Wednesday, December 1, 2010

1930's Cape

I'm itching to move onto something I can wear this winter....so I'm starting on McCall 8501 from 1935:

Isn't it a beauty?  I love the jacket (there is only a jacket front pattern piece--apparently the belt keeps the cape on) and the collar!

I'm making it in this fantastic tweed plaid that I picked up at a charity shop (only in Scotland can you pick up nice tweed and wool in charity shops!!!):
But it was a weird experience at the charity shop because they didn't have any fabric in the shop.  So I asked the guy working behind the cash register if they had any fabric and he said, "let me check in the back room".  So he takes me to this back room and there's another store employee there and she said, "oh yes, we set aside all fabric for a woman that comes and buys vintage fabrics, whatever she didn't want is in this suitcase."  And there I found 3.5 yards of this tweed and an identical tweed in brown (also 3.5 yards) and about 3 yards of matching grey lining fabric.  Major score!  Now, I always ask about fabric!!

I am going to try and interline (with the help of Gertie's interlining vlog) and also line this cape (with the gray lining fabric).  This will be my first time doing either!  I'm very excited as it looks like a fairly straight forward but elegant pattern.
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18 comments

  1. That is going to look stunning!
    What a score with the fabric too!

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  2. oooh looks lovely & would suit you perfectly. Rather envious of this charity find, it's becoming harder to find nice things I guess as clued up people are reserving all the best bits!

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  3. Wooh, lucky you! Gosh, that will look great, can't wait to see. I keep postponing my own cape. Current excuse: way too cold now, freezing winds.

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  4. It's a beautiful pattern. I am totally going to be jealous of your 30s cape!

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  5. Wow! That pattern is a stunner! I can't wait to see it made up!

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  6. What a beautiful pattern! I actually just finished a dress with a detachable cape, and I love wearing it! It's not as interesting as this one, though, with that jacket/cape combo! I can't wait to see what this looks like!

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  7. I love that you found that fabric at a charity shop--what a fantastic find! A little capelet is high on my list of winter sewing for 2011, so I'm going to be eagerly following your progress. That pattern is amazing and is going to be such a neat garment when finished!

    ♥ Casey | blog

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  8. That's lovely - look forward to seeing your progress.

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  9. Wounderful fabric and nice pattern!
    Greetings from germany! Bettina

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  10. I've never seen any fabric for sale in a charity shop, then again, I've never thought to ask! What a fabulous find and looking foward to seeing your cape when it's done (with hopefully some titbits during the process too)!

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  11. Oh wow - so femme fatale! You've got a major secret and a very important place to go if you're wearing this thing.

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  12. What a fantastic pattern! Very 1930s Hitchcock. And what an amazing find in that charity shop! You should become the new lady they set stuff aside for.

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  13. What a SCORE!! There's no way on earth that I would ever find wool or tweed thrifting here. Marvellous!

    I love the pattern and you'll look fabulous walking down Princes Street! What a chic little number. :)

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  14. That is a fabulous cape! They are so easy to wear — and fun, too.

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  15. Wow! That is one fantastic cape!! I love how it's a jacket in the front, cape in the back. It's soooo dramatic, which I love :) can't wait to see your progress!

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  16. I would be tempted to make a 'waistcoat back' as I feel it would definitely make the jacket front hang better, and trouble with the armhole areas would then be eliminated - give it a try.

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  17. I'm so excited to see this! I have a similar modern pattern and I did almost once buy one of these, in my pre-vintage days, but it felt too Sherlock Holmes and so I stupidly returned it.

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I read each and every comment--thank you so much!

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