When I left you yesterday, I showed a picture of Felicity with a piece of green wool felt wrapped around her shoulders. I had every intention of making a cape from that felt but as I looked at how it draped, or rather, how it didn’t drape, I didn’t think it would turn out the way in envisioned in my mind, SO… I totally switched gears. I’m allowed to do that since I’m the seamstress. I asked Felicity if it was okay to try something else and she was okay with it. :o)
I couldn’t quit thinking about it today, so when we got home…after dinner and a few things were done, I went into my sewing room and thought…”I know nothing about capes!” So I first looked through all my patterns that had any kind of a cape on the front to get an idea of what I might want to make. I narrowed it down to these 6 patterns.
See if you can figure out which pattern I decided to try…
I did have some green crushed velvet that I could have used, but when I held the burgundy up to the dress, I just liked the contrasting colors better. Now when you see the pictures, don’t go EEWWWWEEE…it’s just been cut out and the only seams sewn are the shoulders.
The edges will be finished, and it would be really fun to have some kind of delicate fur along the edges like the red cape has… yes, I picked the one with the red dress and the capelet with the white fur trim along the bottom and front. I pulled out this delicate green trim and thought it might work, but fur would be more fun. I Googled 1770’s cape and found some wonderful illustrations of capes and the ones with fur were my favorites.
Here’s what it looks like a little further back…My pictures aren’t the greatest tonight… I must have moved my lamps…Felicity doesn’t look as pretty as she did last night.
I know this isn’t much, but that’s all I was able to get done… sorry…
But, I do have a few other pictures for you. Susette sent me some pictures of her hobby, or at least what she liked to do… BEFORE DOLLS! Yes, there is life before dolls! She used to decorate tabless… well, actually I’m sure she still does… She has some wonderful table settings and I wanted to show them to you. I’ll let her tell you about them much better than I could do.
You should click on her pictures so you can see them bigger… and not miss all the little details.
Aren’t they fun to look at?
Thanks Susette… You have my permission to tell us about them when you make your comments below!
See you tomorrow,
Blessings, Jeanne
Oh gosh, here we go again, I just left a post, and it never showed up! Ugh! Well, let’s see, I said that I absolutely LOVED the burgundy cape, Jeanne! It drapes so nicely over her shoulders and accents her hair so well, more so than the green did. Fur would be nice, Jeanne, if you can, but the green trim is also very pretty. What an amazing outfit this will be! Do you have any idea of what kind of head covering it will have?
Oh my, those beautiful place settings that Susette put together! Each one is a work of art, and you are so lucky to have all these different kinds of dishes to work with, Susette! I love the way you combine the different china, goblets, and silverware, and then get the right accessories and linens to go with them. I love the safari place setting, the goblets are adorable, and I notice the silverware goes and is different than the others. The tiger centerpiece is very fitting and well chosen. And each place setting gets a little flower!
The next two place settings are for Christmas, right? How beautiful the flower arrangement is with the little lighted houses all around, the goblets, and the china are so different! The deep jewel colors make it looks so elegant! Are those little bowls of salt at each place setting? Or a candle?
The third is like a little magical snow village! Love the dishes, the little packages, the big, beautiful bowl of mums, carnations and pomegranates! What talent you have, Susette!
Hi Linda,
Well now we are even I just lost my comments to you too! I’m glad you like Felicity in the burgundy crushed velvet cape. I thin I will just let it be a cape that she wears around her shoulders and not something I have to figure how to get her hair all tucked inside.
I was right to let Susette explain her table settings! I knew, too, that everyone would enjoy them.
Thanks Linda,
Blessings, Jeanne
The cape is beautiful and so imaginative: Genius. The rest of the Blog: Totally stunned! But here goes: The tigers came together years apart and are from Ross but the rest is all from Home Goods, collected over the last 15 years. The next picture has plates inherited from my Nana whose uncle bought them from the British display after the St. Louis World’s Fair in 1904. They are Royal Doulton Shakespeare Series and that is Shylock. I remind myself of Hyacinth in “As Time Goes By” whenever I say “Royal Doulton.” Glassware is vintage Fostoria from Lebanon, Ohio, and salt cellars with tiny spoons from a Beavercreek, Ohio, antique store in the early 1980s. All table linens from Target when they carried beautiful things about 20 years ago. The ten Dickens lighted houses are from a California department store, also about 20 years ago. The silver was bought when both the Grand Baroque pattern and I turned 50 in 1991. We both turned 75 this year. Christmas hankies from eBay. Flowers $10 from Costco.
Everything in the last picture is from the Christopher Radko collection at Target about 20 years ago. I’d go by every two weeks on payday and buy more of the dishes. The tea-lighted ceramic houses which are by Heather Goldminc were collected on eBay. Pomegranates from Costco and more $10 flowers. I would bet everything in the pictures cost less than my new dolly hobby. I’m both honored and surprised that you posted these but happy to share them. I have several more sets from when I lived in England and Japan but wouldn’t dare take up more of Jeanne’s blog. Hope it helped out and that others share more pictures of their dolly collections.
HI Susette,
Thanks so much for “bailing me out” yesterday when I didn’t have much to show. I think everyone enjoyed seeing your table settings and I bet they think twice when they set their next table. I know I will.
I enjoyed your explanations very much!
Thank you again,
Blessings, Jeanne
Beautiful! I can’t wait to see it finished.
HI Charlotte,
Well, I worked on the cape today and got quite a bit done on it. Tomorrow I hope I can finish it. Thanks for liking it!
Blessings, Jeanne
Jeanne, there is no EWWWE from me about Felicity, but only a WOOWWW! She looks very lovely in that cape. I know that the outcome will be b~e~a~u~t~i~f~u~l.
Susette’s table settings are very attractive. Thank you for sending the photos along, Susette, and Jeanne, for posting them. I appreciate learning about what you did and your creativity, Susette.
And thank you, Jeanne, for pointing me in the right direction about yesterday’s book. I found it easily with your instructions.
May your day have blessings in it.
Thank you Becky,
You eased my mind with your first line! I appreciate your comments! I got lots done on it and you can see it tomorrow. It’s not all done, but pretty close.
It’s fun to see what other people do, isn’t it? I liked looking at her pictures too!
I’m not sure if you can find that book any more or not, but it’s very helpful and is all hand written on the inside.
My day did have some blessings in it! I hope yours did too!
Blessings, Jeanne
Just letting you know that the book (Distaff) is easily found…thanks so much!
That is perfect, Jeanne. I love capes, and I love the way it drapes. My experience with capes has not been so good, they seem to stick out instead of drape. I love that red cape in the pattern picture. Do you mind saying what kind of pattern that is? It doesn’t look like a Big 4 pattern.
HI Ann,
I can say I haven’t made enough capes to be an expert on them, but this one has come together in the prettiest way. I’ll show it to you tomorrow. The pattern is an out of print one, Simplicity 8766. Maybe you can find one on Ebay…
Thanks so much,
Blessings, Jeanne
What a splendid day! And I even guessed the right pattern for the new cape. This is the perfect color and goes so well with Felicity’s amazing dress. It makes her eyes and dress pop! I do like the green trim if you decide on that because the cape could then be used at other times, not just the fur season. Great choice!
Like Susette, dinnerware is my thing. Her table settings and stories are amazing. The Royal Daulton is lovely as are the others. It’s all the little details like the salts that add to the display. (Have a small collection of salts.) So fun. Great idea to use tiny battery tea lights instead of candles. (I once set off the smoke alarm when I had so many votives going at once.) Ha Ha. It has been a delight to see these beautiful photos Susette! Thanks for sharing them Jeanne.
HI Joy,
I opted to use the green trim and skip the fur this time. It would have made her cape too bulky and that’s not the look I was going for.
Oh I bet you enjoyed Susette’s pictures if you set tables like that too. How fun to have 2 of my ladies into dinnerware! :o)
Thanks Joy,
Blessings, Jeanne
I’m trying to figure out how to get the Fostoria off the computer and into my house.
How fortunate, Jeanne, that you found that beautiful, beautifully draping fabric. Could the cape have both fur and that lovely trim? Now that the cape is becoming reality, I have great hopes for a hat. A hat and cape for winter, a ribbon and flower for spring. A fichu for all seasons. What a useful dress. Work slowly while we figure out how to budget for it.
HI Marilyn,
I’m late getting my comments in, but wanted to let you know your first line and your last line brought a smile to my face tonight! I am just about finished with the cape and I think it’s so pretty on Felicity and looks wonderful with her dress now. When I get back to the dress, I’ll figure out her “head wear!”
Thanks so much Marilyn,
Blessings, Jeanne
The crushed velvet is a perfect match for the flowers in Felicity’s dress. She’s going to look very elegant for whatever occasion you are having her attend.
Susette, wow those are SOME table settings. The tigers and zebra plates are all amazing. Lebanon, Ohio, home of The Golden Lamb, have you been there as well? It’s the oldest hotel here in Ohio. We had my grandmother’s birthday party there once and I’ve been there a couple of other times. A number of famous people have stayed there.
Love the little salt cellars. I found a tiny silver salt spoon in my grandmother’s silver flatware years ago and found a crystal salt to go with it. I only have one, but I like the elegance of those older table settings.
Love the third Christmas one, so festive. The little houses, centerpiece with the pomegranates and especially the vintage hankies. You have a real eye for this, Susette.
Laura, count me in as a visitor to the Golden Lamb! My daughter and her husband lived in Cincinnati for a short time after marrying, and we all went there for an Easter dinner. I love that historical place!
Hi Linda! That’s great. It is a neat place to visit, full of history. By the way, Cincinnati is my birthplace.
HI Laura,
I think you’re going to like Felicity’s cape and you’ll see it tomorrow… it’s almost done!
I’m so glad everyone enjoyed Susette’s table settings… weren’t they fun to scrutinize?
Thanks so much!
Blessings, Jeanne
I think the cape is spot on, and yes, it would be adorable if you can find some fur to trim it. I personally think the velvet is much prettier than the wool felt, especially the way it catches the light when photographed. The wool felt doesn’t reflect the light as well.
Suzette, your table scapes are beautiful. I am in love with the antique-looking silverware and was wondering if you know the manufacturer and pattern name. I would love to have some, even if I have to buy it one piece at a time!
Hi, Jeanne Marie Fan Club. Becky and Marilyn, thanks for the comments on the table settings. For Carolyn, the silver is Grand Baroque by Wallace. Yes, Linda and Laura, I’ve been to the Golden Lamb in Lebanon when I lived in Dayton, Ohio. Joy, glad you like table settings too. I didn’t use the little houses but once until I caught on to battery operated mini-lights last year as they came with electric cord lights and the cord had to be plugged in. Thanks, Jeanne, for all of the sewing inspiration. Love the little cape.
Hi Susette,
I should be the one thank you for all your inspiration… we all loved your tables!
Thanks so much!
Blessings, Jeanne
HI Carolyn,
Well, I hope you’re not disappointed, but I opted not to use any fur…just the trim. I still think you’ll like it and hope you think it’s “spot on” when you see it!
The wool felt just didn’t give me the look I wanted. It’s more for jackets and sturdier things to me. I’m glad I used the velvet in the end.
I see that Susette has answered your questions above, so I’ll just leave that to her.
Thanks Carolyn,
Blessings, Jeanne
I heartily approve of the purple cape, Jeanne! The weight of the fabric is just right, and the drape is so lovely.
As to Susette’s place settings–loved the animal one, but of course MY eyes went immediately to the Christmas hankies in that last picture. I collect hankies (have 175, I think, probably 25 or 30 of them just for Christmas, as well as some Valentine ones and a couple of St. Patrick’s Day ones), and so that is something I almost always notice first. And, yes, I use a hanky all the time. Have one in my pocket now, and a couple of them in my purse, etc. They are the best for cleaning plastic glasses lenses, as they are soft. (They are also soft on sore noses, although mostly I use tissues for “blowing”!) Thanks for sharing!!