From Drape Drape to Cape Cape

After several weeks of distraction with the Drape Drape series I have returned my focus towards capes.  That's not to say I'm completely finished with Drape Drape.  Oh no.  I've already bookmarked another four styles that I plan on making later this summer.  Curses Kelly for introducing me to these books ;)  For now though it's all about capes.  

My cape was so well-received that I've decided to design a few more and eventually put them up for sale.  I know, it's totally the wrong season to be making wool capes.  On the other hand the summer will give me a chance to try out some prototypes before fall arrives (a.k.a cape season).  And who knows, maybe I'll be able to squeeze in a few summer capelet designs too!

I have been ordering swatches of herringbone wool for my capes.  It's very hard to make a call on a fabric colour when you're just looking at a laptop screen and so I was excited to get them in the mail.   Surprisingly though it is still a challenge to picture what an entire cape might look like based on a tiny little swatch.  I liken it to choosing your living room wall colour based on a tiny paper scrap from the Benjamin Moore palette.  Ooof.

I've been concentrating on finding neutral colours because they seem more appropriate for cooler weather and they appeal to a greater number of women.  Here are two greys that I like.  

Then there are the browns.  That caramel swatch turned out nothing like what I expected from the picture.

And here are some charcoals.  I wonder if these are bordering on too masculine.

Aside from the neutrals I have been searching for a nice red herringbone wool to make my very own version of a Red Ridinghood cape but it's been nearly impossible to find something that I like and that is affordable. Admittedly I have been extremely picky. Sadly the selection of red herringbone wools is very slim.  I've even resorted to contacting sellers on Etsy who used red herringbone wool in their products and asked where they purchased it.  It was a shot in the dark, and I suppose they might have suspected that I was simply trying to copy their exact product.  I'm not...but it didn't matter.  I got zero responses.  

Here are samples I found online that I had bookmarked.  The one on the left is from an Etsy shop. Beautiful but way too expensive. I thought the price was for one yard but it was only for a fat quarter. The other downside is that the herringbone pattern isn't visible unless you get up close.  The middle one is called "Brick/Dirty Beige Herringbone".  Kind of neat but I thought it might look a bit orangy from afar.  The Harris Tweed wallet on the right has a great red and navy mix but I couldn't find the actual fabric for sale anywhere.

In the end I found this red wool during my herringbone wool expedition on Monday along Queen street. It's more of a Dusty Rose meets Red Wine but it works.  I just want to hint at Red Ridinghood and not actually be mistaken for her.  I took a swatch, then walked over to the Leather and Supply Co. for some notions. That's when I came across a piece of leather that I thought would compliment this red wool perfectly. I don't even know where I'll put leather on this cape but nonetheless that sealed the deal. 

Next I found a great cherry-coloured binding that I ironed flat and sewed into piping.  It's going to give that pop of red that is otherwise missing from the wool.  Finally I've paired the wool with a large floral print for the lining.  

I have been completely absorbed in the cape project for the past few days (a fair amount of redesign under way) and hope to have something wearable by the weekend.  Here's a sneak peek!

Herringbone swatch collection so far...