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We’ve all been there—owning a garment that doesn't quite meet our expectations and ends up sitting unused in the back of our closet. Today, Aimee from the Advisors Circle is sharing her story of transforming an uninspired piece into something truly memorable. Her journey started with a beautiful piece of velour fabric designed by Anna Maria Horner. I must admit, I've been guilty of hoarding fabric like Aimee did, convinced that I'd find the perfect pattern someday. When the Woodland Stroll Cape pattern was released, I was thrilled, and I finally summoned the courage to cut into this gorgeous velour.
Unfortunately, my frugality got the better of me. I decided against purchasing any lining fabric and instead used random pieces from my stash. The cape came together quickly, and I even added some lovely mother of pearl buttons from my collection. But despite my efforts, the cape remained untouched, buried under a pile of other half-finished projects. It was a source of guilt—I couldn’t bring myself to donate it due to the precious velour, yet it didn’t feel quite right either.
Fast forward to 2020, and I started seeing all these stunning quilted coats online. One day, while scrolling through my phone, I stumbled upon a photo of my very own cape, still tucked away in a box. It was time to give it another chance—a quilted version this time. I completely disassembled the cape, discarding the side with the buttonholes since they were beyond repair. Fortunately, I had enough leftover fabric to recut the damaged side. For the quilting, I chose a soft flannel, and I invested in some beautiful cotton voile for the lining.
Each section of the cape was carefully pin-basted with the velour and flannel, and I stitched a diagonal grid of roughly 1-inch diamonds across the entire surface. Once all the sections were quilted, I trimmed the excess flannel and followed the pattern instructions. The process was surprisingly fast, and the voile worked beautifully as a lining—it didn’t shift much during stitching, which was a relief. However, it did pull slightly when putting the cape on, which I could live with.
As for the closure, I wasn’t a fan of traditional buttons down the front. After researching various clasps online, I considered making my own leather toggle. But then I remembered a vintage floral button from my stash that I adored. My son had the brilliant idea of using some leftover braided cotton cording to create a toggle-like feature. I stitched the large button at the top and used leftover cording from some drawstring bags for the loop. I secured the edges of the cording with my sewing machine and added a button over the top. On the sides, I avoided buttonholes altogether and opted for a few machine-tacked stitches, hiding them with decorative buttons.
Overall, I’m incredibly satisfied with how this cape turned out. Unlike before, it now proudly hangs in my closet rather than being lost among my UFOs (Unfinished Objects). This pattern is deceptively simple yet produces beautiful results, and I truly believe it translates wonderfully into a quilted design.
In conclusion, sometimes it takes a second—or even third—attempt to breathe new life into a project. Whether it’s a fabric choice, a technique, or even a clever modification like this toggle, the key is to keep experimenting until you find what works best. Sewing isn’t just about creating something functional; it’s about finding joy in the process and turningé—憾 into triumph.
June 07, 2025