Cape Tutorial

For Christmas I made capes for all three kids.  Nicholas and Paul both received 2 capes; and Kayla got one.  I had looked at patterns at the store, some photos online, etc. but really didn't feel inspired by anything I saw.  So, I sat down one night and just figured out how I wanted to make them myself.  Basically that is what makes me happiest.  I don't like patterns.  I never have.  I don't know why but they confuse and confound me and I generally just prefer to figure out how to measure and cut and piece things together myself.  

So, going along with that, this tutorial will not include a specific pattern but just a set of 'guidelines' to show you how you can go about cutting and piecing together your own capes for your kidos to enjoy!  I hope you like them!  Please let me know if any (or all) of this is confusing, missing steps or just odd.  I've never done anything this in-depth and I hope it is relatively easy to understand.  I appreciate any feedback you have for me and any comments (as long as they're not terribly rude) that you may have.  All comments will be moderated, so if I don't like it; I won't post it!  Blogger's prerogative!  (But seriously, let me know I want to get better at this and make things people can use and understand!)


First thing first.  I used flannel fabric for my capes.  This was mainly because I wanted them to come out like blankets.  I have a hope that if they kids really like them and want to sleep with them they will be like blankets and will be easy to wash and use over and over.  I am all about comfort and the snuggle factor and I know my kids are too.  All three of my babies are big snuggle kids and have blankets, stuffed animals, etc. that they sleep with so this was a major factor for me.  You don't have to use flannel for your capes, I just prefer it and found it made a nice sturdy, solid cape that wasn't overly heavy.


What you will need:

This is the fabric I used for one of the capes for my youngest nephew.  He loves trains and I love dinosaurs.  They don't particularly coordinate, but I like the way they go together.

Fabric for my niece's cape.  These go so well together.  The green of the frog fabric matches the bow on the Scottie perfectly!

The fabrics for one of my oldest nephew's capes.  Both sides are a bit busy but things he loves.  They don't have to look good together, just be things they will love to imagine and play with!

• 1 yard each of 2 coordinating (or not) fabrics, flannel or cotton.  The fabric MUST be washable.
• Velcro
• A plate or other round object for the pattern (optional)

• Whatever you like to use for cutting, piecing together, marking fabric, etc.  I use a pencil, my clear quilters ruler, my cutting mat, good Fiskars Scissors, pins, and my rotary cutting tool.

• Your iron, ironing board and potentially spray starch and/or water. 

• You will also need a large surface area to work on to do all of the patterning, cutting, pinning and piecing.  (I like to work on the floor in my living room or kitchen on the hard wood as it gives me plenty of space but a good sized table would work great!)

Step 1


Iron all your fabric.  This is the most important thing to do throughout the process.  Iron, iron, iron.  I am a big fan of the impact that ironing can make on your work.  It will flatten out your fabric to make sure you have a nice smooth surface to work with.  When you have ironed out each yard, fold it in half right sides in (wrong sides facing out) and press out a nice seam at the middle.  This will be the center of the cape and will help you when it comes time to make the pattern and cut out the pieces.  Do this with both yards of the flannel or cotton.  Place both pieces together, one on top of the other.  This way you will draw your pattern out on the top pieces and cut both pieces at once.

This is both pieces of fabric for one of Paul's capes.  They have both been ironed and have a nice pressed center 'seam'.  I have placed both fabrics together to prepare to draw out my pattern.  I will draw the pattern on the Spiderman fabric but will cut both fabrics at once.

Step 2

 Now we'll draw out the pattern.  There are two sizes I used.  Since Paul is 2.5 his capes were slightly smaller.  Kayla & Nicholas are 7 and 6.5 so their capes needed to be a little bigger.  

First we'll draw out the line for the neck piece.

At the top of your fabric place your ruler/flat edge and draw in 5-6 inches for the neck.  I used 5 inches for Paul and 6 for the older 2.  With the fabric folded this will end up being 10 and 12 inches raw.

  Next we'll measure down for the raw length of the cape.

For Paul I measured down 22 inches and Nicholas & Kayla 26 inches. To measure, start at the neck line and measure down the center pressed seam using your rule or measuring tape the length that you want your cape to be. Make an indicator at the spot where you want the length to end. You can adjust your size according to the size of your children and the size you want their finished cape to be.  I did not want my capes to be long where the children will be tripping over them or they will be getting caught.  But, I wanted them long enough to 'grow' with them for a little while.  Measure accordingly.

Now we'll measure and draw out the bottom of the cape. 

At the mark indicated for the final length of the cape, line up your ruler.  Draw out the bottom line of the cape.  I chose to go the entire width of the fabric.  The bigger, the better.  But, you can make it smaller if you wish.

Now, we'll make the diagonal line to connect the neck line and the bottom line.

For this I just eyeballed the angle from the end of the neck line to the edge of the bottom line. Line them up as best you can and draw it out.  Be sure to go over all your lines to make sure they are very visible.  You will want to be able to see them well when you are cutting to make sure you get everything well cut.

This is what your fabric will look like with the pattern when you are all done with the initial drawing.

  Now, this step is optional; but I like it.  You could just leave the edge in a triangular shape at the bottom.  However, I liked a more rounded edge at the bottom of my capes.  This is where the plate comes in.  For this I take the plate and lay it out at the bottom line and make a rounded edge for a little more flare.

Lay the plate on the fabric like this and simply trace around the right edge of the plate that lies in the pattern.

Here is the final drawn pattern.  This is the small pattern for one of Paul's capes.  Thus the large amount of extra fabric at the bottom.

Step 3


Now its time to Cut!

With both pieces of fabric still together, start cutting.  Keep them nice and flat, laying on your surface and cutting slowly.  It saves so much time and will keep your pieces identical if you cut them together.  Just take your time!!!!!!  I usually cut all the straight lines first, then come back to do the rounded corner.  It makes things easier and leaves me nicer squares of remnant fabric to work with later on.  Be sure to use good scissors.  I am a fan of Fiskars.  In this photo I am using my Titanium non-stick scissors, but also use my rotary cutting tool (also Fiskars) to cut on my cutting mat.  Invest in good scissors, it is worth it!

Here are the fabrics, still folded all cut out.

Same fabrics, opened up, after cutting.  Much bigger and exactly the same.  Love it!

Step 4


Now we need to cut and make the tabs that will hold the capes on when they are worn.  This is pretty simple and straightforward.

You will need 2 pieces of each fabric in a 3 inch by 5 inch rectangle.  Measure, draw and cut them out.

Here are my 4 pieces.  Nothing fancy, just 4 rectangles.  I use the same size regardless of the age/size of the child.  These seem to be pretty functional for all ages.

Pin 1 of each type of fabric to its opposite right sides together.  Pin at the corners.

Sew up three sides of the tabs.  Turn out the fabric to the right side and press out the seams.  I use 1/4 inch seams for all seams on my capes.  Each tab will have one side of each type of fabric.

Cut approximately 4 inches of Velcro for each tab.  Place opposing sides of Velcro on each of the 2 tabs.  Put the Velcro on different sides of the tabs.  This way they will come together to close nicely when they are attached.  Pin in place roughly in the middle of the tab, at approximately the same place at the top of the tab.  (Measure if you want, I'm not that picky anymore.)

Once you have sewn the Velcro into place that is it for now.  Now, we'll move on to piecing together the entire cape!


Step 5

Now we'll start pinning together and sewing the entire cape.  Once its all said and done this part (if done right) goes relatively quick and will be done in a jiff!

Place the finished tabs on one side of the fabric.  You will need to lay the tabs with the opposite side facing up.  Line up the raw edge side of the tabs to the raw edge of the cape.  Next, lay the other cape piece on top right sides together (the wrong side will be facing up toward you).  Pin the tabs in place first to make sure they stay.  Then start pinning the entire way around the fabric, lining everything up as well as you can.

Here are the 2 pieces of the cape right sides together (wrong sides out).  I have pinned around the edges to completely secure the 2 pieces.  This photo is along the bottom of the cape.  Toward the middle of the bottom I have placed several pins in the opposite direction of the rest of my pins.  This is an indication for me that I will stop sewing here to leave an opening to turn my fabric.  I have found this is the best way to remind myself so I don't get carried away with my work.  When you come to the first pin when sewing, back stitch 1 or 2 times to re-enforce the stitching for when you turn the pieces.  Tie off and then pick up on the other side of the opening.  Do the same with the back stitching there and finish stitching around the rest of the cape.  Again, I use a 1/4 seam for all of my work.  You may use a larger seam or whatever you are comfortable with.

So, now you sew!  Sew around the edge of the cape, being sure to leave at least a 3 to 4 inch opening at the bottom to turn the fabrics right side out.  We will close this up at the end.  


Step 6


Now its time to finish your piece.  Unfortunately I forget to get pictures of this part.  But, here's what you do.  Once you have sew it up, turn the piece right side out.  Press out the seams and press the seams under for the opening where you turned it right side out.  Pin that area together.   Be sure to iron around the seams of your entire piece.  This helps to 'bond' the stitches and makes a better look for the entire piece.  This is true for ANY sewing project!

This is the bottom of my piece where the opening was.  After it was ironed and pinned I began to sew around the edges.  I sewed here first to close the hole, then to make the cape look uniform and have a more finished look I sewed around the entire edge of the cape.  This is about an 1/8 inch seam.  It has to be much smaller to 'catch' that seam where the hole is and will also look a little better for the finish work.

Now, you're done!  The capes are ready to wear!

Finished Cape!  This is one of the larger capes. 

This is one of the smaller capes for my 2 year old nephew.

I hope you enjoyed the tutorial and that it was easy to understand.  Please let me know if you have any comments or questions.  I hope your children enjoy the capes as much as mine have (at least so far).  See  here to see a few pictures of them in their capes on Christmas Day.  Best wishes for lots of fun!

Cut Off Shorts: Cuff Tutorial

So, I've been wanting to do this for a while.  I started to work on this several weeks ago but had a little trouble getting started.  But as a part of my vacation week I wanted to get this done.  The shorts I'm working with here are Kayla's.  Seeing them when she came to stay with me was my inspiration.  She has a hard time finding clothes and these shorts fit, but I wanted to glam them up a bit.

Here it is, my Tutorial to put a cuff on Cut off Jean Shorts.  Enjoy!!!

First thing first, pick your fabrics and coordinate them with your cut offs.  I let Kayla pick out her own fabrics from my stash.  (I have a lot, I think it overwhelmed the poor kid at first.)  After much discussion and debate these are the ones she settled on.  I then matched them up with the jeans I thought they went best with.

I loved the detail on the back pocket of these and was thrilled to see how well it coordinated with the fabric!

One of the pairs of jeans was a little uneven so I wanted to get them a little closer.  To begin with I pinned the top closed.  It made it easier to get it to lay flat for cutting.

Next, I laid the shorts out on my cutting mat, lined it up as close as I could get it to the lines, measured and cut with my rotary cutting tool.

Neat, nice and a bit shorter to use with the cuff.

This was the first fabric I chose to work with.  I had to get the approximate length I would need to cut my fabric.  I measured and found about 15 inches (this varies depending on the size of shorts, where you cut them, etc.)  I cut the fabric the correct length, then laid it out to see how I wanted to cut this fabric.  Working with a fabric like this is a bit more challenging because the pattern needs to be kept event and cut right so that it looks nice.

Next I cut the fabric along the outside border.  I planned to use the border as the hem and it will pretty much disapear when I'm done sewing.

Next, I pressed a hem in both sides.  I only pressed in about 1/4 inch.

Then I pressed up about an inch on the BOTTOM of the pattern on the fabric.  Then sew up all three sides.

To make things easier I pinned up one leg out of the way.  It makes things much easier to work with.

Now, pin the fabric onto the jeans.  I lined the side edge along one of the seams.  This helped me to keep things straight as I pinned around the leg.  I pinned the fabrics right side together with the fabric facing upside down with the top side of the pattern against the bottom of the leg.  (When you're done sewing and flip it down, it will be right side up.)

Pin all the way around and you can in along the length up, though you won't be sewing that yet.  It just helps to sabalize the fabric.

Remove the front part of your sewing machine so that you can sew the leg easier around the edge of the machine.

Sew all the way around the edge of the fabric/jeans.  I used the top of the pattern to guide my stitching.

Next pin the two sides/ends of the fabric that are un-sewn, but are hemmed.

The sides sewn together.

Ta-da!  The finished product.  I love this fabric.  Its a Moda fabric by Jim Shore.  The other panels have whales, fish, sailboats, other lighthouses and is so cute!  I'm glad Kayla picked this

If you wanted to you could leave the sides un-sewn for a flap with a little more leg room.

Camera Case Tutorial

Today I was home sick.  I woke up this morning with a sore throat and little to no voice.  With rest today, its coming back, but this is annoying.  This is my 5th case of laryngitis in the last year.  Its not contageous, just me.  If not for my stupid stomach and espopheagus not working right this wouldn't happen.  But, we're working on that and maybe I'll be over this in another couple months.

After sleeping til past noon, and watching a bit of TV, I was bored.  So, I decided to work on something I've been wanting to make.  Simple, easy, functional and quick.  I was done with the whole project in less than 45 minutes.  And since I needed to have some photos for my blog, I turned it in to a tutorial.

Here they are, today's photos in the form of a tutorial for a Digital Camera Case.

This is my camera.  A Sony Cybershot.  I was lucky enough to get it for Christmas from my parents and I LOVE IT!

My first step was to measure. My camera is approx. 2.5 inches wide by 3.5 inches long.  So i made my fabric pieces (1 lining, 1 outside piece, 1 piece of pellon interfacing) 13 inches long by 4 inches wide.  I used all remnant fabric from old projects.  So, not only was it lovely, it was economical too!

Next I ironed the lining and exterior piece to get them nice and smooth and flat.

I often like to use a little bit of spray starch to add stiffness and help get out any major wrinkles.

Next iron the interfacing to the wrong side of the exterior fabric.  I have tried making projects where I put the interfacing on the lining and it just never works out as well.  Be sure to follow the manufactures directions for the type of interfacing you are using.  I always use Pellon 808.  I should start buying the stuff by the bolt.

Next pin the two fabrics together right sides facing each other.  (With the blue cotton there really is no wrong side, but if you were using something that had a right and wrong side, be sure to place the right sides facing each other.)

Sew the 2 pieces together leaving about an 1.5 inches open on one end of the strips.

Trim the edges off the fabric.

At the corners make an angle cut so that the corners when turned will lay nicely.

Use the opening to turn the fabrics right side out.

Turned out strip of fabric.

Iron the piece out to press out all seams and to press the ends under at the opening to create a new seam.

Pin the open edges together. Sew close to the edges to finish the seams.

Fold up the bottom portion of the strip of fabric to create a 'pocket'.  Leave approx. 1.5 to 3 inches for the flap.

Sew up the sides, being sure to sew close to the edges to keep the pocket as wide as possible.

See how snugly she fits in the pocket.

And this is the perfect size for my Blackberry as well.  That will be my next project to create a custom case for my BB.

Now, its time to sew a button hole to pull the camera strap through for ease in carrying.  First decide where your opening will need to be on the flap.  It should be right on the crease where the flap folds over to the front.  I measured to find the middle and then made about a half inch line for the hole.  Draw a guide on to help you see exactly where to make your button hole.  I used pencil since when I'm done this portion will be cut and covered with thread.

Use the button hole feature on your machine.  The first several times i made button holes I carefully followed the instructions in my sewing machine manual.  I suggest you do the same.

Make sure to attach your button foot and get your seam ripper out.  You'll need it in a moment.

Follow the manufacturer's instructions and sew your button hole.  It should look something like this!  Then use your seam ripper to tear the fabric between the sewn sides.  Be careful not to rip any stitches or the whole thing will fray out.

This is what the button hole will look like with your strap pulled through. 

Now, its time to add some closures.  I chose snaps, mainly because i have a lot of them.  Position your snaps on the fabric where they will meet easily to close your pouch.  Now hand sew them on tightly.  More is better to help keep them on for a long time.  I used the same thread I used on my machine to hand sew the snaps on.

And here you have it.  A cute, small, easy, economical camera case.  Perfect to toss in my purse and keep my camera from harm.  As you can see where I sewed the snap on I was careful to keep it neat so that it looks like a pretty little diamond on the exterior of the flap.  Hope you enjoyed this tutorial and if not at least were mildly interested in some of my photos.