When I first walked into my daughter’s preschool classroom, I knew a collection of play capes was in our future. After briefly exploring their surroundings, both of my children began trying on different capes, at times wearing one on top of another. Since then, we’ve collected an assortment of capes. They are worn for any conceivable task; from cooking to playing, indoors or out.
Our most commonly worn cape is certainly the easiest to create, because it requires no sewing at all. Just an adult’s helpful hands, tying a loose knot in a playsilk. We have a box full of playsilks in every color of the rainbow, which I have dyed myself simply with food coloring and vinegar. Since they require no construction, there are plenty for the children and their friends to share.
There are times when we feel that a more special cape is called for. Perhaps a tea party or a special adventure. I have found that I have plenty of supplies on hand to make play capes, without even having to reach into my fabric stash.
I lately purged our home of a lot of clothing which was outdated or no longer fits me. As a mother of young children, I can assure you that I have been through about ten different clothing sizes over the last five years as my body has changed to grow and nurse my children. Each different phase has generated cast-off clothing. In most circumstances, items that will not be worn again are passed down to friends, or bagged up for donation. But a few special garments, whether of sentimental value or a cherished fabric, I have set aside for repurposing. Children are so small that nearly any garment can be made into a cape for them.
Here are two ideas for play capes that your children may enjoy. Remember, of course, that young children should never be left unattended with items that could pose a hazard, including the ties in your play capes.
Simple Play Cape
The simplest sewn cape can be made from items which you most likely have in your home. While this cape is made with an old playsilk, consider skirts, pillowcases, or light cotton clothing that could be modified to make a cape for your child.
Materials
A square of playsilk or lightweight cotton, approximately 36″ x 36″
Repurposed ribbon or strip of fabric, at least 40″ in length
Coordinating thread
Sewing machine with fine needle or needle for hand-sewing
If necessary, begin by finishing the edges of your cotton square by serging, doing a rolled hem, or double-folding to the wrong side and topstitching all the way around. Playsilks typically have all four sides finished with a rolled hem.
Fold over the top edge of your playsilk a few inches. Here you may choose to fold enough simply to make a channel for your ribbon, or you may fold extra to allow for a ‘ruffle’ of silk around the top of the cape. For this specific example, I folded the top edge down 4 inches.
Pin in place, and stitch down the length of your folded edge, far enough away from the fold to allow room for your ribbon tie. I used 1″ ribbon in this example, so my channel is about 1.25″ wide. You may machine stitch this with a fine needle, or be finished nearly as quickly by hand-stitching.
Feed the ribbon through the channel, using a safety pin fastened to the end of the ribbon to assist you. Center the ribbon inside the channel so there are equal lengths extending on either side, and hand-stitch or machine-stitch a few times right in the center to prevent the ribbon from sliding out.
This simple play cape is finished and ready for many adventures!
Repurposed Jeans Play Cape
There is no garment I have more of than ill-fitting jeans. I saved a few pairs from the donate bag to have for repurposing projects. Denim is so sturdy that it is likely to last much longer than the jeans style of the moment. I was surprised to find how much denim there really is in one pair of jeans; plenty to use for any number of projects. This cape reminds me a bit of of the wild west, so appropriate for our Colorado home.
Materials
Old pair of denim jeans
Coordinating thread
Rotary cutter and mat
Scissors
Long ruler
Sewing machine fitted with denim needle
Begin by removing any tags and labels from the waistband of the jeans.
With a pair of scissors, cut from the top of the waistband down to an inch below the waistband, just inside the front pocket near the fly. Repeat at the other pocket.
Cut off the waistband, leaving an inch or so of fabric below the waistband, or as much as possible. Once you have cut off the waistband, you may even up the excess fabric below the waistband. Do not cut through the beltloops. Set aside.
Using scissors, begin to cut up the inseam of the jeans, up one leg, and down the other. Once this is complete, repeat again on the other side of the inseam stitching. This will produce a long rope of very sturdy denim cord! Set this cord aside.
Place what is left of the jeans on your cutting mat, with the back pockets both facing up. Cut across the hip, below the pockets. You will now have two rectangles of fabric which were once the legs of the jeans. You may find that one side of each rectangle is much more angled than the other.
Lay out your rectangles, one on top of the other. Identify the straighter edges and line those up, using a ruler and your rotary cutter to make them straight for stitching together. Pin.
Stitch your rectangles right sides together, making sure to backstitch at both ends. You will now have a large piece of fabric to use for the body of your cape. At this time your should hold it up to the back of your child and trim off the top (unfinished) edge to size, preventing the cape from dragging on the floor. (You may also make it much shorter, if you desire.)
You may finish the center seam in any way you choose, or simply leave it unfinished.
Place the waistband around your child’s shoulders and cut off any excess at either end. It is helpful to preserve at least 3 belt loops.
Place your cape on the cutting mat, right sides together, with the center seam along the left side. Lay out the waistband above this, as shown. Using your ruler, mark and cut or simply cut a straight line from the end of the waistband, angled out a few inches to the bottom of the cape, as shown. If you intend to have a finished edge on the side of the cape, leave an extra 1/2″ – 1″ for your intended finishing.
You can choose your method of finishing with the long sides of the cape. I wanted mine to be raw, so I just zig-zag stitched along the sides without folding at all. This allows the edges to unravel a bit, but prevents them from falling apart entirely.
Open the cape and the waistband and lay out as shown. Place the waistband over the top edge of the cape, overlapping to about 1/2″ of the top of the waistband. Pin in place, so the raw edge of the waistband will show on the exterior of the cape.
Stitch the waistband and cape together directly along the bottom edge of the waistband, backstitching at both ends. Use caution not to catch the belt loops in your stitching. You may need to stitch directly up to the belt loop and a little under it, backstitch, and then begin again on the other side of it.
You may use an emery board or sandpaper to further distress the edges of your cape.
Once you are finished, thread your long denim cord through the belt loops, and the cape is complete! This cape would look great embellished with an initial on the back, or the back pockets from the jeans.
Bernadette Emerson is a founding co-editor of Rhythm of the Home. A former birth professional, she now is a parent to two young children. Bernadette hopes to return to blogging at Sugar in My Bowl after her move from Colorado to Missouri in June 2010.