A cap kit review....

Post #  10                                         Sunday, March 29th, 2015

favorite sewing shirt right now.

If you're like me....you are forever on the look out for THE cap. The most awesome cap in the world, that will highlight your best features, bring ooohs and aaaaahhhhs whenever you wear it, stay on your head....and cover up your "hair sins"....i.e. bed head, short hair....or just plain greasy second event day hair. (add to that the hot flashes from being perimenopausal....and you have a whole other ick factor that the perfect cap can assist in hiding). In other words....you are on the same quest as myself....in search of the PERFECT big ass cap.

This is not it.   

It's not a bad cap....it's just not THE big ass cap. What it IS....is a cap that is awesome in itself. A cap that will stay on your head, thanks to the drawstring in back....and maybe a couple of strategically placed pins.  A cap that will cover ick hair....and a cap that will give you a very "period correct " look.

Full confession. I HATE sewing. GASP!!! right????? I do...I hate the whole process....I ESPECIALLY hate cutting out. Terry has learned, if he wants something made by me....he has to cut it out. He does very well. He lays out the pattern pieces, calls me in to check to make sure the grain is correct (it always is...he's anal that way) and then give him the okay to cut out. Makes the process a LITTLE easier to take. What I DO love is the end result. I love seeing the finished product.
This is why, the new Larkin and Smith patterns/kits offered through At the Sign of the Golden Scissors (yes...I still need to learn how to link) are all sorts of awesomeness!!!!! Not only are the pattern pieces already cut out....but you are given a kit that has everything you will need to put it together, less the sewing needle. You even get beeswax!!! You will get a kit that has a booklet, with step by step instructions on how to put it together.

with the instructions

comes with the wax and the thread needed

Separate pattern pieces being hemmed

Hallie told me it takes her about six hours to put one together. It is all hand stitched...there really isn't any point at which you can machine stitch....but you really don't want to do machine work on this. It sits right next to your face....so while your lover is staring deep into your eyes....he can see all the hand work you put into your cap. (yeah....right. You'll be lucky if they notice your hair is on fire, right?)  BUT....other women will notice.   And knowing you did it all by hand will put that extra lift into your step. You will feel more confident, more beautiful....well....it comes with a really pretty colored silk ribbon....that makes any woman feel pretty, right?

close up of the whip gathers. Not bad for my first time

pinning the pleated ruffle

pleated ruffle attached to the band with a butt stitch (heeeheee...she  said "butt")

I took about 2 or 3 evenings to finish this. I took my time,  and sewed while watching TV. It's a really great hand project. It's great in that it's almost an instant gratification project. Something pretty that you can see forming in a relatively short period of time.  Hallie includes the different weight threads needed to work on these caps. I ordered this one in the organdy and was VERY happy with the weight and the look it gives. Terry looked at it when we took pictures and even he noticed that the weight/type of fabric makes a huge difference in the appearance. This really does have a middling to upper class appeal to it. The kit I ordered was the "Spring" cap. I was so hapy with the results, I ordered the Wheatley cap kit in the fine linen. I'll post that when I'm finished.Here are some photos of it on my head.

glasses sort of detract from the  cap

Better

top view....showing my "bumpit" of hair

, with a quick fake bun added to fill out the back

side view

I highly recommend getting a kit from Larkin and Smith....I hear that they are also producing a shift kit and a covered hat kit as well. I'll definitely have to look into these items as well. I hope this inspires you to try something new! Can't go wrong with a kit! Half the work is already done!!  Good luck, and let me know how your experiences are with the cap kits!!

One cool part about the caps? I have short hair. I used two hair pieces to fill out the cap. It will definitely be cooler than wearing a wig

showing how short my hair is