Cloaks

So, since I’ll be in Quest in the Forest of Darkness at Chimera, and running around in the woods on a potentially cold winter night, it occurs to be that I’ll need a cloak (also handy as either a pillow or extra blanket when sleeping on-site as well). I’m familiar with the basic patterns (rectangular 4.5 x 5 feet looks fine); my basic question is what weight wool do I need?

At the moment I have some reasonably thick (and nice) bright red wool fabrix, coincidentally 4.5’ wide, and more than 5’ long, so that’s an instant sagum if I stitch the edges to stop them fraying. But I’m worried it may be too thin. Do I need blanket-weight wool instead?

Heavier is better. I find that second hand army blankets are perfect. They’re also often “fullled” (matted and shrunk) so you can trim off the edges and they don’t fray.

Guess I should hit TradeMe then and see what I can find.

kiwidisposals.co.nz/items/?itemID=550

I believe they post stuff. Just ask for ones without stripes down the middle.

Excellent. Now I can get exactly what I want.

Cloak ties. Seems like an unimportant thing to think of but when your running along and someone stand on your cloak suddenly it’s important.

You can go with a simple broach clasp, easy to make but not very forgiving.
Button and loop. Slightly harder but still even inept people should be able to do it in a few mins sucessfully, much more forgiving if someone stands on it.
Back tie: This is something that Eamon showed me many many years ago. basically get a long (6’or more) stipid of wide cotton or cloak coloured ribbon, and have it folded over and solidly sewen across to back of the neck of the claok on the inside. This should be the top of the cloak or the seam where the cloak and hood join, thus if added at the same time can be added almost seamlessly. Most cloaks should have about 2’-2’6" of ribbon spare on each shoulder. This allows you to tie it over your shoulders, under your arm pits and finally behind your back in a big bow. It’s tidy, doesn’t hang or catch on clothing and if you or anyone else stands on it you don’t get choaked or a ripped cloak.

I got chauntelle to make me one with the latter design for $140 a long time ago and it’s great. It’s also a full half circle of a lightweight Cotton / rayon mix material so billow’s lovely aswell. The reason why Eamon used this design (Possably Anna Cruse’s idea) was to have a showey, full length cloak you can fight in without fear of stangleing yourself when you step back.

No Capes!

I have some pennanular cloak pins, and I was thinking of pre-punching the holes and stitching around them to reinforce them.

I have been given a medieval cloak pin. I have no idea how to use it. Hopefully someone can show me at Chimera. This would be great, since my new, grey, billowy cloak has no fastener. At Wolfgangs I just had to throw it over my shoulders and hope.

If its a pennanular, then this might give some idea.

This YouTube vid has an animation of how to fasten a pennanular brooch (I never did understand the things either). youtube.com/watch?v=4ssoy95w1Fs

Thanks to TradeMe, I now have a lovely warm sky-blue cloak for less than $20. And I can see how it could be easily fancied up with a bit of silver trim if I use it for a noble. And hopefully I’ll have another nice grey one by Sunday afternoon.

Now, if only Grabaseat was offering $1 fares from PN to Auckland at the right time…

Nice! The material for mine cost me more than that and I still had to make it! :imp: Must work on my Trademe-fu.