How to Make a Full Circle Cloak

How to Make a Full Circle Cloak


Lady Tuilelaith's Circle Cloak Pattern

To start with you will need 7 yards of 60 inch wide material.  
Actually you will need 6.67 yards.  
But you may want the extra for ties, pockets, a matching pouch, 
     whatever you come up with.
Depending on the type of material will decide the season of the cloak.
If you want to  add the over layer you will need 2 more yards of the 
     material.

Items that you will need to make the cloak:
Material - above -
Safty Pins
Marker that will show up on the material 
     [I use black marker or white chalk]
1 - 70 inch peice of string, ribbon, whatever; with knots in the ends
Thread
Pins
Needles [I always have 2 per project, in case of breakage] -OR-
Sewing Machine [I seldom use one of these, you may if you like]

To start take the material, holding one corner of the width, keeping 
     the material taunt, bring the other corner up to the edge of the 
     material.
 
Step 1:   |---------------------------------------------|<-hold here
          |                                             |
          |                                             |
          |                                             |
          |                                             |
          |                                             |
          |---------------------------------------------|<-lift here

                                            | lift to here
                                           \ /
Step 1a:  |---------------------------------------------/<-hold here
          |                                 |          /
          |                                 |        / 
          |                                 |     /   
          |                                 |  /   
          |                                 |/         
          |---------------------------------|            |<-lift here


This is the frist half of the full circle cloak.  
Saftey pin[*] the folds together as you go along to help hold it.
                                             
Step 2:   |---------------------------------*-----------*/<-hold here
          |                                 |          /
          |                                 |        / 
          |                                 |     /   
          |                                 |  /   
          |                                 |/         
          |---------------------------------*            |<-lift here


Next you need to fold it to the back. @ means underneath - not seen

Step 2a:  |-----------@-----------|
          |             @         |
          |               @       |
          |                 @     | 
          |                   @   |
          |                     @ |
          |----------------------@|    

Now bring up the left hand bottom corner so that the bottom edge is 
     laying flat against the already folled edges

Step 3:          |----------------------|
                 |                      |
                 |                      |
                 |                      |<-already folded edges [and
                 |                      |   one single edge]
                 |                      |
Lift this end  ->|----------------------|
                   ^bottom edge^

You should have something that looks kind of like this:

Step 3a:           |------------|
                   |            |<-Cut off the few extra over lapping
                   |            |     inches
                   \            |
                    \           |
                     \          |
                      \         |
                       \        |
                        \       |
                         \      |
                          \     |
                           \    |
                            \   |
                             \  |
                              \ |
                               \|


You will note that you have a few inches at the top that over lap.
Cut off these few inches at the end.  
I use these to make ties at the throat and pockets on the inside 
      where no one can see them.



Now we saftey pin our string in the corner
                  
Step 4:            \-----------~|<-Start measuring using the string
                    \         ~ |   at this point
                     \      ~   |
                      \   ~     |
                       \ ~      |
                        \       |
                         \      |
                          \     |
                           \    |
                            \   |
                             \  |
                              \ |
                               \*<-Pin the string here, the knot at 
                                      this end is to help it hold in 
                                      place better.  No sliding,
                                      tearing, or shredding of the 
                                      string that way.

Now starting at the top, with the string taunt, and the marking item 
     in hand make the 1/4 circle marks.  To do this make sure that you 
     have pinned the string firmly in the upper folded edge corner,  
     I work on a carpeted floor so I pin it to the carpet.  Measure 
     the length of the string along the top, you should have the knot 
     in the end to the point that you wish to mark. Move the string 
     down the material about 4 or 5 inches mark it again. Contintue 
     marking until you reach the other corner.  When you are done you 
     should have a quarter cirlce with a spare triangular shape left 
     over.  
                  
Step 5:            \-----------~|
                    \         ~ |
                     \      ~   |
                      \   ~     |
                       \ ~      |
                        \       |
                         \      |
                          \     |
                           \    |
                            \   |
                             \  |
                              \ |
                               \|
 

Now cut along this line.  Do NOT unfold the cloak section as of yet.  
You will end up with a full circle, that is the cloak, and two smaller 
     tringles that are scrap.  
Now in the throat area of the cloak, place your index and middle 
     finger, use them as a guide to cut out the circle for your neck 
     to be.


                  
Step 6:            \-----------~|
                    \         ~ |
                     \      ~   |
                      \   ~     |
                       \ ~      |
                        \       |
                         \      |
                          \     |
                           \    |
                            \   |
                             \  |
                              \ |
                               \~<-Using 2 fingers measure the 
                                           neck area.

Cut out the little circle to make you neck area.  
Now the  main boddy of the cloak is cut out.

Using one of the triangle scrap peices you should cut out your hood.
The folded section will be the top th open section your face.
You may just cut off the  unneeded or make a personal type hood.

                        
                             \/You may just cut here for just a regular 
                   \---------|--~    hood.
                    \        |~ 
This edge should ->  \      ~  <-   This section should be open. 
be folded:            \   ~         This is the cut edge for the cloak
                       \ ~            so it has a slight curve to it.
                               

I cut mine at an angle to give me an extra "pocket" due to all of my 
     hair.  
Its long anf heavy.  
It pulls a regularly cut hood off of my head every time.  
So I need the extra "pocket".  
If you do not need it do not bother with it.  
I find it annoying to deal with  the sewing of it, but it is worth the 
     hassle if you have long, thick hair.

                   \----------/~
                    \        |~ 
                     \      ~   
                      \   ~     
                       \ ~    

If you are intending to add the extra over circle you should cut arm 
     slits in the main section of the cloak.

                 
                               ~|
                              ~ |
                            ~   |
                          ~     |
                         ~      |
                        \       |
                         \      |
                          \     |
                           \    |
                            \   |
  From about here to       ->+  |
                       here ->+ |
                               --<-neck
You may wish to curve the top part where the shoulder will be so you 
     will not have a bunching of excess material there.  
Yes this means you have to sew a seam for the shoulder now, but again 
     it is worth it.

Using the above method for the larger part of the cloak, cut a smaller 
     peice [the 2 yard extra section I mentioned at the beginning].  


                            \---|
                             \  |
                              \ |
                               --

Remember to cut the neck hole on this one also, use the scrap from the 
     neck hole of the cloak, as a measure, so they will be the same 
     size.  
It will be fuller due to how short it is, compared to the larger 
     section.  
I mean you get the full 60 inches in in 1 yard instead of almost 2.  
Sew the front seams to form the "front" open area of the cloak and 
     over layer. 
Now sew the main section and the smaller section together at the neck.  
Do not forget the sew the arm holes so there is no raveling.  
Now add the hood.  
Hem, trim, clasp, pockets, whatever extras you may want.  
WEAR!

Note 1:  I would like to mention that I am just a couple inches over 
         5 foot so I cut the front of the cloak and the over top just 
         a little shorter so I will not trip on them as I walk.  I 
         keep the back the full 60 inches so it will drag on the 
         ground and look rich like.

NOTE 2:  Of coarse if you are 6 foot or taller you will need to add 
         to the length of this cloak or it will be short.  I know a 
         lot of men who do not care if it is a little shorter for 
         ease of walking.

NOTE 3:  For a three-quarters cloak, just leave off the last fold.  
         Some people feel that the full circle is to much. [I am not 
         one of those.]  Sew it the same as the full circle.  I keep
         the over part a full circle even if I go with a 
         three-quarters cloak.

NOTE 4:  I just wanted to say that I know the pictures are not exact.  
         They are done in text which is hard to be exact with.   I got 
         as close as I could to give you an idea of what you should be 
         looking at.  I felt it would be easier to down load an all 
         text file rather that one with pictures inserted.  
         Downloading those files are such a pain.  I will try to put 
         up a page with pictures of a cloak in progress as soon as I 
         have another cloak commitioned.
  


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