How to Sew a Simple Superhero Cape
Save the day with this simple superhero cape. Simple, straight-line sewing and cotton fabric make this cape easy enough even for beginners. Choose a fabric that will stand up to multiple washes. In little over an hour your child can be wearing this cape, perfect for daily dress up or Halloween.
Things You'll Need
- Tape measure
- ½ to 1 yard cotton fabric
- Ruler or yardstick
- Tailors chalk or marking pen
- Iron and ironing board
- Pins
- Thread and needle or sewing machine
- Hook and loop closure
Instructions
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1
Measure your child to determine the size of cape you will need. For a full-length cape measure from the shoulders to the top of the ankles. For younger children, a safer choice is a shorter cape that goes to the lower back. Measure elbow to elbow for width. Add 1 inch all the way around for the seam allowance.
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2
Wash and dry fabric alone twice on hot cycle to ensure the fabric will not shrink or bleed in future use.
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3
Trim the salvage edges. Cut the fabric in a square or rectangle to the size you need, using a ruler or other straight edge to be sure your edges are straight.
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4
Use tailors chalk or a disappearing ink fabric marker to mark 1/2 inch all the way around your fabric. Mark on the wrong side of the fabric.
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5
Iron over the edge of the fabric to the lines you have marked. Fold over once more and iron that in place.
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6
Pin your seam in preparation for sewing.
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7
Sew straight lines as close to the edge of the seam as possible. When you come to a corner, sew all the way to the end and backstitch to get going in the correct direction again.
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8
Add hook and loop on the corners of your cape, putting one side of the hook and loop to the wrong side of the cape and the other piece to the right side of the cape so it fastens smoothly around the neck.
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Tips & Warnings
Add a layer of contrasting fabric to make this a reversible cape. Simply fold, iron and pin layers together, then sew into place.
Make a matching cape for a doll or action figure.
Your child can not fly with this cape so be sure to tell them so.
Fasten hook and loop closure before laundering to prevent snagging.
