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| Couple costuming! |
A huge reason why I sew as much as I do is my wonderful boyfriend. In 2011 we co-purchased a sewing machine so I could make our halloween costumes. He had a vision for a Game of Thrones cape but lacked the skills to make it himself.
This cape was completely his brainchild. The creation process consisted mostly of him telling me what he wanted and me telling him what was actually possible.
The bottom section is a "bear" fur and the top is a "cheetah" print fur (or is it a leopard?). The lining is black crepe back satin and we added some flannel as a warmth layer in between.
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| Inside the shoulders |
The chain across the front is just decorative. Instead, the cape stays on with some elastic that stretches from one shoulder to the other. Its great, you can have lots of movement and the cape will never shift from it's position.
I also made him the vest as well (Simplicity 4923). Its made from a lightweight black suede with some cotton twill for the lining. The red shirt s from a costume shop.
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| Boyfriend approved! |
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| The design is shorter in the back |
He actually likes it so much he wants to wear it on a regular basis. I think in the future I'll probably make him a similar one that looks a little less like a costume.
The following year I made another vest and cape combo for him. This year's theme was less wartime battle ready and more ceremonial medieval.
Instead of using the design from the pattern, we worked on this sketch of what he wanted to do. Originally he wanted a set of detachable sleeves, but there just wasn't enough time.
I used Simplicity 4059, View B for the basic shape. I made a template based on the sketch and used it to cut holes in the corduroy fabric and matching shapes out of the jersey fabric, making sure to include seam allowances.
Once the inserts were sewn in, I had to quilt the rest of the front and back pieces. In the pattern, the quilting followed straight lines that matched the original ribbon detail. On our version I sketched out some lines using the red design as a starting point.
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| Button detail |
He found some buttons at a local fabric shop and I added them to the front. I think they're a nice touch.
All in all, making costumes for the boyfriend is always rewarding. He is so enthusiastic and always has great ideas. Plus, he's will to listen to me ramble about all my sewing projects, so I think we make a pretty great team.
