How to Make your Toddler a Little Red Riding Hood Cape

Historically speaking, laziness has always been my downfall when it comes to successful Halloween costumes.  Prior to having a kid I cannot remember even one halloween in which I spent more than a single day formulating a plan for a costume.  Needless to say, costumes of Halloween past usually consisted of whatever I could pull out of my closet that would reasonably pass for dress up.  Now things are different, I start thinking about Halloween months early.  The thought of dressing Clio up in cute costumes seems to override the inherent laziness which resides in me.

Last year I spent a couple of weeks making Clio's raggedy lion costume.  It was definitely homemade in every way which, to me at least, made it the best costume I'd ever come up with.  It took a good week of convincing Clio to wear it without pulling it off in a matter of minutes.  

This year we have talked to Clio enough about Halloween that she has an opinion about what she wants to be.  A dragon.  We have a dragon costume that she occasionally wears around the house and makes her look like the most adorable ferocious mythical beast that ever was.  But because it is something that has been hanging in her closet for the last seven months it just doesn't feel special enough for Halloween.  Plus, I didn't make it myself and part of the fun -for me- about Halloween is making the costume.  So I made an executive decision (a parental prerogative) and went with a theme for the entire family; Little Red Riding Hood.  

I'm not the best at making tutorials, because um, lazy remember?  But I'm going to give this a shot and walk you through how to make a Little Red Riding Hood cape.  I am calling it, How to Make a Little Red Riding Hood Cape for the Less Than Proficient Sewer.  Catchy, no?  Kind of rolls off the tongue.  

On to the cape.  It is a very easy DIY project for beginners so believe me when I say that if I can do it, you can do it too. 

The measurements I used for this particular size would easily fit most 2-3 year old, possibly even up to 4 years.  It is super easy to adapt to larger sizes.

Materials

2 yards red felt 

Coordinating fabric (I think I used about a 1/4 yard)

Coordinating ribbon

Matching thread

Fabric pen

Measuring tape

Step 1.  Fold the felt in half, then in half again.  At the point where the four corners join measure a 2" semi circle with the fabric pen.  Make sure you are working along the folds and not the selvage.  This will be the neck of the cape.  

Step 2.   Measure 18" down on both sides and mark with a fabric marker.  Then make several other marks, each one 18" from center so that you make an arch.  Connect the marks and then cut along the arch.  This is the bottom of the cape.  

Step 3.  Unfold the felt and cut straight up the middle until you reach to neck line

Step 4.  I used this child size pattern from Fleece Fun to make the hood.  I wanted the hood to be smaller than the pattern piece so I took off about 1.5" from the back of the hood (I probably should have done 2".)  You can see my pencil drawing below.

Step 5.  Fold another piece of felt in half and use your pattern piece to cut two identical pieces of red felt for the hood.  Do the same with a coordinating piece of fabric for the lining of the hood.

Step 6.  Place the two pieces of red felt together, right sides facing each other, pin them and then sew from the top of the hood to the bottom.  Do not sew the neck line and do not sew the front (the opening for the face).

Step 7.  Flip it right side out.

Step 8.  Repeat the previous two steps with the lining pieces.

Step 9.  Slip the felt in the lining piece, with the right sides together.  Pin and sew along the front of the hood (the opening for the face).  Again, do not sew along the neck line yet.

Step 10.  Flip it right side out and iron.

Step 11.  Now you can sew along the neck line.

Step 12.  Next you need to match up the bottom of the hood with the neck line of the cape.  Pin and sew very carefully.  This part was tricky for me and I ended up doing it twice.  Be better than me.

Step 13.  Sew a piece of ribbon to the cloak at the neck line, on the inside.  

Step 14.  Forget to take a picture of the finished product until days later and then take terrible photos of your toddler running around in the late afternoon sun.  Make sure you do it when she really wants to have grandma push her in the swing and is not happy about having to play dress up and take pictures.  That way you get blurry shots like I did.  

I used the following tutorials to suss out my own Little Red Riding Hood cape.  I suggest you also take a look at the following links as well, especially the first one as I think she did a great job at being very explicit in her directions.  

The Modest Homestead

Make it & Love it

Freshly Completed

Better photos will be forthcoming, I promise.  Now on to making Leif's felt beard and the rest of my Big Bad Wolf mask.