The cloak is finally done. I still contend that it is one of the least practical articles of clothing ever imagined but it is surprisingly enveloping in a comforting way. I am safe in my amorphous blob of waving tassels. Fear me.
It was a long and interesting process but I’m happy with it.
If I can get good photos at ren faire when I’m all dressed up maybe I’ll share. It does look better worn, but I am unsure of sharing pictures of myself ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Doesn’t look as great laying on the floor but here is the full cloak
It has both a collar and a (very large and dramatic) hood. The solid mantle extends down the ribcage and then rises to end just above the elbow so you are free to shove you arms through the tassels and move easily. The tassels are two inches wide and are arranged in two layers alternating like roofing shingles. They reach a little lower than mid calf when worn.
I love the movement of the tassels how they curl and flutter. The fabric is light enough to flutter in the wind but solid enough to remain a cohesive cloak. I’m hoping to add some mist-cloud embroidery to the mantle but I’m on a time crunch
This was probably a bit much for a first time sewing project but I always tend to throw myself in the deep end.
Things I taught myself during this project:
How to draft a pattern from scratch
How to sew the pieces together
Materials used for cloak:
Two $10 curtains from target
Black fabric dye (didn’t work that well)
Black fabric paint + 2 cartridges of waterproof pen ink (worked better than the dye lol)
Fray check glue on all the edges of the tassels because you can’t pay me to do that much hemming
In the end I think I’m happy with my first ever cosplay! As with any large project I am left tired, both proud of what I accomplished and regretful of the mistakes I made. I can’t wait for ren faire
