So, just how many strands of tinsel make up a cape?

It's been a question I have needed to answer for about a year now, but the daunting task of counting every strand of tinsel I use to make a Disco Party Cape has been one I have finally answered?

So why have I done this? 

Well, as you all know my tinsel capes are made by recycling tinsel curtain decorations. I cut these into size and then hand place each strand onto EVERY cape.

It takes time, and if you have seen one of my capes in the wild you will know the result is a fabulous, fluffy accessory with lots of movement and sparkle made up from the cascading layers of tinsel on each cape. 

I love them and each one is a handmade achievement by me, something I have touched and made every aspect of. So, I felt I owed it to myself to find out just how much tinsel goes into each one.

So the experiment began... 

If, you saw on Instagram I ran it as a bit of a 'how many sweets in the jar?' style competition and loved seeing all the guesses because just like me you guys just had no clue either. But, this meant I needed to set some ground rules for the count.

• I would make a cape completely from scratch to count, and this cape would be the 'official amount of tinsel on a cape. (I use the same template for every cape so theoretically it should be the same, however width on tinsel can vary as it is usually laser cut.) 
• I would count each layer as I went along to then add together once I had attached to main cape. To save my sanity and ensure I didn't lose count as it is a lot of tinsel to count!
• I would film the counting process (albeit sped up or we'd be there all day!)

So, I chose a green cape to make made from a gorgeous shiny tinsel that had been donated for me to recycle. Got myself comfortable and started the count. It took a while, I have got placing tinsel on a cape down to a fine art, but then when you have to stop to count it once you've completed a row, it takes a bit longer!

Here it is the completed cape! I think I might love it more because its had that extra 10% effort gone into it by all the counting.

OK, OK I'll put you out of your misery I know you are all desperate to know how many strands have gone into this gorgeous disco style staple.

Well the answer is... 

So, next time you look at one of my capes and I tell you that every strand is hand placed and sewn on to every cape you will know that at least 553 strands of gorgeous recycled tinsel has gone into every one. 

I hope to see a lot of gorgeous tinselled shimmying shoulders at many a party, festival or wedding this year!