching.

[frank_a]

Boy o boy, it looks absolutely smashing Paul! You did a great job on it. Now, if I ever get done with home remodeling, we can get to work on one or two for me. Thanks for all the pics and advice as well.

Frank (freezing in NY)

[piperdbh]

It looks really good, and I'm sure you're wanting to wear it tonight, but here's some unsolicited advice I recently learned from a master seamstress. When making a lined garment, one should hang the garment (as you've done) and leave it alone for a week, to let the shell and lining "relax" (stretch under their own weight) before sewing them together. Since your cape is made of different weights of fabric, it might be worthwhile to let it rest for a few days, just to see what happens.

[brewerpaul]

It looks really good, and I'm sure you're wanting to wear it tonight, but here's some unsolicited advice I recently learned from a master seamstress. When making a lined garment, one should hang the garment (as you've done) and leave it alone for a week, to let the shell and lining "relax" (stretch under their own weight) before sewing them together. Since your cape is made of different weights of fabric, it might be worthwhile to let it rest for a few days, just to see what happens.

Excellent idea and much appreciated. By the time I get to it this weekend it will have been hanging together for close to a week. Many thanks for the great idea.

[OC Richard]

Wow that looks fantastic!

I may have missed it, but I was going to point out a few features which seem to always be a part of the Scottish-made black synthetic-fabric Inverness Capes (or "rain capes") that all Pipe Bands wear. I've been wearing these rain capes for 35 years now on a fairly regular basis. I don't know if these features would also appear on a tweed Inverness Cape.

1) the arm holes are quite large so that you can easily put the cape on over a bulky jacket.

2) there are openings, slots, on each side so that you can reach through and get at things you have in your jacket pockets.

3) there's a loop-and-button at the back of the cape and two buttoned straps at each side of the cape that your arms go through. These keep the cape from flying up in a strong wind. (Keep in mind that the Inverness Cape is a foul-weather garment.)

4) the cape portion buttons closed all the way down.

5) the cape isn't separate but is sewn into the seam which connects the collar to the body.

With one of these rain capes, a good waterproof brimmed hat, and wellies, you just can't get wet no matter how much it pours.

Here is, perhaps, the largest number of these capes ever worn at the same time, in the pouring rain at the 2007 World Pipe Band Championships in Glasgow. As you can see nearly all of the 6,000 pipers and drummers are wearing them. Turns what would be a colourful spectacle into a seething shimmering mass of black. We stood in the rain for 8 hours straight that day.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1Yi54EWg6I

(The Pakistani band just got wet there in the March Past, but all day they were wearing clear plastic rain garments.)

[brewerpaul]

Wow that looks fantastic!

I may have missed it, but I was going to point out a few features which seem to always be a part of the Scottish-made black synthetic-fabric Inverness Capes (or "rain capes") that all Pipe Bands wear. I've been wearing these rain capes for 35 years now on a fairly regular basis. I don't know if these features would also appear on a tweed Inverness Cape. I plan to use pewter clasps for a fashionable look though I do have woven leather buttons that I could use also. Im leaning to the look of the Keltic Knot pewter clasps I have though.

1) the arm holes are quite large so that you can easily put the cape on over a bulky jacket.

2) there are openings, slots, on each side so that you can reach through and get at things you have in your jacket pockets.

3) there's a loop-and-button at the back of the cape and two buttoned straps at each side of the cape that your arms go through. These keep the cape from flying up in a strong wind. (Keep in mind that the Inverness Cape is a foul-weather garment.)

4) the cape portion buttons closed all the way down.

5) the cape isn't separate but is sewn into the seam which connects the collar to the body.

With one of these rain capes, a good waterproof brimmed hat, and wellies, you just can't get wet no matter how much it pours.

Thanks for the comments and compliments Richard. I did take many of your points to task when I originally started to make this cape. If you look back on this thread you will see some of the ways I have modified and come to this point with the cape. The patterns that are out there left much to be desired so I settled for a Sherlock Holmes cape/cloak. I then researched "real" Inverness capes and looked at many photos of them. I wanted a piece of weather gear that was functional, looked nice and was made as it should be. If I would have used the pattern I would have had a houndstooth "Matrix" coat with a short caplet. I did make this without coat sleeves so I can wear my kilt jacket or heavy sweater. It also has hand warmer pockets though I dont have a through opening, I did think about it though. I can always modify and add that later. The cloak, caplet and collar are all sewn together so it is one piece. For the weather I have waterproof breathable nylon sandwiched between the outer fabric and lining fabric. This cloak is a bit bomb proof and should keep me dry and warm in gale force winds. It is also quite heavy so wind should not kick it up. I feel I did my homework well and that is proven by the suggestions you have made and what I have actually done. Ill have some good photos of me in this cape when it is complete, which I hope will be this weekend. We have snow and wind predicted Monday so I can put it to test then.

[Friday]

I found a book at The Americanized French cutting method at Open Library that gives some information on the Inverness Cape

The pattern and some instruction can be found on Book page 46.

[Altenberg Bagpiper]

This is an interesting thread. I picked-up one of these a couple of years ago and wore it for the first time in December while playing at a Christmas Market. I don't know how I did without an Inverness Cape all these years. Mine doesn't have a lining, and I think if I was making one myself I wouldn't put one in. This is a big, heavy garment, and a lining is just one more thing that can cause problems with what in some cases is a complicated Scottish outfit. I have found that if the material used for the Inverness Cape is a good quality you will stay dry and warm. Remember, they are designed to be worn over a jacket/doublet so once you have it all on it can be quite heavy. Jim

[FatherWilliam57]

Oh, Paul? Inquiring minds want to know...

[brewerpaul]

Oh, Paul? Inquiring minds want to know...

I hang my head in shame, yes it has been a couple of weeks since last posting progress photos. Well here is a couple until I can get Jennifer to take some of me with the cape on. Over my call weekend I accomplished quite a bit, in fact shy of clasps or buttons the cape is done. Ive worn it a few times sans buttons because the foul weather will only last so long around Missouri. The cape fits fantastic and is warm as can be. I can stand in the wind and not feel it at all. My call weekend was spent partly at work but allowing for quite a it of time to do all the hand work I needed in order to finish the cape. The lining had to be tagged to the front of the body, the opening at the bottom where you pull things from inside out to right side had to be sewn, the arm holes had to be sewn(with no sleeves this had to be done after turning the cape right side out), the whole thing pressed out and then top stitched the full length. At 6 lbs this cape was a bit of bulk and weight to maneuver under the needle. Already I have gotten quite a few compliments, all good, from friends and strangers. Ive had a few people ask where a person gets such a cape and explained, to their astonishment, I made it. I get quite a few looks from most everyone, even if they dont comment one way or the other. I guess you dont see too many Inverness capes and matching fore and aft caps in my neck of the woods. When Jennifer snaps some photos of me in it Ill be sure to have the fore and aft hat on.

Excuse the photos, it is a cloudy day so I had to try to get the best light I could outside. The front of the cape. Body, caplet and collar are all one unit.




Cape body and caplet drawn open to show the wool suiting weight lining. Part of the work was hand stitching the lining to the outer fabric in order for it to lay nicely inside the cape.



The back of the cape. The caplet is long in order to cover my arms to my hands( I have long arms). The back has a center slit which allows for nice movement.




Ok this is my last part of the cape, the closure of the body. Most capes have big buttons, which I could use, but I thought some pewter clasps would look quite nice. I found these on Ebay and plan to try using them. Ive had them on once but had to take them off due to the fact I didnt have good backup of the fabric. I now have small buttons to back up the stitches on the inside of the cape. If I still am not satisfied I will either go large woven leather buttons or even stag horn rosette buttons.



Without the sleeves this cape fits great with a heavy sweater or my kilt jacket. The caplet comes to my wrist so it covers my arms fully. The length is just below the knee so the kilt is protected fully. I gandered at the prices of capes similar to what I made, in fact the look almost an exact copy, and was quite surprised at what one costs. Granted I dont have Harris Tweed at my disposal I do feel the wool I used looks quite nice. All totaled up I have less than 80 dollars in this project. Photos and a DIY thread on this cape after I get the clasps on and Jennifer shoots some photos of me in it.