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Superhero Cape Sewing Tutorial

February 25, 2010 by notesfromtheparsonage 5 Comments

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This superhero cape sewing tutorial is very easy. You’ll need two fat quarters and something to make the closure.

“Every boy needs to wear a cape at least once in his life.” – Uncle Brian

Two toddlers with superhero capes look sad and tired on a cracked driveway

Kids love superhero capes! Well, my kids do, anyway. It can be frustrating to try to locate a cape that is generic enough to fit any pretend game they want to play. If your child wants to be a bat or spider, then you’re all set. But let’s say they want to be “Super Aidan” or “Super Turtle” or “A Bad Apple”, then where do you find a costume like that? If you’re like me, you make it!

Toddler in an apple/pear superhero cape

Supplies for Superhero Cape Sewing Tutorial

First, you’ll need your supplies! You can make this out of 2 fat quarters. (You know how I adore things you can make with a fat quarter!) Essentially, you’ll need two rectangles measuring 18″ x 22″. (2 fat quarters)

If you want the cape a little longer for an older or taller child, you’ll want yardage. I recommend 22″ – 24″ long to fit from 2 to 5 years old. If your Super Little Guy is taller or older, you may want to adjust. [You’ll need 1/2 yard of 2 non-directional fabrics (this would make two capes). If one or both of your fabrics has a vertical pattern, you’ll need 2/3rds of a yard.

You will also need some sort of closure. You can use ribbon, buttons, snaps, velcro… It is up to you! I make mine with plastic snaps, since I have a snap press and like the ease of snaps. (Remember, if you use buttons, make sure the child is past that “putting everything in their mouth” stage. You don’t want them to choke.)

Measuring and Cutting

Wrong side of striped fabric of animals in hats with clear grid ruler on top to start measuring the pattern for the superhero cape sewing tutorial

My quilting ruler is 2″ wide and 18″ long. On the back side of your main fabric, mark 2″ from the top a 3 ” line in toward the cape on each side. Wow, that sounded confusing. I line up my ruler on the top of my fabric and draw a line from the outer edge to the 3″ mark of the ruler. Repeat for the other side.

Pattern has been measured and marked and is ready to cut from the fabric.

Now, mark the edge 6″ down from your 3″ lines. Connect the end (toward the center) of the 3″ line with this 6″ mark, creating a triangle! (I did not fully cut out an 18″ by 22″ rectangle in the photo above. As you can see, I just measure it as I went along and cut the whole thing out at once. You can do this or you can cut your rectangles, then remove the triangle parts if you’d like. Either way works.)

Cut out the triangles you just drew.

Main fabric of superhero cape is cut out

You should have one piece of fabric now that looks like this! You can either cut out the other piece using the same method, or you can cut it out like I do.

Using one piece of fabric as a pattern for the second main piece of fabric for sewing a superhero cape

Place your cut piece right side down onto your contrast fabric, right side up. (Right sides together.) (As you can see, I didn’t pre-cut my rectangles since I was using yardage, rather than fat quarters. Either way works.) Pin around the edges, securing both pieces of fabric together. Now cut the contrast fabric out, using the front as your template. Now your pieces are already right sides together and pinned, ready to sew!

If you cut the pieces out separately, you’ll now want to pin both pieces right sides together before you sew them.

If you are going to use ribbon as a closure for the cape, you’ll need to sandwich and pin that in between the fabrics now, before you begin sewing.

Sewing the Superhero Cape

Two pieces of fabric are cut and pinned together ready to sew into a superhero cape

Time to sew! Sew around the edges of the fabric, leaving a hole in the top for turning. Clip your corners and notch the angles of the triangle cut outs. You want them to lay as flat as possible.

Flip your cape right sides out, push out the corners, and press flat.

Topstitch around the edges.

Add your snaps, buttons, or velcro if you need to.

Done!

Toddler in red shirt with orange and striped superhero cape made from this sewing tutorial

As you can see, the “collar” of  the cape is meant to flip over, showing the contrast fabric. However, it works either way! Now you have a reversible cape for your Super Little Guy (or Gal)!

You can do with this pattern as you wish. However, please don’t take credit for the design. It’d be nice of you to share the free pattern with others. Enjoy!

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Filed Under: Crafts Tagged With: cape, costumes, dress up, free sewing pattern, free sewing tutorial, parenting, pretend play, sew it yourself, sewing, simple cape tutorial, superhero cape, superhero cape tutorial, toddler, toddler cape

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. MARY

    September 15, 2010 at 8:16 am

    THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PATTERN I JUST GOT BACK FROM VISITING MY GRANDSON WHO IS 31/2 AND HE WANTED GRANDMA TO MAKE HIM A SUPER HERO CAPE I WENT ON SITE AND FOUND YOURS WHICH I LOVE CANT WAIT TO MAKE IT

    THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH
    MARY

    Reply
    • Lindsey

      September 15, 2010 at 2:08 pm

      I’m so glad to be able to help! Hopefully your grandson will love the cape you make him as much as my littles love theirs!

      Reply

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I’m Lindsey Jane, wife of a pastor and mama of 9 (yep, 9). Read along as I write about faith and family!  You can read more about our family and me here.

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