Les Costumes - Les Manteaux Rectangulaires

The Rectangular cloak is the simplest and most romantic minimal sewing cloak.

They are usually made of a rectagular piece of fabric gathered in to a large collar. There is a good commercial pattern available from Folkwear number 207.

The collar should be as long as your head is round. it must be so big so it can be won over the collar of other garments and still be comfortable.

Lay out your fabric cut three, four or five panels depending on how full you want your cloak. Also depending on how much and wide your fabric is, but remember it all has to be gathered into the collar and the more fabric you start with the more has to go in to the collar and the thicker it will get so how some restraint. or consider a gored and gathered cloak

Then sew the salvages of the panels together so you get a big rectangle, do not cut the hem yet.

Do the same cutting for a lining fabric adjusting it if you want a turned over edge facing or sewn-on facing.

Sew both ends of the linings to the ends of the outer fabric (right-sides together) and ad a strip of interfacing 3 to 6 inches wide. the interfacing will stiffen and maintain the straitness of the front edges of the cloaks Then turn right-side out.

Once right sides out, topstitch the linings to the outer layer so that they will be as one fabric from now on. Arrange the fabric in box pleats or knife pleats in either direction from the center, what ever pleats you like or can, just get the fabric in the collar.

The pattern for the collar is not carved in stone they can be of many kinds this is one of my favourites