My Favorite Kind of Leftovers

I get cranky if I can’t manage at least two projects from a length of fabric, even if I start with less than the first pattern calls for.  It’s silly, but each time I get away with it, I get more and more determined to continue the trend.

After cutting out my latest Britex Project, I had some leftovers – not enough for another dress, but enough to feel silly folding it up and putting it away to languish in a drawer.  And since Spring weather is somewhat unpredictable, a coverup of some kind seemed like a good idea.  Cardigans are lovely, but sometimes a girl needs something different.

I started with Butterick 4927.  I know I have another capelet pattern somewhere that is not double breasted, but this was the first one I found.  After coming across various examples of vintage patterns that utilize dress strap buttons as anchor points, I decided that I just had to have one!  

I love the shawl collar look of this design, so I set out to make my own.  

To help me figure out how to modify the collar, I pulled out the facing from Simplicity 3224, matched the inner corners up and gave myself plenty of fold over collar to play with.  I trimmed the collar down and rounded the front edges of one side before duplicating the look on the other.

Finishing the edges were the next puzzle to solve.  I liked the idea of binding them, but the fabric was way too thick and I did not have a suitable alternate on hand.  I pinned on a bit of the natural colored underlining as a contrast, but did not like the look of it.  In the end, I just stitched two complete capelets right sides together, leaving a few inches open at the center back to turn everything right side out.

After playing around with the fabric, I quickly realized that buttonholes were probably not a great idea.  I could reinforce a bound buttonhole with silk organza, but even so, was worried about the raveling.

A front closure was certainly a possibility, but not my preference.  In the end, I used those buttons as anchor points. but in a different manner.  With a loop of elastic attached to the inside of the cape, I can move around without worrying that the capelet is going to fall off my shoulders.  Not the most beautiful solution, but it works!

[The fabric for this project was received in exchange for my contributions as a Britex Guest Blogger.]