When the themes for this season of PRP were announced, I pounced on Winter Wonderland. I’ve talked about how I miss real Winters before so this theme really spoke to me.
It said it wanted me to make a wool cape with fur (pattern from the Oliver + S book, Little Things to Sew). I wanted dark blue wool with a purple undertone. I had to settle for dark purple with a blue undertone. I found arctic fox faux fur and had to use that to trim the cape. What’s Winter Wonderland without fur?
And a silvery clasp instead of a button.
And check out that lining! I love the subtlety of the white on white print.
Snowflakes, of course…
The project also said it wanted me to make a knit dress. I told the project it was crazy. There was no way I could design, knit and sew a whole dress in the time I had. I looked for sweater knits online but couldn’t find just the right thing. Besides, I really wanted to knit my own fabric. I settled for a skirt.
I found this great cable in a book (Hand-Manipulated Stitches for Machine Knitters). It reminded me of icicles. I modified it a bit and staggered them on the skirt. I knit two “rectangular” pieces out of two strands of the softest of merino wools (Jaggerspun Superfin Merino 2/18). The skirt is A-line but knit as a rectangle. The ribbing at the top pulls in and gives the fabric its shape. I had to sew some grosgrain to the hem to keep the knit from curling under and I had to add some elastic at the waist.
Finally, I had to make a blouse too, right? A cape and a skirt isn’t exactly a complete outfit! For the blouse, I flipped Clever Charlotte’s Chickadee blouse. More details on that one tomorrow…
I originally wanted to sew a muff with my leftover “fox” but the skirt took me longer than expected. I’m so happy with this outfit! Souricette 1 loves the skirt best of all and the cape really makes a statement, doesn’t it? I just wish I could have had some snow for the pictures…
Creative mommy at home to two wonderful little girls, trying to juggle family, sewing, exercise, family, knitting, photography, and did I mention family?
Deux souriceaux 
I love that skirt!! It’s so lovely. I know how long knitting can take so it’s great that you were able to whip out two panels. Now my girl needs an “icicle” skirt 🙂 Great job!
LikeLike
Thank you! Like I told Jenn, the knitting machine made that skirt possible in the time frame I had. I love that machine, even though it behaves like a toddler! I’m thinking of posting the pattern for the skirt after the rush of PRP is done. I’ll do both the machine and handknit patterns so that anyone can use it.
LikeLike
Oh, how I love the knitted skirt! I’m an impossibly slow knitter, so there’s no way I could have managed this – bravo! I’ll bet your little girl is in love with the fur trimmed cape!
LikeLike
Thank you! I think I want that cape for myself! The fur was hard to work with (I should have looked for fur trim rather than use yardage) but I love the result. As for the skirt, the secret is the knitting machine! I could never have hand knit this skirt in the the time I had. Once I had all the kinks worked out of the design, each panel took about 2 hours to knit. More if things got hairy (panel 1, I had to rescue some dropped stitches) and less if things went smoothly. I can’t wait to see your designs!
LikeLike
perfectly dreamy!
LikeLike
Wow! Great skirt!
LikeLike
Thank you!
LikeLike
I am so jealous of your knitted skirt! I’m extremely slow when it comes to knitting, and I haven’t figured out how to make the cables at all! I love the icicles on it and the cape is just perfect!
LikeLike
I am so jealous of your knitted skirt! I’m extremely slow when it comes to knitting, and I haven’t figured out how to make the cables at all! I love the icicles on it and the cape is just perfect!
LikeLike
Thank you! You should definitely try cables! They will slow you down a little but they’re so pretty and actually quite easy to do.
LikeLike
The cape is wonderful and eyecatchy. I adored the silver clasp.
LikeLike
Thank you! When I decided to make the cape, I just had to have a silver clasp on it. My daughter helped me pick it out.
LikeLike
Wow! Love the skirt and the coat. Such a unique idea!
LikeLike
Thank you!
LikeLike
UM that skirt is AMAZING! It totally looks like icicles!! You really outdid yourself!
LikeLike
Thank you so much!
LikeLike
You knitted the skirt??!! Oh my goodness.
Awesome. I love that cape too! The clasp is divine!
~Michelle
LikeLike
Thank you! I did knit the skirt! On a machine though. Much faster!
LikeLike
I love the beautiful cape! And you have knitted the skirt! That is amazing!
LikeLike
Thank you!
LikeLike
Amazing job on the skirt! And I love the fur on the cape 🙂
Amy
LikeLike
Thank you!
LikeLike
What a beautiful outfit. The skirt is amazing, it would’ve taken me months to accomplish. 🙂 Great job!
LikeLike
Thank you!
LikeLike
Very much from a fairy tale!
LikeLike
Thank you! I had visions of princesses and Narnia when I made the cape.
LikeLike
Very pretty cape, I love details like the clasp.
LikeLike
Thank you!
LikeLike
the cape!
and I cannot believe you machine knitted that skirt? I’m impressed!
LikeLike
Thank you!
LikeLike
You are a rock star. I love your knitted skirt. The whole thing together is awesome. The cape is so cool! I can’t wait to see the details on your flip.
LikeLike
Thank you so much!
LikeLike
My girls would die for that cape! Awesome…and i have some serious knitting envy. I crochet, but still haven’t buckled down and tackled knitting.. Great job!
LikeLike
Thank you!
LikeLike
I love the entire look! Great job. She looks just like a Nordic princess
with love,
-Jo
LikeLike
Thank you!
LikeLike
So pretty!! I just love it, so sweet and feminine… I want a girl to sew for ;o) I linked up a winter robe.. http://www.nap-timecreations.com/2014/01/kids-bathrobe-sewing-tutorial.html
LikeLike
Thank you!
And you created a tutorial for your robe! That’s so kind. I know how much work those are!
LikeLike
So regal! I feel like this could totally be in a movie set – too cool!
LikeLike
Thank you!
LikeLike
That cape is just beautiful! I love everything about it: color, trim and that lovely silver clasp. The whole outfit is darling. ‘Winter Wonderland’ said cape to me, too, but I made mine without a hood and made a beret to go with it.
LikeLike
Thank you!
LikeLike
The cape is fantastic! I love the fur trim and the clasp, so beautiful!! Great job!
LikeLike
Thank you!
LikeLike
Elegance! Your cape is incredible. And the skirt is awesome. You are incredible to made all these beautiful outfits. The girl surely get compliments from everywhere she go.
LikeLike
Thank you!
LikeLike
[…] That Jaggerspun superfine merino that I used for a skirt and a hat? Makes the cotton/linen blend look very unfriendly. That merino played so well with the […]
LikeLike
[…] make will involve hand manipulating stitches. It can be done but it can also get tedious. This cabled skirt I made? All those cables had to be done through hand […]
LikeLike
[…] the ribber. It’s all hand manipulation but it works well. I used this technique for the PRP Winter Wonderland skirt and the PRP Signature Style […]
LikeLike
[…] I worked on that cape from the Oliver + S book, Little Thing to Sew. Souricette 1 has the cape I made her for PRP that she can wear with her Elsa dress for Halloween. Souricette 2 chose Anna’s green gown […]
LikeLike
[…] children warm that would work with the costumes. And I got lucky. I’d already made a cape (from Oliver + S) that would be perfect for Elsa. Deep purple wool with a snowflake printed […]
LikeLike
[…] creative challenge and the community are the best. That’s a total of 12 outfits this year! Click through each and every link to see them all (or […]
LikeLike