Tinuviel’s Cape

I’ve been meaning to make a cape for Tinuviel for a while. The only capes I have are red, and as beautiful as cardinal capes are, I wanted variety, and a dark green is more Elven anyway. Though I’d originally planned on just tracing a cape I already have, I found a pattern on Etsy for a lined cape from Melody Valerie Coutoure and decided this would be a great learning opportunity, especially since the pattern says it’s for “intermediate”.

The good news: I did it! And I’d give my finished work a solid B. Minus. I learned how to make mitered corners and one turned out right! The finished product is pretty as long as you don’t look TOO closely! I also was able to make it entirely with things I already owned, which is good for eating through my stash.

The bad news: It was way harder than I expected. The hood has a gathered… piece, both in the lining and the outer fabric. And by gathered, I mean TINY gathered. Plus the neckline is gathered. And despite following the directions, my neckholes somehow didn’t wind up the same length, so I had to kind of fudge it a bit… Also I was too lazy to change my threads between pieces, so I used a dark thread on the lining which shows at some points, but I don’t care enough to go and pick the gathering threads out… And the bottom hem doesn’t quite sit flat –I’m not sure how it’s supposed to, since it’s actually the tiniest bit gathered.

Sewing with the shiny white silk (which I’ve previously used on Tinuviel’s holiday gown) is a nightmare and I don’t know why I put myself through it. I figured this would be an easy time to use it up, but didn’t count on the gathers. Although it was actually the outer fabric that shredded as I was gathering! This makes me a bit nervous, as I’m planning on making Tinuviel’s riding outfit from the same fabric. I had thought it’d be so easy to sew with, and it wasn’t terrible, only shreddy.

So here it is, the finished product! I will most likely give it another go in the future, just to really get the practice in because I do like the pattern and I think it’d be easier to do the second time around as I continue to improve.