CORRECTION: The title of today's post should read My Man's Cape Adventures -- darn Autocorrect!
Friends, I have taken the cape plunge at long last. You may recall the lively debate about men's capes/ponchos/cloaks here on MPB only a year ago. At the time I was very much on the fence, and on the fence I might have stayed if I hadn't purchased this oversized unbalanced plaid wool fabric (below) last summer. Due to the large scale of the plaid, it simply wouldn't have worked on the straight or cross grain on a standard men's coat or jacket; you wouldn't have seen the repeat. (You can read more about balanced vs. unbalanced plaids here.)
The way it worked was as a cape and cut on the bias -- striking!
The wool drapes beautifully in back (you can see a bit of the hood too). The cape will eventually be lined.
I'm combining elements from a few different patterns. The basic shape is from Vogue 7641 (below left); I'm adding the hood and the zipper/gripper snap placement from my Daisy Kingdom parka pattern.
Men's capes seem to be having a moment, if only among the more fashion-forward (and perhaps the cosplay crowd), but even those tend to be solid colors. Many men's capes are just rectangles with holes in center (think rain poncho), while others are more shaped at the shoulders with rounded hems (like mine).
I'm very excited to see how this turns out; hope to have it ready by the weekend.
In other news, we hung out last Saturday with my new niece and nephew. My mom's in seventh heaven, as you can imagine. These her first -- and probably only -- grandchildren. I'll have more family pics after the holidays.
And that's it!
More man's cape adventures to come -- no manscaping for the time being, just not my thing.
Have a great day, everybody!
First thing I thought, when I saw the new baby pics, is how happy your mum must be!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the two new additions. I'm having so much fun uncle-ing over here too! I love the beginnings of the cape; I'm excited to see the results of one man's caping!
ReplyDeleteI was expecting a MPB version of "Long and Short of Body Hair" - quite a strange documentary if you haven't seen it.
ReplyDeleteThe babies are adorable.
What sweet babies! Is there some little bitty sewing in your future?
ReplyDeleteSonia GLOWS!
ReplyDeleteAs for the deceptive title, mister man, I thought you were finally going to "go there", and talk about tweezers, trimmers, razors, and today's modern man. You know so much about so much, perhaps there's a blog you can refer readers like me to visit?
Love the idea of a plaid man cape, or any man cape for that matter. My worry would be that I would end up looking more like Margaret Rutherford than Jeremy Brett 😉
ReplyDeleteI had the same dire though, Gavin - either Margaret Rutherford or Edna May Oliver.
DeleteOn the other hand, I suppose one could do a great deal worse!
I've done everything I can to turn autocorrect off. I spend more time correcting this rogue app then I do actual typing. In my mind, autocorrect has become a malware.
ReplyDeleteSometimes I just type random letters onto the page, to see what infernal nonsense Autocorrect will make of it.
DeleteCongrats to mom, dad, grandma, and doting uncles on the new babies. They're quite adorable.
ReplyDeleteI'm not a plaids girl usually, but yours turned on the bias looks fun. I'm looking forward to seeing the finished cape. And why do men stop wearing capes at a certain age anyway? My sons all loved wearing super hero capes their whole childhoods, either actual capes or ones they fashioned themselves from sheets, etc.
OMG, the CUTENESS. Congratulations!!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad the headline was misleading =)
Folkwear has a good pattern for a full-length cape ... well, a burnoose ... that is not at all a fabric hog. Falls from the shoulders on the bias, has a nice deep hood. There's also a Kinsale cloak that would easily cover half-an-acre in fabric requirement.
ReplyDeleteTo me, capes do not look "fresh and new and fashion-forward" as much as "ancient, timeless, eternal."
A lady I see now and then has made that burnoose pattern numerous times, tassels and all. It's very striking, I'll admit.
DeleteI made four of them in a heavy black pseudo-silk, for the Greek chorus of a high-school production of The Libation Bearers. V. effective, those chanting voices emanating out of the deep darkness of the hoods. The capes rustled like dry leaves when the chorus moved.
DeleteLittle kids need holding a lot, and all three of you are very good at it.
ReplyDeletespeaking from experience, being the gay uncle is the BEST. congratulations to all of you! oh, and i think you're swaying me on this whole cape thing...
ReplyDeleteMazel tov! What a gift. You will both be the best uncles I am sure.
ReplyDeleteAs to the cape, it's growing on me. I really love the plaid on the bias. Stunning and perfectly cut.
Your cape beats all the rest! Stunning on the bias and probably the most comfortable! What lucky babies to have such divine uncles!
ReplyDeleteNieces and nephews are the best, you can spoil them and send them home! As a witch, I think everyone should have a cape. Great work! Happy Holidays!
ReplyDeleteDenise and Denephew are gorgeous. The pictures with the Uncles is frameworthy. Your mother must be over the moon. I am pushing autocorrect to the limit here.
ReplyDeleteI think the cape looks great. The colours are so cheerful, super for a grey foggy day. I think you should use a pipe when you take pics.
The babies are adorable. I have been thinking about a rain poncho/cape of some sort for DH and you have provided some inspiration. A neighbor moved and gifted me with a whole bolt of primary blue rip stop. We don't have much rain but occasionally need some coverage. Your capes and the rip stop may have to get together.
ReplyDeleteI love your bias cape; it's gorgeous. And the babies are pretty darned cute, too. Spoil them rotten.
ReplyDeleteI love Margaret Rutherford and Edna May Oliver and think the plaid is strikingly lovely; how can you go wrong?
ReplyDeleteCute babes!