Erica Bunker | DIY Style! The Art of Cultivating a Stylish Wardrobe: 2016

2016 Sewing Review

2016 Sewing Review!

2:30 PM

coats

A Faux-Fur Leopard Print Coat!

8:00 AM

cape

Military-Style Double Breasted Scalloped Edge Cape!

10:30 AM

Have you ever seen a garment that totally blew your mind and you became completely obsessed over it? I'm talking sending you into a state of fashion sewing frenzy of I must have this! No? Just me?

It all started with this cape! It's R.E.D. Valentino Scalloped Trim Wool Cape. It originally retailed for $1,100, so the idea of purchasing this was never on the table. I knew I was going to hunker down and make this baby!

First, I needed to find a cape pattern with a similar shape and then I needed to figure out how to make those scallops happen. The luxury brand created theirs using laser cutting. Since I don't have the ability to do that, I needed to find an easy way.

I also knew the details I wanted to incorporated into my cape to give it that military style, so I put my thoughts down on paper during my planning stage.

My base pattern is Simplicity 8263. I started out with View A and the collar piece for view B/D.

My fabric is a wool-blend coating that I picked up at Joann's. I cut the size 14. My first modification was to the front piece. To create the double breasted front, I extended the front edge 4" from the center front. And I also used the front piece to create facings because the original pattern intended for the lining to extend to the edge. I didn't like the idea of how that would look when the cape is worn open.

What's outerwear without pockets? Absolutely useless, that's what. Like my inspiration, my cape needed slanted welt pockets.

So I had to make those happen.

Next was the collar. The pattern only supplied a single pattern piece that is supposed to be used for the upper and under collar. A well-tailored garment has separate pattern pieces for each.

The under collar is cut in two pieces on the bias, interfaced and sewn with a center seam. And it's also cut smaller than the upper collar to create a "turn-of-cloth" allowance. One of the most unsightly things you can see on a tailored garment that will give that "homemade look" is when you can see the sewn seams on bagged edges. I created my cloth allowances by trimming the under collar down 1/4" on the top and sides (you can go smaller on lighter weight fabric), but NOT the neck edge. When you sew both pieces together and turn right sides out, you'll have that beautiful roll.

And most importantly, no visible seam line.

I added epaulets. I created these the same what I did with my cropped trench jacket.

My cape is lined with a black crepe back satin.

It feels very luxurious and also feels pretty warm.

I created machine buttonholes and notice that I spaced them out every other scallop.

And also, an inside snap.

I absolutely love how my cape turned out! I've never been the biggest fan of scalloped edges. I always thought they were twee and cutesy. But pairing them with hard military style details is such a good match. And to make it even edgier, I wore deconstructed denim. Now, about those scallops...