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Dwalin’s Hood
(click images to to enlarge)
Outline the story …
Once I read the theme for this year, my mind immediately went to the hoods of the dwarves from JRR Tolkien's The Hobbit. The hoods are a very interesting part of the book since they give each of the dwarves their own unique color as a way of identifying them outside of individual personalities and names. In addition to that, these cloaks endure the exact same journey as the Thorin's Company while the dark green hood is brought up again in the beginning of The Fellowship of the Ring, essentially bridging The Hobbit with The Lord of the Rings trilogy.
The choice of Dwalin was what I was leaning towards but the limitations of the fabric store finalized that choice. As a warrior, this item needed to be enough to double as an extra layer of warmth while also allowing him to fight efficiently without layers of fabric getting in his way. The short length means that his legs won't get tangled while the extra length of the fastener means that it can be set further back on his shoulders to allow for freedom of movement.
Outline the construction…
It was really the limitations at the fabric store that had me going with Dwalin's forest green color as I ended up with both a pure cotton fabric and a wool blend as a possible lining. I was planning on using another one of my cloaks as a basis for a pattern but quickly learned that I did not have enough fabric for that so I instead cut a circular shape instead. Since this was my first large scale project, I initially planned on machine sewing it but the thought of fetching the machine encouraged me to hand sew the cloak. The majority of the time was spent on felling down the edges which took time but allowed me to focus on getting the stitches small and even, still a technique that is a work in progress! I also have not had too much experience with buttons and buttonholes so it was nice to try something different and more decorative, yet still practical, than a hook and eye.
As an old fan of Tolkien, I LOVE your work!
This is so pretty! the colour is so perfect for this project! Well done!
Lovely fabric choice and a really nice item perfect for… Hobbitcore? Dwarfcore? 😄
Beautiful stitching! I want to wrap myself in this gorgeous color. Great design choices, so well thought out and interpreted from the story.. Good on you for the buttonhole!!
This is a beautiful cape, it makes me want to make one too! You did great hand sewing everything and the button hole and covered button are wonderful too.
Your cape looks so comfy and this fabric is perfect ! So flowy !!
I love the shade of green color and your hand stitching. The fabric looks so soft and perfect for the story. Lovely!
Lovely! That neat, flat curved hem is especially well done.
Great cloak! You are ready for adventures and dinner parties!
I love hoods and capes! This is nice work! Now I am going to go back and read the Hobbit and really concentrate of those dwarves! Thank you!
Love it! Everyone loves a cape, and I just recently reread the Hobbit, so this one was fresh in my brain. I think you captured it wonderfully!