Sew Along for V8959 a cape and a pattern review

At first glance Vogue 8959 looks somewhat intimidating but I assure you its a great pattern if you are a confident beginner want to take a shot at learning how to work with wool fabrics and how to put a lining in. I used a boiled wool from Minerva and for my lining I used a Rifle and Paper Rayon Challis from Fabric.com

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?
I loved this pattern, as I was making it I can see how many people could ditch the lining and just use bias tape to finish off the seams.

Does it look like the photos/illustrations on the pattern envelope?
Yes it does.

Were the instructions easy to follow?
The instructions on this are two pages and yes I looked at them. I made some changes to the way I did the hem as I didn’t want to create a lot of bulk in the hem as I’m using a boiled wool. If I make it again I would most likely add 1.5 inches to the fabric and keep the length of the lining the same as the pattern pieces so I can just bag the entire lining and leave a small opening on which to turn the lining and just slip stitch. The two hems are a lot of work! Hence why I only did one.

I also extended the hand openings about 2 inches, so I could move freely.

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:
I took in the shoulders once I had the cape sewn. Most of the other reviews mention to check the shoulders and sure enough it has a weird look that you can’t even see when you do a tissue fitting. You have to use the boiled wool to get an idea on the drape.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?
Yes but I would most likely use a completely different fabric like an athletic knit that doesn’t need to be lined and make a lot of changes so its something I can just slip over my head and go about my day. I will say the boiled wool is nice and warm. It will be perfect on a fall day when its not too cold or too warm and I just want something to throw on.