Doctor T Designs

In my post about the 2019 Winter/Holiday Patterns from McCall’s, I was pretty excited abut this cape pattern because of the quasi-Star Wars vibes it was giving off, and so I really wanted to make a version for myself before the final movie in the saga was released.

Ultimately, I’m not sure that my version is quite as successful as the view on the cover; there are a few things I’d like to change I went back and changed (like every single edge finish), but despite it all, instead of the “Jedi Chic” vibe I’d been attempting, I somehow ended up as an “Unintentional Jawa.”

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Here is my official Pattern Review:

Pattern Description: Belted wrap/cape with hood option.  I made View C, the version with the hood.

Pattern Sizing: Sizes XS-M and L-XL.  I made size M, with no fit adjustments.

Were the instructions easy to follow?  The instructions are very straightforward; this is a pretty simple pattern to construct.

Did it look like the photo/drawing when you were done with it?  Yes, I think it looks very much like the model garment, though I used different seam finishes than McCall’s because my wool did not handle the raw edge treatment well at all.

What did you particularly like/dislike about the pattern?  I like the style; it has a “Chic Jedi” vibe that inspired me to try and sew it before the new Star Wars movie came out.  In hindsight, I’m not sure if I’m really cool enough to pull it off though since the consensus is that I look more like I’ve stollen a robe off of a Jawa…  I’m also decidedly not cool enough to pull off the raw edge look either.  Or, at least my fabric wasn’t.  I specifically bought it because it seemed super stable, but in handling, the edges started to fray a lot.  And not in a cool intentional way, but more of a “it was my first sewing project and everything looks messy” sort of a way.  I basically had to rip it apart and re-do everything to have cleaner edge finishes, because I knew I’d never wear it in the long-term if it continued to look so ragged.  I do like the draft of the pattern though – the shape of the hood, the way the belting controls the silhouette, and I did like how quick it was to put together (or would have been had I only had to construct it once); I was able to cut and sew it in a few hours in a single evening, though it took me nearly as long to re-do it with edge finishing as it did to sew it in the first place.

Fabric used: A wool/poly blend from Jo-Ann.  It’s quite thick and really warn.  It will fool you into thinking it is really stable, but – surprise! – it sort of wasn’t.

Pattern alterations or design changes you made:  None, except after following the pattern exactly, I ripped it all apart so I could sew it in the usual manner to have enclosed seams along the front, did a zig-zag stitch to cover the internal seams, and did a narrow hem finish around the bottom of the cape because I just couldn’t handle the frayed fabric bits flying all over the place.

Would you sew this again?  Would you recommend it to others?  If I sew this again I would maybe try it in a knit or something a bit more lightweight, as my wool version is quite heavy and I don’t live in the coldest climate.  I’m not really sure if I’d use it for a “fashion” pattern again, but I could see using it as a basis for a fun cosplay design – I do love the drape and shape of the hood!  I would recommend to others, but caution that you may wish to do traditional seams instead of raw edges unless your fabric is very stable.

Conclusion:  I like this pattern and I’m glad I tried it, but I’m not sure that I’ll get as much use out of it as I had hoped.  Maybe I just need to find a few fun ways to style it, though I do like it much better now that I’ve re-done the seams, but haven’t had much occasion to wear it out lately.  It’s a good pattern, but I’m just not sure it quite fulfills the wardrobe niche I had hoped when I set out to make it. 

How does this fit in with the Sew Your Kibbe Challenge?  Does it work as well for you as you expected it to? I think this pattern is really best suited for Soft Dramatics; it seems a bit overwhelming on me, at least in the thick fabric I used. Perhaps it would serve me better in a lighter weight fabrication per Kibbe’s suggestions for Soft Naturals, but I think it is one of those styles I can “get away with” because it’s close enough in its recommendations. Besides, we can’t always be hanging about in gossamer silks because, you know, weather.