Free doll cape pattern – for stuffed animals too!

Sharing a free doll cape pattern! This cape measures 10″ long and will work for a variety of sized dolls or stuffed animals, from roughly 8″-14″tall.  The pattern includes a full tutorial with real pictures, digitized pattern pieces, & the full alphabet in normal & reversed letters for use in Wonder Under applique (which the tutorial covers) or stenciling. This is such a fun way to sew a little cape for your kid’s favorite dolls and stuffed animals.

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I originally started the pattern when I wanted to make a matching one for the Peanut Baby pattern, detailed in this post!

Front & back, with a simple bias binding & velcro closure.

I asked my friend Amy from Friends Stitched Together to test it out, how cute is her little boy with his Scout dog!!

This is the perfect way to use up scraps! The moustache fabric is originally from my Golf Score Card Holder tutorial.

It’s tricky to take pictures when your kid wants to take it and make it “fly” (poor bear)!

What do you think?

Pin this free doll cape pattern with this link or photo:

How to make a toy superhero cape

Supplies:

• • 1/4 yard quilting cotton for the main body
  • Palm sized scraps for the shield & letter
  • 1/4 yard paper-backed fusible interfacing like Heat N Bond
  • Coordinating thread
  • Sewing machine
  • Iron
  • 1/2 inch set of Velcro

• • 1 package of single-fold bias tape

• 1 print-out of the desired letter
• Cape Pattern Pieces- – sign up for my newsletter and get the full pattern once you confirm your subscription! If you’re already a subscriber, you can access the pattern with the password in each newsletter, in the resource library.

Steps:

1. Use a light-box or window to tape & trace the shield and your selected alphabet letter. You will be drawing on the smooth side of the Wonder Under, with the rough side facing the window.  Be sure to use the backwards letter if you are using Wonder Under for the appliqué (I included forwards as well  in case you are doing a freezer paper stencil or other form of appliqué)

2. Roughly cut around each tracing, leaving space around the edges. Tape & cut your cape pattern piece.

3. Cut out your cape from the main body piece, aligning the grainline arrow parallel to the selvage (factory-made edge). Woven fabric has different threads going straight up and straight down; if you cut on an angle, also known as on the bias, the shape will be distorted and hard to sew.

4. Iron your shield & letter on to the wrong side of your accent fabrics with the smooth side up. Trim carefully around your tracing and peel off the paper backing. Position the shield in the middle of the cape and iron, then position and iron on the letter; all with the adhesive side down.

5. Stitch around the edges of both the letter and the shield with a short stitch length. This ensures the appliqués will stay put even if washed. You can also use a tight zig-zag stitch.

6. Open up your bias tape and find the slightly skinnier edge, laying that side down along the cape’s raw edges. Pin or clip around the entire cape.

7. Leave an inch flap loose at your starting edge and sew in the fold, going around all edges.

8. When you come back around to your starting point, fold that 1/4 inch flap   underneath and layer the unfolded piece on the top, aligning all edges. Sew over both edges until you’ve reached your starting point.

9. Flip to the wrong side and trim down the main fabric a little bit outside the stitching, all the way around, leaving the orange bias tape intact. This will make it less bulky to flip, iron, and sew.

10. Fold the bias tape over on to the wrong side of the fabric, folding in on the creases so no raw edge shows.

11. Iron the binding down flat and pin or clip. Sew right along the edge, check every few inches to be sure you’re catching the tape underneath.

12. Stitch your Velcro pair on, making sure to place one piece on top and one piece on bottom at the cape edges. You’re done!