HOW TO

make a cape of Doilies

• Collect a variety of second hand doilies, preferably circular in shape. The amount is dependent on the desired length of the cape/ train, and the size/ shape of the hood.
• Begin with one doily as the centre piece, on a flat surface hand sew accompanying doilies using 70% Bamboo 30% Cotton, around the centre piece, overlapping small portions where necessary.
• One technique of hand sewing is utilized in the construction of the garment, Hemming Stitch.

HEMMING STITCH

• Work from right to left with a single thread.
• Fasten the thread with a knot on the wrong side of the doily.
• Bring the needle out of the wrong side and pick up a few threads of flat fabric just above the overlapping edge
• Make the same stitch through the overlapping fabric.
• Work your way around, following the circular shape of the overlapping doilies

• As the cape grows in size, begin moulding it into a square shape by creating straight lengths of medium and small sized doilies and corners of large sized doilies. Continue until satisfied with the size/ length.
• Test this by: picking up one corner, wrapping the doilies around the shoulders of a mannequin or yourself, survey the volume of draping, length of the cape and the length and width of the train. (the horizontal corners wrap and drape around the figure while the opposite vertical corner creates the point of the train).
• Using the same technique, beginning with one doily as the centre piece, hand sew accompanying doilies around the centre piece, eventually moulding it into a rectangular shape by creating a width and a length. Continue until satisfied with the size/ shape.
• Test this by: picking up two corners, from either side of a length, pin them together on the inside,creating the centre seam of the hood. Place on the head of a mannequin or yourself and while holding the neck piece in place survey the length/ fall around the face and the volume gathered behind the neck.
• Purchase 3 m’s of ribbon, 7 cm’s in width. Lay the ribbon on a flat surface. Place a soaked tea bag, at random on the ribbon, allowing the material to absorb the tea. Hang ribbon on the clothes line to dry.
• Cut one piece of ribbon at 34cm’s- interface
• Fold the remaining length of ribbon in half, to find the centre- interface 30cm on centre.
• Overlock the pinned centre seam of the hood, in a rounded motion.
• Overlock 50 cm’s (will vary due to the size of the hood, always overlock the length) of the length of the hood. (leaving the two widths to fall around the face)
• Cut a semi- circle shape, of approximately 60cm, out of one corner of the doilies.Overlock the raw edge
• With a sewing machine, and a pin feed the overlocked edge of the doilies at a 1cm seam allowance into the straight stitch machine. As the doilies are catching, lift the foot slightly and with a pin, tuck the fabric under itself to create a pin tuck. By doing this we aim to tuck/ gather the fabric of 60cm back to half its length of 30cm.
• Pin tuck the overlocked edge of the doilies cape at a 1cm seam allowance.By doing this we aim to tuck/ gather the fabric of 50cm’s back to 30cm’s.
• Top stitch the pin tucked edge of the doily cape onto the bottom edge of the 34cm piece of ribbon, leaving 2cm’s at each end.
• Top stitch the pin tucked edge of the doily hood onto the top edge of the 34cm piece of ribbon, leaving 2cm’s at each end.
• Fold each end of the ribbon, 1cm and straight stitch it to the edge of the centred 30cm interfaced area of the remaining ribbon.
• Top stitch the doily cape into the 30cm interfaced area of the remaining ribbon, making sure to case the pin tucked edge in between the two ribbons neatly.
• Top stitch the doily hood into the 30cm interfaced area of the remaining ribbon, making sure to case the pin tucked edge in between the two ribbons neatly.

• Throw the ribbon around the neck of the mannequin or yourself, tie the ribbon in a bow, drape the doilies around the figure, and display the hood while congratulating yourself on constructing a garment that is...

“An outfit that wants to change the world” (Alexander 2008)