It took 2 years from this post to finish said capelet.  Then another year to actually write about it.

As previously mentioned… The plan was to cut up a charcoal grey, felted wool circle skirt and make a capelet. I had just enough for the body of the cape but not enough for a collar and facing.  Luckily, I had a mountain of cashmere sweaters at my disposal.  The plan was to use McCall’s 5764 and modify it to include a lining (why are all of my patterns unlined?)

The key to using cashmere as a collar and facingwas to back it with fusible knit  interfacing to make it more stable.  The other option would be to felt the cashmere (I only had one grey sweater to work with so I chose interfacing).

The lining was new.  I didn’t have anything that worked so I bought a remnant from JoAnn’s.  I used frogs for the closure.

Copyright: Jeffery Washington Photography

I am a bit behind on posting my projects. On the left is my costume for Superhero Soul Night at Gypsy House Party. Back in August, I was hanging out with some friends when the theme was proposed.  Hmm… Black Superheroes…  I could have gone with Storm from X-men (the comic version with the mohawk)  or Eartha Kitt’s Catwoman .  Instead I thought of the most bad ass women on the planet,  Pam Grier.  Her characters may not have had super powers but she was definitely a force to be reckoned with.

Foxy Brown was my Super Heroine of choice.  Due to lack of photos of her iconic red jumpsuit on the interwebs.  I decided to order Fox in a Box, the 3-dvd box set with Foxy Brown, Coffy, and Sheba Baby. My jumpsuit isn’t an exact copy.  I couldn’t pull off the plunging keyhole neckline.

For my version I used stretch satin (so soft and shiny). It was a 2-way stretch and the pattern called for a solid.  I ended up cutting it a little smaller.  Simplicity 2401 was the pattern I ended up with.  I could have faked a jumpsuit by frankenpatterning my halter dress with my wide-legged trousures, but I didn’t have the time to mess with it.  Besides, the pattern was on sale for $1.99.  I nixed the ruching on the back panel.  I probably could have skipped the invisible zipper on the side as well.

One of these days I will find a small toy gun to hide in my afro.  Until then, stay Foxy.

Last weekend I finally finished the cape that has been cut out since the Summer.   I had been putting it off because it was too hot to even think of wearing a jacket and I have a cape that I made last year that hasn’t been worn yet. Periodically I was reminded about this unfinished project.  Refinery29 keeps posting pictures of awesome capes.  A month ago, M posted a picture of this cape on my FB wall and told me I should be Super Jen for Fun^3 Fest.  I decided to pass, but this guy went for it.

I had purchased the fabric years ago thinking that I was going to make a rain coat.  I picked out a Vogue trench coat pattern and never got around to cutting it out.    The outer is a poly blend.  The lining is wool.  I used McCall’s pattern M6209.  The pattern didn’t call for a lining, but is wasn’t hard to add one in.  I ran out of wool, so the scarf is only lined around the neck of the cape.  I am still debating if I want to add slits for a belt. I am also looking for a nice clasp to put at the neck.

All I need to complete the look is a nice felted wool hat and some brown boots.