Red Cloak

The red cloak is finished! I wore it last week to an evening LARP event with the bottom hem still unstitched, but I finally got round to finishing it today (and as sods law dictates, the bobbin ran out with about an inch to go so I had to hand stitch).

All in all this was a fairly simple project. I messed up cutting a couple of pieces, but I cut them too large rather than too small, so it was easily fixable (and I realised before I started sewing). The triangular inserts were a bit interesting to stitch in, and the points of them are shakily hand sewn (I will neaten them up if they cause me problems).

This was me selfie-ing last week once the collar and buttons were done, along with the hat that would go with the outfit.

And this is the collar up close. Someone said it could possibly do with something to stiffen it, but I have real issues with things being tight round my neck at times, and I quite like that it's squishy and soft. The button holes are a little wonky because they're almost on the seam, and my machine didn't like that.
What it didn't have a problem with was sewing through 5 or so layers of melton when I was attaching the collar. Yes, all the pleats are in the same direction rather than fanning out from the centre, but while the sewing machine didn't have problems, my pins were, and when I noticed, I'd reached the point where I didn't want to have to re-pin stuff, and it looks fine as it is.

Hanging from the door. My one irritation is that you can see the selvedge edge where it became the edge of one of the inserts. I thought I'd got it so you couldn't, but meh.

And me in (nearly) the full kit (my greaves don't fit because my calves are apparently too fat - this is a pair of greaves sold to male LARPers) complete with facepaint and stupid face (I think I was trying not to laugh).

I have more kit to make for this character, but later. There are christmas presents to make, and a cloak that I started for a friend about five years ago that has been languishing because I was too scared to destroy the material. And possibly some day to day clothes for me.