Weather Forecast: Winter 2011

I've never had a nice coat that fit me. I have this problem with clothing a lot- being 6'2" and having the long limbs that accompany that makes it a little harder to find things that fit well, but I've found a way around that for most things, except a winter coat. The frustrating thing is I've taken construction and tailoring classes and produced 2 different coats from these, but by the time I finished the class I was so frustrated with making deadlines and redoing seams that I wanted nothing to do with them.
A few months ago I served as a judge representing my university's retail merchandising department. As a thank you for volunteering each judge received a yard or 2 of Pendleton Wool. I got a beautiful green and blue plaid print. I haven't touched it yet. I kept saving it for the perfect project and I think I've found it...
One of my all time favorite movies is Swing Time with Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. In the scene where Lucky (Fred) arrives in New York and asks Penny (Ginger)  for change for his quarter (funny huh?) Penny wears a gorgeous wool cape. I always thought it looked so elegant, and I really wanted one.

Then I found this pattern in one of my mom's sewing magazines. It's Simplicity Easy to Sew 4428. I like the longer blue one. I don't think I'd have any use for the other patterns...but I would love to have a matching hat.