We had an outdoor event last weekend. It was only 4 hours in the middle of the day, but make no mistake. It was cold. Fortunately I happen to have a full length red broadcloth cloak that is fully lined with silk. My head, however, was cold. Even with a lappet cap which covered my ears. I find that large cloak hoods either don't stay in place or they just let the cold air in.
This cloak is great for warmth. It is bulky and heavy, however, and I do need something more suitable to wear with my silks. We have the Illumination at Mt. Vernon on Dec. 21st and it gets frigid right there on the water at night. I remember a couple of years ago it was 10 degrees and windy. I can layer handkerchiefs, petticoats and other under layers but my ears freeze. In fact our first winter workshop was called "Mitts, Muffs and Hoods" and it focused on warm winter accessories. Ruth Verbunt had given a wonderful workshop on creating a wool broadcloth hood for warmth and she insists that there is nothing warmer! So I figured the first winter warmth items I tackle will be a hood, black leather mitts, and a new muff. I plan on drafting the hood pattern from the shape of the extant at the MFA:
I have black silk velvet, lambswool interlining and black taffeta for lining. My plan is to interline the hood but not the cape part. I do have a fur muff that I made from an old fur coat but it may be a little big. I find my small goose down muff with the silk cover to be really warm so I think I'll make a velvet muff cover with fur trim to put on that. Between the muff and the mitts, my hands should be toasty.
I have enough velvet to make a short cloak. I have traced out the pattern for the black lace cloak from Costume Close Up and will either use that shape or make a semi circular short cloak using the instructions from Sue Felshin. I'd like to trim the cloak with fur.
Here are inspiration images and docs:
I like the "fluffiness" of this hood and the black lace trim on the cape.
Fur muff. This one is the size of the muff I currently have.
Another "large-ish" fur muff and tippet.
Small silk cape, small hood that looks like velvet with no cape, small velvet fur trimmed muff.
Another small fur trimmed velvet muff
Short hooded cloak which appears to be either silk or velvet, trimmed with fur
Black velvet hooded cloak, tippet and fur trimmed muff.
Velvet hood with no cape, tippet, velvet cloak lined with contrasting color and fur trimmed muff.
Black velvet hood, short black velvet cloak lined with contrasting color, fur muff
Fur trimmed silk short cloak, fur muff some sort of head wrap
Small black hood, fur trimmed silk short cloak, fur muff
Velvet short hood, New York 1770
Velvet hood and satin ditto, Providence RI 1767
Fur muff, New York 1768
Black velvet cloak with black tammy lining, Philadelphia 1768
Black velvet cloak and black peelong cardinal trimmed with gimp, New York 1763
So my work is cut out for me: hood, leather mitts and muff to be finished within the next week. Longer term project will be a velvet cloak.
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