Those wonderful and talented kids from Wellington have done it again and now Kat, Mel and Juliet have created The Monthly Stitch where a new sewing challenge is issued monthly. The August 2013 Challenge was to sew a cape! I have always, always, always wanted a cape. I’ve never sewn one, never worn one, never owned one. So, this was the perfect opportunity to Make It So. There have already been some fantastic makes in this challenge, it was very inspiring to see the cape in all its forms.
I used a pattern by Christine Haynes from a Quick Stuff to Sew, Winter 2011 magazine that I had. 
I loved the deep side slits as they allow for range of motion, i.e., you can actually move about and DO things while wearing your cape. There were some issues with enlarging the pattern. If you followed the 980% instructions, then the 1 inch squares became too big. So, I wasn’t sure which was correct, enlarging to 980% or having the squares measure to 1″. In the end, I tried on the ‘paper muslin’ and enlarged it to a size that worked for me.
And, more exciting news, the Sew Weekly Challenge has returned! I had not even begun sewing yet when they were blogging and issuing sewing challenges the first time around, so I’m delighted to be able to participate now. The August 2013 Sew Weekly Challenge was to make something out of the Pantone Fall 2013 Colours. 
The colour I chose for the cape is called Vivacious and the fabric is a medium/heavy wool blend. According to the Pantone Fashion Color Report, Fall, 2013:
Vivacious is an unruly and wildly deep fuchsia, and adds an ebullient sensuality to the palette.
Sounds too fabulous, yes? How could I possibly resist the lure of that?!
I underlined each cape piece in a deep navy/indigo bemberg lining fabric and finished off all raw edges with navy bias tape.
Navy/Indigo Bemberg Underlining and Bias Taped Edges
I was originally going to make 1″ bias tape for the necktie, as the pattern called for, out of navy fabric to match the lining, but being part of a Pantone Colour Challenge, it began to feel a bit one-dimensional. So, I chose this lovely silky smooth cotton which incorporated the Pantone colours: Vivacious Pink, Acai Purple, Linden Green, Deep Lichen Green and Carafe, all together. 
The colour combination of pinks/purples/greens and olive-brown complement each other so beautifully. 
Colour Theory:
On the colour wheel, the Vivacious shade of pink (red/violet) is opposite the Linden green-yellow shade and is ‘complementary’. 
This pairing creates contrast and keeps things lively and animated. The acai purple (violet) is adjacent to the pink on the colour wheel, (these are called ‘analogous’ colours), which creates harmony and mellows things out. The two greens are also analogous to one another, lending a calming effect. 
There is a mix of warm and cool colours which ensure the palette doesn’t become too one-dimensional. The olive-brown colour is actually what you would get if you ‘mixed’ all these colours together and, therefore, fits effortlessly into the colour scheme. The indigo/navy lining has enough purple in it to coordinate with these colours, and is also analogous to the acai purple/violet colour. It is a very deep and dark shade, and so creates a grounding effect and provides a good backdrop for the other colours. This is what I’m hoping, anyway. It all sounds good. 😉
One Tie Over Shoulder
Both Ties Over Shoulder
For the collar/tie piece, I wanted something more lush than bias tape, so I interfaced the fabric with a fleece, to make it thick and cozy and similar in weight and thickness to the cape fabric. I then cut and sewed two rectangles together with angled ends and just sewed it to the cape, all the way around the top. 
I had no idea how to make a collar/tie like this, just had a vision of what I hoped it to look like, but it did seem to work out well! By adding this style of tie, it creates different options for wearing it and is also warmer. I also wanted the cape to stay closed so sewed on some metal closures down the front. And, what do these metal closures look like? Little capes! 🙂
Who Let The Cat On the Set?? CAT ON THE PHOTO SET!!!
No Treats? I’m Gone….
And, the very best part of having a cape instead of a form-fitting jacket?? There’s always room for one more… 
Gjeometry 
I love your cape! And the lining looks awesome. I wish I’d lined mine… Oh well, next time 🙂
Thanks!! I used 100% rayon bemberg to line it with. It’s really very slippery and I had to cut it THREE times as it seemed to just slip out of the scissors when I was trying to cut it and went all wonky. Luckily, I bought 4m of it. 🙂
Love it! Especially the metal clasps. Looks fab on you. Enjoy!
Thank you Leonie! I love the clasps as well but did NOT love sewing them on. I had to handsew through 2 layers of wool blend fabric. I needed an entire hand thimble, not just finger or thumb ones.
Love it! The colour, the necktie, those cuter-than-cute fastenings… and good job on completing two challenges in one!
Thanks so much Rachsews! I do enjoy streamlining things. 🙂
That’s a cool cape! I love the color and the closures are very pretty. And it’s looking great on the inside as well again 🙂
Thank you Elise! It’s a colour that lives up to its Pantone name of Vivacious, I think. I’m becoming rather besotted with trying to make the insides look awesome. With seam finishing and lining and even threw some hand sewing in there to help hold the neck seams flat. Maybe it’s because nobody can see it very well (although will glimpse flashes of it) so you can experiment with techniques and fabrics that you might be hesitant to display on the outside of the garment.
Love the cape. Love the ties! I also love that you were all “These colours go together because Science!”
I also really love that hat. And the Kitty photo-bomb.
Lol, thanks Andrea! I didn’t feel a sewing challenge based on colour would be complete without some theory. The only thing missing is a chart (CHART!!) but the colour wheel is really a chart of sorts. Kitty introduced such gentle photo-bombing in this series, he seemed to be channeling the Fall cozy vibe.
It’s lovely. Good choice of colours and contrasting fabric. I like that the design allows your arms to be free to do practical things.
Thanks so much! I really liked all the Pantone colours that I had to chose from, it was just a matter of mixing the ones I thought looked best together. I liked this design with the side slits, as well. I don’t think I’d be able to wear a cape with just those little openings for your hands. You can’t really do anything productive or use your arms at all. They become like tiny flippers. 😛
Wow, such a cool cape and the colours look gorgeous on you too!
I think that during the finishing stitches of your cape you were rendered with magical super-hero powers of being too-cool-for-school!
Let’s go down the super hero checklist:
Cape that rocks – check
Fab Pantone colour palette – check, check, check!!
Fun photo shoot – check
Kitty photo-bombing your set – check
So if you could choose your own super-power… what would it be?
Heeee! Thank you Caroline!! I LOVE your super hero checklist, thanks for listing! And, I HOPE that I now have magical super-hero powers. (I was wearing my Wonder Woman bullet deflective bracelets in the last pic of the photo-shoot, but didn’t want to show off and brag too much about them.) What would be my own super-power, geeeeeze, good question, so many. I think the ability to remain positive through ‘it’ all. That often requires super-strength. (And, having an invisible jet would need to be on the list.) What about you?
Ahhh. Now a great superpower would be the ability to bend time so that we could all have that bit extra for sewing fun stuff.
You are right about the reaming positive power; it is a power that can only be generated by yourself but it helps having other positive people around you to help you on the way : )
Keep rocking those cool threads….
Oh I agree, that is such a cool cape. I just love those little cape clasps even though they are a little bit annoying to put on. I must hunt some of those down. Remaining positive. Now that is a super power! Good luck in finding an invisible jet.
🙂 Thanks Kirsty! I hope the cape clasps (that is a very cool phrase) hold up to doing up and undoing because I do not wish to re-sew them back on. I found them at a local fabric shop, Fabricland, and they were very inexpensive. They had different styles, as well, more fancy with floral engravings, etc. but these looked like little capes, so were meant for this project.
Having never seen a cape with attached scarf and real usable openings…it is a WOW! The color, the lining, the lining binding, the clasps…holy crap, girl…you combined all the great features and managed to create something so wonderful and toss in a cat shot as well! Yes, I noticed a cuff hiding in one of the photos…thought is was from a shirt and not Wonder Woman…you are truly magical!
Thank you so much MrsMole!! (capital letters and an explicative too!! This is high praise, especially coming from a professional sewist!) And, hee, so delighted you noticed the Wonder Woman cuff. I was supposed to wear them for the whole photoshoot but forgot 😦 Remembered to put them on, just in time for the cat photo-bombing. Sounds about right.
That is a wonderful cape in a FABULOUS colour! I also love the little clasps. I cut a pattern for a cape last winter but never got round to making it – maybe this winter?
Late appearance for Kitty!
Thank you very much! I not only loved the colour, but also the name and description of it, too fabulous to resist! I’d love to see your cape when you finish it! I can highly recommend them now that I finally have one for the first time. I’ll let you in on a photo secret. Look to the top right of some of the photos. You’ll see kitty ears peeking out from the backdrop. He’s always there……always there. (almost creepy, isn’t it? LOL)
I love it! And the colour is just so sassy and YOU!
Thank You Andi! How could one resist a colour called Vivacious! Sometimes the name is even better than the colour with these things, but I think in this case, they aptly named this vibrant, happy colour.
Great cape, I love that you chose a print for the neck tie. The clasps are so neat.
Thanks Melody! I’ve never had a cape before so was so thrilled to finally have sewn one. The clasps were so inexpensive, but I think they just finish everything off (and, of course, hold it closed).
Love the cape — from the color to the closures to the tie! Also enjoyed the color theory part. And, you look great in it. Enjoy wearing the cape since it is probably getting nippy in your part of the continent :).
Thanks so much Samina! And, glad you enjoyed the colour theory part. I am a scientist, so if something CAN be explained, you know I’m going to give it my best shot, LOL. I’m so excited to begin wearing the cape, it’s been very humid and warm here lately, so actually had to do the photo-shoot inside as I was afraid of passing out if dressed like that outside. But, I think that’s a good sign because it means the cape is actually going to be practical and warm!!
Love that color, and such a funky design! 🙂 I have always been leery of capes because no one around wears them, but I’ve since decided that I don’t care and want one anyway. 😉
Thanks! And, I know EXACTLY what you mean. I’ve always loved capes, but for some reason, I thought you had to be a Superhero or an uber-fabulous supermodel. Since, I am neither, I have never owned a cape. But, secretly I’ve always wanted one. So, the sewing challenge was a perfect opportunity to sew my own. (And, secretly, I’ve always wanted to be a Superhero, so, with the cape, I think I’m well on the way to that goal, as well!)
Beautiful cape! I love what you did with the scarf/collar thing. It looks lovely and fun. All the color theory was interesting as well. I’m always interested in learning more about that.
Thank you Em! I had no idea if the collar/scarf (I really don’t know what to call it either?) would turn out, but it seems to have worked out fine. No raw edges and a little hand sewing is keeping it flat against the neck of the cape. I’m so glad you liked the colour theory part. As I was mentioning to a comment above, I am a scientist, so if something can be explained, I will try my best to do so. 🙂 And, I find it interesting, as well. It’s a good place to start if you have no idea how to coordinate colours.
Love how the cape came out! You did such a great job of sewing it & the collar/scarf idea was so perfect. The colours are terrific. Kitty will be hoping you leave the cape on a chair so he can have a nice soft comfy spot to relax.
Thanks! I was pretty happy with the scarf/collar part. I had the blue fabric and my bias tape maker all ready to go, but having just more indigo/navy on the cape and only having an inch wide bowtie just didn’t seem enough. More, MORE, I say! And, it works out sometimes.
That cape is awesome. You are so talented! I love capes but am too short to wear them. I looked swallowed up like a kid in a snow suit.
Thank you so much Susan, I am humbled! And, that’s too funny, swallowed up like a kid in a snow suit, I can totally picture it. Funny thing is, I am also very vertically challenged. But, am also all leg (I have to buy low waisted pants, and they sit at my waist kind of thing). So, stuff like capes or larger tops, seem to be all right if I don’t make them too long, since they are balanced out by my long lower half. I could be wrong, and just trying to convince myself it looks all right, lol. But, I think anybody can wear anything, it’s just all about proportions,
Wow! I love it!! Brilliant!
Thank you very much Amanda! I can’t wait to wear it, it’s still too warm and humid here now, but I’ve actually bought a pashmina yesterday at a local thrift shop in an almost identical colour to wear under it for added warmth. Talk about good luck!
I love my cape, although it is a bought one. A pashmina is a good idea. It is the arms which get cold so I bought some elbow length gloves! Works a treat! I really would like to sew one of my own now I have seen your beautiful creation though!
I love your cape, it has a great vintage feel. My favorite part is the wide scarf collar. It adds an extra style dimension. You look great and super cozy.
Thank you Tiffany! Yes, after I had it all together, it just seemed not enough to simply add a strip of matching 1″ bias tape. And the collar, since it is interfaced with fleece also makes it so much warmer!
Smashing GJ ! I’m glad you picked Vivacious. I also like what they’re calling Emerald and looks like Seafoam. I would totally love a cape in that colour. Your hat is really cute with it too. I can’t get over how tidy the inside of your sewing projects look. You could wear that inside out. I rarely go out without some kind of hat, it’s like an accessory but also serves a purpose here in fall and winter. Looks like kitty thought you were irresistable too, that’s so fun that she wandered thru.
Thanks Boomdee! There was no way I could resist the allure of Vivacious, I think they aptly named that colour. Yes, their emerald seems a bit light for an actual emerald, doesn’t it? I’m becoming rather obsessed with making the insides look good. As I was mentioning in a previous comment, I think it gives a chance to try techniques and colours or fabrics that you may not normally try for the outside of the garment. And, if you fail, well, it’s on the inside, isn’t it?
Soon, it will be minus 0 weather here, as well, so we definitely also need hats and other warm accessories. Although I don’t think it gets as cold as Edmonton, but pretty close! I’m hoping that the cape will be warm, so far, just from the photoshoot, it really feels quite warm and cozy. Kitty is always lurking somewhere, you can see him in the upper right hand corner, lurking, watching, before he finally made his debut.
Very stylish and fun cape! The vivacious pink looks fantastic on you! And your lovely cape will be able to keep you and Kitty cozy! ~Laurie
Thank you Laurie! It’s funny because I’ve been a blonde since birth (a very ashy, white, not golden, blonde) and so have always gravitated towards cool colours that, at least in theory, are supposed to look good on me. The last several months, I have dyed my hair a warm coppery colour, but am still wearing and gravitate towards the same cooler colours. So, who knows? Maybe I will branch out and try some more warmer, sunny colours now and see what happens.
Look at the inside of your cape – that is sooooo impressive, it looks beautiful inside and out. I love your choice of colour, so warming and cheerful. Definitely one of my favourites 🙂
Oooooh, thank you Sandra!! Where else, but on a sewing blog, can we take the opportunity to show off the INSIDES of our garments and actually have people be duly impressed. I tried it at the dinner table the other night (with a bunch of non-stitchers). Fell totally flat. You could hear crickets……
Wow! that is a pretty cool cape! I really like how the scarf works, that’s such a nice feature.
Thank you very much Carolyn! The scarf/collar piece was a wing and a prayer (as I really didn’t know how to sew or add it) but, I’m so glad it worked out! You can wear it about half dozen different ways and since I interfaced it in fleece, it serves the purpose of being warm and cozy as well!
fabulous, you look so ready to head off on intrepid adventures and to save the world with your sidekick, super Kitty!
Squeeeeee!!! That was totally the look I was going for!! I think I may copy and paste your comments into the post, they are too fabulous. But, now, I really need a superhero name, yes? Kitty’s name is Super Sewing Hero, dubbed that by Chris Lucas, a fellow sewing blogger. I, as in the rest of my life, don’t have a great title bestowed upon me as Kitty does. 🙂
so happy to hear that was the look you were going for, and I think any name with “vivacious” in it has got to be bestowed with super powers…
Love your cape! I love how you finished it and all the lovely details too. The color is so happy I would feel super human wearing it!
Thank you very much Javie! The finishing was pretty simple, I just used navy bias tape that was almost exactly the same colour as the lining, so it created a very clean looking finish. (And, I can’t wait to wear it out, when it’s finally cooler. I will attempt to fly in it…..will keep you updated… 😉 )
Very fabulous! Love the colour. And the collar. And everything about it, really! 🙂
Thank you Kat!! I could not possibly resist a colour called Vivacious, now could I? Do you purchase fabric based on the name of it? I tend to not so much for fabric, but do for paint colours. Since many are so close in colour, the winner is the one with the most fabulous name. 🙂
Wow, this is great – so clever and oooh I LOVE that colour! You’ll get lots of wear out of it I’m sure.
Thank you very much Miss Joie de Vivre! I fell in love with the colour as well. There were, of course, your standard camels and browns in the wool blends, but I did not want to resemble camels or tree branches. I wanted to be Vivacious!! I have not worn it yet as it’s too warm out, but very soon, I’m thinking it should be all ready to keep me warm and cozy.
this is gorgeous! I love the contrast with the ties. It looks fantastic on you 🙂
Thanks so much Kiwimel! I had originally purchased fabric that my mum had picked out, a lovely navy with embossing on it for the collar tie and was going to make bias tape as the pattern called for. But, once I had sewn up the cape, I realized I wanted to add more of the Pantone colours and also wanted something that would actually be warm, so also interfaced the collar/ties with fleece. Think it adds more of a punch and will be much more practical. Practical is good!
Adorable! I love how the fall Pantone colors are still bright and cheery, and you did a nice job showing that with your cape 🙂 Too bad kitty didn’t want a cuddle 😛
Thank You Missy! I know, this year the Fall Pantone colours really reminded me of Spring, they are bold, but still very bright and happy and not all reminiscent of autumn leaves. Kitty loves the cape, but prefers to sleep on top of it when I take it off. Of course.
What an a awesome cape! I love the colors, of course, and your research on the colors. Ha, you always have so many interesting details on the history of your pieces. But most important of all, I ADORE capes. I have one on my fall/winter list (though I’m still sewing for summer, eek!) and now that I’ve seen yours I can’t wait to get to it. So great!
Thanks Kristin! I aim to please with my pseudo-intelligent scientific and historical data. 🙂 I love capes too, have no idea why I’ve never worn one. I’m so excited to see yours!! Do you have a pattern picked out?
I do have a pattern picked out, but that’s all I’ve got ready! I’m thinking of using Vogue 6032.
So very awesome!!! I love the cape and color together – perfect for fall! And amazing find on the silk tie – I can’t believe it had all those colors (thanks for the color theory info, btw – I think that stuff is so fascinating!) I’m thinking I might need a cape for the fall now! 🙂
Thanks Sally! I was thrilled with the collar/tie fabric find. It had the colours I wanted and more! It was from the ‘fabric ends’ bin so not exactly sure fabric content, but think it is silk and cotton. I should try the burn test on some leftover fabric and see what happens. Burn all the things! 🙂 And, happy you enjoyed my foray into the science of colour.
ooooooooooooh those closures are delicious!
Many ‘O’s from Ooooona! 🙂 I love them too! Shaped like little capes for a cape, too much perfection. If you really desired some, you could feel free to email me a snail mail address and I could drop some off to you in the post. (email is in the ‘about’ section)
Oh wow!! What an amazing cape! I love the combination of fabrics you’ve used, this is so chic, I think I need a cape now 🙂
Thanks very much Jennifer! I interfaced the collar/tie piece with fleece to make it similar in weight to the cape fabric. I highly recommend making a cape. It doesn’t require a tremendous amount of ‘fitting’ so you can spend your time on finishes and embellishments instead!
Nicely done. Great combination of colours too.
Thank you!! I agonized over the colour matching since this was part of the Pantone colour challenge.
… vivacious fun? check! ❤
Hee, thanks! Check, check!!