How To Make a Royal Cape

I had such fun creating this beauty for Amelie and just in time for our trip to see the Queen. 

As promised (albeit late - sorry), I've put together this tutorial on how to make a regal cape. You could also follow the same process to create a wizard's cape.

What you will need

To make a full length cape for a 2.5 year old or shorter cape for an older child, you will need the following –

Pattern – non-fusible webbing or news paper. You could also use tracing paper or baking paper for the smaller pattern pieces.
Outside of cape - ½ m of a light weight red velvet feel fabric
Cape lining - ½m of purple satin look polyester
Fur trim - ¼m of spotty faux fur
Trim – 1m of gold trim (can be found in the curtain section of most haberdashery stores)
Tie – 1m of purple ribbon or for an older child you could use curtain tie back cords for a more regal look
Thread – purple, red, and gold.

Steps

1. Make Pattern Pieces
You will need to make the following 3 pattern pieces to create a fur trim, lined cape:-

a. Cape
To determine the measurement and approximate shape for the collar, use one of your child’s jackets, cardigans or hoodies and trace the collar edge onto your pattern piece to create a semi-circle.

To determine the length of the cape, measure your child from their neck to the floor.

Fold the pattern piece in half and use your length measurement to mark a point at the end of the cape.

To easily create an approximate semi-circle shape for the bottom edge of your cape, keep folding the pattern piece until it forms a very thin triangle and cut at the where you marked the length.

b. Collar trim
Place a pattern piece over the collar part of the cape pattern and trace, then measure approximately 13cm. Join the dots to create an arc. Cut out and set aside.

c. Trim for bottom edge of cape
Fold your cape pattern in half and half again and with another pattern piece trace the bottom edge, then measure 8 cm from the bottom edge and mark with a series of dots. Join the dots, cut out and set aside.

 

2. Cut fabric to pattern

Now that you have your pattern pieces, you’re ready to start pinning the pattern pieces to your fabric to cut out the pieces you will sew together to create your cape.

a. Cape
Pin your cape pattern to the fabric you will use for the outside of the cape and cut out. Do the same for your lining.

b. Collar trim

Pin your collar trim to your faux fur fabric. To make it faster, fold your pattern piece and fabric in half first and then pin your pattern piece to the folded fabric. Cut out one collar piece.

c. Trim for bottom edge of cape

Pin your cape trim pattern to your faux fur fabric. You will need to cut four of these. Again, it may be easier and faster to fold your fabric so that you get two pieces of fabric cut at once.

3. Sewing

a. Collar trim and ribbon ties

First pin your fur collar trim piece to the collar edge of the fabric you want as the outside of your cape. Sew in place.

Sew gold trim over the bottom edge of the fur collar trim.

Pin your ribbon about 1cm down from the top edge of your cape and sew in place.

 

b. Trim for bottom edge of cape

Pin and sew all your fur trim edges together to form a large arc shape.

Pin your fur trim to the bottom edge of your cape and sew in place.

 

c. Cape lining

With the right sides of the fabric facing each other, pin the cape pieces together*, ensuring that the ribbon remains inside.

*Given the large size of the cape, it can be easier to pin and sew one edge at a time.

Stitch around all edges of the cape, leaving a gap at the top as shown.

Pull the inside of the cape out through the opening.

Stitch the opening together.

You have just created (or read a long tutorial on how to make) a regal cape - Well done!

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