How to Make a Hooded Cape

If you need a hooded cape for a Halloween costume, a play, or to wear to an event such as a Renaissance fair, you can whip one up in a short time. Use a rough, nappy fabric to make a cape that a peasant would wear or velvet to make a cape suitable for royalty. Any black fabric will produce a dramatic effect. The simple cape described here is unlined and intended for informal use. It can be made by someone with very basic sewing skills.

Things You'll Need

• Fabric
• Jacket or sweatshirt with loose-fitting hood for pattern
• Tailors chalk or pencil
• Tape measure
• Scissors
• Hand sewing needle
• Straight pins
• Thread
• Sewing machine
• 1-inch wide ribbon

Instructions

1. Fold the fabric in half lengthwise. Lay the hood of your garment on the doubled fabric. Trace around the hood, adding 1 inch to all sides. Cut along traced lines.

2. With right sides of fabric together, sew the curved edge of the hood. Fold over the straight edge that will go around your face 1/2 inch twice. Sew down.

3. Measure the distance across the neck edge of the hood. Cut a rectangle of fabric for the main body of the cape three times as wide as this measurement and long enough to reach from your neck to your knees. (An adult-size cape will likely require you to piece together two equal-width strips of fabric.)

4. Fold over the two side edges and the bottom edge of the cape 1/2 inch twice. Sew down.

5. Thread a hand sewing needle. Using a loose running stitch, run the needle in and out of the neck edge of the cape. Gather the fabric over the thread to bunch the fabric until it is as wide as the neck edge of the hood.

6. Pin the right side of the cape's neck edge to the right side of the hood. Sew the two pieces together.

7. Cut two 12-inch lengths of ribbon. Sew one end of each piece to the front of the cape where the hood meets the cape.