Autumn Cape – A Long Term Project 2021 - Completing Body

Autumn Cape – A Long Term Project 2021 - Completing Body

Well here we are. I had to check how long I have been working on this project. It certainly lived up to its name as according to my record I first blogged about this in March 2016!

Daytime Top Edge

 

I am now going to add Embellishments to the Daytime Top Edge. This includes Leaves and Branches

Fox Embellishments

 

Laura was kind enough to take the following photographs for me. Here is the Fox. As you can see I have added various Leaves to the Top of the Edge and also further down over the Fox.

The above photograph gives a good view of the added Leaves even if I do look like I am about to sing ‘Bring me Sunshine’.

Hedgehog Pocket

 

In case you have forgotten I had added a Hedgehog Pocket under the Pile of Leaves. Since the Mobile phone won’t fit anymore it is handy for Tissues or Sweets.

Night Time Top Edge

 

As with the Daytime Side I then had to Embellish the Night Time Top Edge.

Badger Embellishments

 

Once again I added Leaves and Branches to the Design

Mole Pocket

 

Here is a reminder of the other Pocket. I called it a Mole in a Hole.

Complete Hood

 

The previous photographs showed the Hood merely draped over my hairline. As you can see in this picture the Hood comes over quite far. This is designed to protect from those really cold days with a biting wind.

Owl Back

 

Back to the Owl. As I said previously if I had known then what I know now I would have placed it further up the Design. Please forgive the folds we were rushing a little.

Can you spot the Squirrel hiding?

First Hockey Match

 

I have decided that the first proper outing will be at a Panthers Ice Hockey Match. I was really toasty. I also loved the Boots that I bought to accompany the Cardigan. Great picture courtesy of my boyfriend Danny 

Paws the Panther

Wow a snapshot with Paws the Team Mascot. What could be better to end this Long Term Project with another animal picture?

It’s been a real labour of Love and it shows what you can do when you try and help from your friends.

Autumn Cape – A Long Term Project 2021 - Completing Hood

 Autumn Cape – A Long Term Project 2021 - Completing Hood

We are finally getting there folks! Time to decorate the Hood with some Leaf Embellishments

Hood Beginning

 

The first thing I had to do is sort out what coloured Leaves I had. I had more of the Daytime Side so I decided that I would start with those.

I began to Sew Leaves to the Edge of the Hood starting at the Outside and working towards the Middle.

Day Side

 

I didn’t’ want the Hood to look Sparse or Cluttered so I Spread them out by putting a one Finger gap in between. Once I had added all the Daytime Leaves I could then think about Extending the Branches and Twigs so that they joined up.

Night Side

 

I had far more problems with the Night time Side of the Hood. I was desperately short of some of the right Coloured Wool to make more Leaves.

In the end I managed to make a couple of the Ginger Leaves and placed them strategically on the Edge.

Full Hood

 

In the above photograph you can see the completely Embellished Hood. It was much harder work than I had anticipated.

This was due to the fact that I was trying hard not to put the same Coloured Leaves on the Edge that were on the Background. It was quite a feat of arrangement since it had no set Pattern,

Button Evolution 2018 Part 1

Button Evolution 2018 Part 1

For many years I have had a Winter Cape in Green Cloth. I did not make this myself it was made by a friend Sascha Semmler. He asked what kind of Cape I wanted and I said one suitable for the British Winter.

Winter Cape 2011

Copyright Unknown Tourist 2011

This photograph was taken at Stonehenge Winter Solstice 2011. We had met a couple of reporters who I vaguely seem to remember were European possibly French. They were very interested in all our outfits. This is a cropped group photograph so you can see the Cape better.

This Cape was made in two parts - the main Cape Body and a separate Hood. This gave me the option of using the Cape without the Hood when it wasn’t quite so cold.

Evolution of Buttons

In the Solstice photograph you can see that it is fitted with medieval type buttons. After wearing it in cold weather I found although the buttons were beautiful I had real trouble trying to do them up and undo them whilst wearing gloves.

Green Winter Cape Hood

I needed to replace the buttons with something I could use easier. As I was at the time doing re-enactment shows I need something suitable both practical and historical. I hit upon the idea of using Wooden Toggles. This shows the Hood as present.

Although the Toggles were practical I was never entirely happy with them. I found some made of wood but they were far too Pale for my liking. Unfortunately I had to use what I could find due to time restraints.

Pale Toggles Removed

Now all these years later I have finally decided to change them once again. First of all I removed all the old Toggles from the Hood.

After taking the Toggles off I had quite a great deal of thread left on the material as you can see in the photograph above. I removed this very carefully as I did not want to damage the cloth. There were the tiniest of raised marks left afterwards. I used these as markers as where to place the new Dark Wooden Toggles

Green Winter Cape Hood Finished

This is how the Hood looks now I have completely replaced the Pale Toggles. Next I will tackle the Body of the Cape

Autumn Cape: A Stitch in Time Saves 9 – Part 3

Autumn Cape: A Stitch in Time Saves 9 – Part 3

Happy New Year 2018

This is the 3rd blog in the series and ironically each one has been in a different year. The 1st was published in 2016. The 2nd was the final blog of 2017 and this blog is in the initial week of 2018. It also means that I have completed last year’s resolution of posting a blog every week for a whole year!

Hood Side Blemish

In this blog I am continuing with the mending of the Green Cape. There are several problems that need doing so in this part I am concentrating on the Hood. If you look towards the top of the above photograph you will see a small blemish on the Green part of the Hood.

Hood Several Blemishes

There are several other blemishes on the Hood that need fixing. I will divide them into sections for ease.

Hood Left Side

I originally only spotted one area that needed fixing - the bottom part of the Hood. I first covered up the area with a Brown flower then I added the stalk and a leaf. The idea was that if any of the surrounding area began to come loose I could connect them with more stalks.

The one at the top of the Hood was far more difficult. It was so close to the join I had to work it in a different way. Normally I do the centre part of the flower then add the petals. This time I had to do an outline of the top and left petal before I could tell where the centre needed to be. I then in-filled and added the other petals.

Hood Right Side

This side had blemishes and holes galore. It was going to take a bit of a think to sort it out. Since I had used Brown flowers on the other side I decided this time on Purple flowers with White centres complete with stamens.

I used the connecting stalks idea with smaller flowers and leaves at the bottom. As I got to the top I made the leaves slightly bigger and made the top flower into a large bloom as a focal point.

Hood Middle Section 

This Middle Section took the most work. Since the background was Brown I gave me an opportunity to use up some of the Green Bamboo Cotton I had.

I used a slightly different technique on this section. Since there was such a large area to cover rather than doing straight stalks I endeavoured to make them bend and twist.

I felt that this gave them a more naturalistic look and also meant that if any part came loose in the future it would be far easier to add a small stalk and leaf to cover it up.

Next time I will continue on other areas of the Cape.

Autumn Cape 2017 A long Term Project Hood Extension Part 4

Autumn Cape 2017 A long Term Project Hood Extension Part 4

Autumn Cape Hood Extension Start

This is how the Extension looks at present. It might seem a bit peculiar as it is sideways on.

  

Pick up Stitches For Middle Extension

I have decided rather than knit separately and sew on I shall pick up stitches. I start with picking up 4 stitches. I am using the same size circular needle 5 mm only this one is made of bamboo.

There is no particular reason for using this type of needle it is the only 5mm one I had left. One problem with it is that it has a very short length on it so hopefully it will hold all the stitches.

30 Rows Middle Extension Written Chart

Naturally I am keeping track of my rows as before. I am only noting down the knit rows as the purl will be the same. To clarify what I am doing I started with 4 stitches which I knitted and purled.

On the Second Row before I knitted I picked up a stitch from the Daytime side then knitted the 4 stitches I had on the needle. I then picked up a stitch from the side of the Night Time side. I then purled back all Six stitches.

I proceeded to pick up a stitch either end so each knit row added two stitches each time.

30 Rows Middle Extension Pictorial Chart

On the above Pictorial Chart you can see a reversed triangular pattern developing. I didn’t bother numbering the chart I mere put a nought at the starting point. I then put the 2 stitches on the chart either side of the 0. I then added one square each end as I went along.

30 Rows Middle Extension

You can see how the middle part is building up. However as I said picking up stitches is not one of my strong points. I therefore found for some reason that as I was knitting one side seemed further along the side than the other.

This I had to rectify by trying to make one pick up side smaller and the other side larger to compensate and get back on track. It took me until nearly the end to get it level.

60 Rows Middle Extension Charts 

You might not be able to tell from the photograph but I made a couple of mistakes whilst filling in the Pictorial Chart. I think my eyes got tired and I miscounted some of the stitches. The good thing was this was only a clerical error and my stitches on the needle were still correct.

60 Rows All Across Hood Extension

I now have both the sides and the middle part of the extension at 60 Rows and I think it is looking pretty good.

Hood Extension Cast Off

I did a few rows of rib then I cast off. The Hood is not entirely finished but I need to check how the other parts will work in conjunction with the Hood. I will come back to the Hood later.