Review: New Look 6396 ,View A– Little Red Cape

Whether you need a cape for a stroll in the woods or for a Christmas outfit, this pattern is all you need! This cape is really easy for how neat and tidy it turns out. 

Pattern: New Look 6396; Fabric: wool coating, Dress: Simplicity 1755, View B, made by me; shoes: Cheery, Miz Mooz. 

What I love about this pattern 

How cute is this cape? It has lots of military styled details like front and shoulder tabs, buttons, and top-stitching. This cape has slits down the front which gives you full arm movements. 

I made this cape from some left-over fabric. You don't need much fabric to make this cape, so it's great for scraps. Capes are great for autumn and winter because you can wear them over layers, and they're comfy.  

What I don't like about this pattern 

While the open slits are great for arm movements, it doesn't give the cape the same hem structure as if the slits were closed at the bottom. 

Changes that I made 

I'm not sure whether I was supposed to topstitch the facing down, as the instructions for this section weren't very clear. I did this because the sample garments look like they were topstitched and I really like how it turned out. The facing is perfectly sewn on the inside and there's eye catching stitching on the outside. 

What I could have done better 

I'm not sure I had the tension quite right when I was doing the top stitching for this cape. I think the slits for the arms look a little tense, but it's not really noticeable. 

Difficulty 

For most the part this pattern is quite easy to make and it's suitable for beginners. Sewing the lining onto the main cape may be a little challenging. My tip is to work slowly when top stitching the slits. Try to feel where the edge of the interfacing is for the tab and sew next to it. The tabs were really easy to sew because the pattern piece is designed help you turn the corners. 

The Verdict 

The details in this cape sets this pattern apart! There's so many cute options for tabs, length and pockets. This pattern is definitely reusable and classic design.

• Instruction Clarity: 5/5. The instructions were easy to follow and suitable for beginners.
• Fit: 4/5.The shoulders curves are too big for me, but this does't seem to be noticeable since the cape is well structured.

• Design Elegance: 5/5. Cape designs are usually boring, but this one is definitely unique! I love the military styling and that there's many design options. The inside of the cape is so neat and well designed too. 
• Final Product: 5/5. I think this cape is even cuter than the pattern! 
• Overall: 4.75/5.