The Cape

When I was pregnant with Lael, an older lady friend from church decided that I needed a cape to get me and my burgeoning belly through the winter. I was thinking something soft and fleecy, maybe a dark gray- something that would be stylish and useful. And I thought my friend had a similar idea in mind.

Then one day I heard some fateful words, "Guess what?!?! So-and-so has a beautiful cape that she doesn't want anymore, and she wants me to give it to you! It will be perfect! She hung it on the coat rack at Westmount, you can get it on Sunday."

The next Sunday I checked out my new get-up. I had had a hopeful expectation, but as my eyes travelled the entire long length of the wooly green cape with golden silk lining and large blackish-goldish buttons my hopes were dashed. My friend ooohed and ahhhed and gushed over the cape, and I felt my life flashing before my eyes. How do I tell someone who is so obviously excited that I think the cape is hideous?!

My friend quickly adopted me and my new cape and placed us under her watchful care. It obviously was not made for someone who was 5'3", and the hem brushed my ankles as I tried it on. Not to worry! My friend made a date to do the alterations. Or rather, help ME do the alterations. I was starting to feel claustraphobic.

The date arrived, and she picked me up and took me to the fabric store. I reluctantly picked out some new buttons and snaps to replace the garish golden black ones. We went back to her place, where she hacked about two feet off the bottom of the cape. When I say "hacked" I mean it. She didn't measure, just took the scissors to it and eyed it. The pinning of the hem was a nightmare. After her "careful" instruction, I eyeballed the hem too. Have you ever tried pinning a layer of silk to a layer of thick wool and trying to eyeball it? Needless to say, it didn't turn out very even. I had ideas in my head that once I got home I'd get out my trusty hem measuring tool and do it evenly.

Once again my hopes were too lofty, for when I got home I tucked the whole thing in the back of the closet where it stayed for over two years. I finally removed it from the closet yesterday in anticipation of the yard sale.

I can hear your questions now, "Did your friend ever ask you about the cape? Did the lady who gave it to her ever ask what became of it? Wouldn't your friend notice that you wore the same coat all winter long until you could no longer do up the buttons because of your baby belly and ask you why you didn't get out the cape?" No, she never asked, and I never spoke another word about it to her. Some things are better left alone. But now I have to return her pins! I took them out before the garage sale.

The cape didn't sell, no surprise. I will also post some pictures for your enjoyment.