Little Red Riding Hood - The Cape

My favorite part of my little girl's costume this year was the cape.  I loved the color on her and the fun contrasting color peaking out from under the hood.  Here's a short little how-to on making the cape. 


I'm sorry if this is confusing.  I try to take pictures of each step but when I go to post, I realize that I should've taken even more photos.  There are all sorts of little steps that you don't notice until you go to write it up.  Ah well.   You live and learn.

It started by measuring how long I wanted it to be on her.  I folded the fabric in half so that I could get the max amount possible from my fabric.  I needed the total width to be 40 inches, while the height needed to be at least 20. 

I marked the midpoint of my fabric width (20 inches).  From there, I held my measuring tape at this point and slowly moved it around the circle marking litlte dots every quarter inch or so.  I then connected the dots and cut out my half circle.  The circle has a radius of 20 and a diameter of 40. 

Next I marked a line 5 inches from my midpoint.  I then marked the midpoint of that diameter and measured out a half circle with a 2.5 inch radius.  I cut that out creating a neckhole. 

If you look at the picture the right side is smaller than the left side.  While it's still folded, cut down the fold on the right side. This will be your front opening. Having the right side smaller makes it so the length is longest in the back but gradually becomes shorter in front. 

I then took a jacket of my daughters that fit her well and  on paper traced around the hood portion adding in seam allowances. I used this as my pattern and cut out two pieces of each fabric as shown below.

I then sewed each color set together creating two hoods. 

Next I sewed the front of the hoods right sides together.  When turned inside out, the hood piece will like the picture below.  Lastly, I put the lining inside the red fabric. My result is one red hood with a patterned lining. 

Next I matched the middle of the hood with the middle of the cape piece.  I sewed the red sides together so that when you put the hood up the back has a nice finished seam.  At this point, the inside has the raw edges.

 I then created two very long tubes with one end sewed closed.  It took forever to turn those stupid things inside out.

Before attatching the ties, I hemmed the two front sides of the cape. After ironing the ties,  I lined up the two open ends of the tube with the middle of the cape and hood. I turned under the ends so that they would not have any raw edges.   I placed them over where the hood and cape come together, covering the raw edges of the seam.  I pinned them on, and when I reached the end of the hood, I had to turn the raw edges of the cape under.  I then topstitched the tie onto the cape and then continued my topstitch all the way around the tie attatching it also to the hood. 

I then handstitched the openings of the tubes closed. 

I finished it off by hemming the bottom. 

And tada!  I now have a cute little cape for the Little Riding Hood Costume.

If you missed it, check out my post of us in our costumes.