Leather and Ink

Do you want to paint but pain, disability, limited range of motion or tremors are getting in the way of that?

It’s world watercolor month and disability pride month, so let’s combine the two and talk about ways that you can watercolor and make it a little easier on yourself.

First up, if you struggle with grip issues, some manufacturers like Blick will actually make some of their brushes with egg shaped handles.

These are typically easier to hold, but they do come in a limited range of options so you can get something like one of these egg shaped pencil holders that will do more or less the same thing. These are just a bit easier to hold and they can reduce hand fatigue.

Next up, if you struggle with something like tremors or shaking, weight is your friend. There are universal weighted handles that you can slip onto the end and tighten on your brush or whatever you’re using as long as it fits in, and it adds a bunch of weight to the back end of it so it reduces the amount of shaking that’s possible.

If you struggle with grip strength or need something to help you hold onto something, this is an easy ring writer clip, and you can slot your brush into it and even if you’re not gripping it tightly it’s still secured to your hand.

Another option is something like this, this is an easy grip. It’s a silicone attachment that you can place on that give you an extra handle and extra security for holding your brushes and other art tools.

And finally one of my favorite tools is this artist leaning bridge. Mine is an acrylic piece of plastic that just sits over the top and allows you to rest on top while you can paint underneath it.

If you know me, you know I’m a fan of “covert” fight scenes. Scenes where two people are fighting but they’re both pretending that something else is going on. This one from Dreadnaught (1981) is one of the best.

Jewelry was custom designed! a collab btwn Quannah and Antelope Women Designs

Also, for indigenous tribes during the time period, this was not a “Gilded Age.” This was the time where gold was found in the Black Hills, and where the Fort Laramie Treaty was broken. Displacing and forcibly removing families from their homes. Children were kidnapped to be put into Christian boarding schools and never saw their families again. This was the time where Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse formed their alliances against Custer and the 7th Cavalry at the Battle of Little Big Horn. The tribes may have pushed the regiment back, but it lead to more tension and violence from the US Government in retaliation.

It was during this time where a camp in South Dakota was filled with the desperate tribe of Lakota families during the winter. They looked for comfort in their traditional ways and began praying for their ancestors to help them. The soldiers that had surrounded the camp didn’t know that what they were doing was a traditional Ghost Dance, they thought that they were trying to somehow communicate with other tribes and fight back against them. In the dead of winter, they killed over half of the tribe’s men women and children for no reason other than their paranoia.

From my perspective, the dress and the jewelry are representative of the beauty and the hardship of that Gilded Era. We may not have dressed in tulle and gold and jewels, but she is the splitting image of the spirits that would have come to answer the ancestor’s prayers. She represents the absolute spite that we Lakota and indigenous people have lived through. And she is such an icon for that.

Ooh, I love capes!

Making capes

Types of capes:

There are different types of capes. Let's take a look at a few options.

Rectangle cape: the type of cape American superheroes wear. They consist out of a simple rectangle that can be tied or clasped at the neck. Use gathered fabric for extra fullness. This type of cape won't give you a lot of warmth as it will only cover your back.

Quarter circle cape: slightly more flared than a rectangle cape, but will still only cover your back.

Half circle cape: will cover both your back and shoulders and some of your body, which will give you extra warmth. Great for drama!

Fitted half circle cape: similar to a half circle cape, but made out of three separate pieces to fit around your body better. It won't cover you completely, but it will cover your back, shoulders, and more of your body than a normal half circle cape would.

Full circle cape: this cloak will cover your full body and keep you nice and warm.

Savvy sewists will notice these cape types are similar to circle skirts. The idea's basically the same. Instead of making a skirt, you leave your circle open in the front, and cut a hole that fits your neck rather than your waist.

(Image source) [ID: drawing showing five types of coats: rectangle, quarter circle, half circle, half fitted circle, full circle. Text: "Capes and cloaks. www.facebook.com/aliceincosplayland".]

Aside of volume, you can also play around with length. A floor-length cape has a very different effect and function than a cape that reaches your hips, or even a capelet.

(Image source) [ID: a pattern diagram showing four different cape lengths: floor length, hip length, waist length, and a capelet. Text: "6535 Front and back views. Newlook."]

Details like a hood or armholes can make your cape extra comfortable, and you've got a wide range of options when it comes to fasteners, too.

(Image source) [ID: back view of a long gray half circle cape that's been pleated at the shoulders.]

(Image source) [ID: a purple capelet with a hood, frills, cat ears, and lace, tied with a bow at the front. Text: "Gray. Alice and the Pirates."]

(Image source) [ID: a person wearing a brown monogrammed hip-length cape with front pockets and arm slits at the sides.]

(Image source) [ID: a person wearing a long gray hooded cape, standing in a forest and holding a sword.]

Materials:

Before deciding what fabrics to make your cloak or cape out of, ask yourself what you're trying to achieve first.

Warmth, drape, fabric price, comfort, aesthetic, wearing context,... are some examples of things that can influence your decision.

Some examples:

A cosplay cloak has to look good but doesn't necessarily have to be warm. Choose a fabric that's suitable for your character's outfit, but also keep the circumstances in which you plan to wear your outfit in mind. For example, a warm cloak might pose issues if you do a lot of indoor photo shoots, but convention halls can be pretty chilly.

A fashion cloak intended for winter really does need to be warm! Wool, tweed, and velvet are good options.

A cloak intended for historical re-enactment preferably uses period-accurate materials and therefore won't be lined with fabrics like polyester and such. Which fabric to use depends on the period and region you're working in.

Tutorials and patterns:

Here's a few tutorials/patterns to get you started:

Fitted cloak: winterberry cape (Mood)

How to draft your own hooded cape (The Spruce Crafts)

Pleated half circle cape (Gilian Conahan)

Half circle capelet (Buzzfeed)

Long hooded cloak (Fleece Fun)

Full circle capelet (Project Run and Play)

Four ways to make a cape (WikiHow)

Eight types of capes (Sew Guide)

Half circle fashion cape (Indoor Shannon)

21 free cape sewing patterns (Love Sewing)

Hooded cloak with lining (Online Fabric Store)

Conclusion:

Capes and cloaks make for fun sewing projects. They're pretty easy to make: if you know how to draw circles, you know how to draft a cape pattern.

Capes are a versatile garment, and can range from a great last-minute Halloween costume to an every-day winter cloak. Play around with materials, lengths, shapes, design elements, decoration,... to achieve different effects.