Cover Designs 20!: Arctic Fury

Cover Designs is a feature in which I try to match up the outfit on a book cover with a dress pattern and sometimes even potential fabric matches as well.

Today's choice is The Arctic Fury by Greer Macallister. 

In 1853, trail guide Virginia Reeve is offered an extraordinary opportunity - to lead an all-woman expedition to the Arctic in search of the missing Franklin expedition. Each woman on the team has been chosen for her specific skills, but that doesn't mean that they'll all survive.

Moving back and forth between the expedition and Virginia's trial in Boston when she returns without some of the women, the book looks at what happens in extreme circumstances when women are tested to their utmost. 

This cover is lovely, though hardly Arctic weather appropriate -- no gloves? No hat, no scarf, no face covering? A blouse under a pretty cape? Not going to keep you alive long! 

Nonetheless, in our non-Arctic weather a cape like this might be just the thing to top a pretty outfit. To make this, you'd want to choose a sturdy wool and find some faux fur trim to stitch along the edges. 

Try using the Fairy Tale Cape from This Blog Is Not For You (we don't know what the front of this woman's cape looks like, do we?) It would just need the hip length view, with perhaps a little added to the back for the high-low view of our cover image, and some trim attached. 

Use a grey melton wool like this one from the MacPhee Workshop, and search for some applicable faux fur trim from the choices on Etsy, and you could get a great copy! 

Or try this multi-view pattern, McCalls 7202. View B is exactly right with the hip length and hood options; there are even pockets on the front for the cover lady to stick her freezing cold hands into!

With some luscious dark grey boiled wool from Simplifi Fabrics (and again some nice trim) you'd get a cozy cape to wear on a snowy day. 

Whichever you choose, I hope that you'll also add some proper winter accessories if you're going out in frigid weather!