This tutorial has been re-launched with a FREE pattern in sizes 18m – Adult with an updated tutorial and new, larger photos. Please enjoy the free pattern and follow Thread Riding Hood on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest for more inspiration! (Updated: 2017-10-01)
Get the FREE CAPE PATTERN PIECES in 4 Sizes ~ Click Here
For the sake of posterity (and cuteness!), here my two favorite original cape tutorial photographs.
You can also purchase the 18m-Adult Super Hero Cape PDF Pattern for any donation! (or click the photos to access the free version!)
The 16 page instant PDF download of this tutorial includes these extras:
- The full tutorial and pattern pieces, in a tidy and easily printed form.
- Cutting layout diagram and glossary of terms.
- Granny’s Sewing Basket – highlights Notes and Tips to make sewing this cape easier. (Meet Granny here.)
- Extra tips not included in this free tutorial.
- Check boxes, for those of you who love to get a sense of accomplishment when checking off each step!
Aside from these great features, you can choose to purchase the PDF to support this blog and help Thread Riding Hood continue in its goal to create more free content. Thank you for your support!
SUPER HERO CAPE PRINTABLE PDF PATTERN: available for any donation!
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Please purchase a Seller’s License in my shop and receive an instant pdf download!
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I really appreciate it 🙂
Love, Love, Love this! Can you help me find the “alphabet” series you used? And did you just “free hand” it, or was it a download? I have 4 and 2 year old granddaughters…this will be such a fun play item for them!
The link is here: http://averseembrace.wordpress.com/2007/06/27/super-series/ You can enlarge them on your computer screen and then trace them for the applique. Be creative – too bad, but some of the letters are missing from this alphabet!
So, sew cute! Love your site name, too. See you around.
LOVE! That first picture! Cute tutorial! I saw this on Sew Can She! visiting from Sew Much ado 🙂
Wow! Thanks for the tutorial! My nephew is going to love this! What fabric would you recommend for the cape?
I usually use broadcloth, it is inexpensive and tends not to wrinkle badly. Just make sure you pre-wash it as it does shrink quite a bit!
I can’t wait until you do the tutorial for my Cloak of Invisibility.
Have just found your so simple pattern for this lovely cape. Thank you
Grateful Granny
Thanks for sharing this pattern – it’s great! I made 6 capes yesterday for the grands get-together….used fleece I had on hand – that way I didn’t have to line or hem them….did reinforce the top edge with a second layer of fleece (cut in the opposite direction) for a little more stability.
Dee! Great idea using the fleece – that would make them so much faster. Adding the extra layer for stability would make them so much more durable. Glad you like them!
I did that for 16 capes last fall! My son’s got heavy use & lasted about 6 months (single layer) before one of the neck straps frayed thru from too much use.
I am making one today! I made felt no-sew capes for 16 kids last fall for my son’s Superman bday party. Needless to say – he finally tore off/wore thru the part that goes around the neck. I figured this time since I am just making 1 I can afford to use real fabric and make it last. Love the pattern – thanks!
I am making mine shorter than your 18mos one though – he has alot of PJs with capes & is happy with that length plus I could get by with 1/2 yd of fabric (which is what I ordered before pattern hunting – whoops)!
For anybody looking for logos – if you are a multi-craft person with lots of scrapbooking tools try using your Silhouette or Cricut to cut. I used my Cameo to cut out all of the “S” Superman logos last fall using Silhouette Flocked heat transfer. This time I am using regular yellow cotton with wonder under but still cut it on the Cameo.
WOW! I can’t believe you made 16! What a lot of work 🙂 Great idea to use the Silhouette. That would cut down a lot on cutting time.
It would be fun if you were able to post a photo to the Facebook page when you were finished, I’d love to see it! https://www.facebook.com/ThreadRidingHood
The great thing about the felt was it was 90% cutting and with the Silhouette the logos were even faster!
I will definitely post some pictures. I have a few sneaks up on my instagram as I go…. instagram.com/hbuchwitz
Hooray! Thanks Heather.
Loved this pattern. Quick & Easy. I made from remnants. Red polka-dot, blue logo with yellow ladybug lettering. Too cute. Thanks for the tip. Posted a pic on FB.
Hi Debbie! Shared your FB pic. Love the ladybug lettering! Funny, another reader sent me a pic of her husband posing for a super-cape shot too 🙂 LOVE THEM! They made me laugh. What a good sport your husband is!
Thank you for your tutorial! I am making one for my granddaughter. I thought I would share this pdf file I found for the Superman letters. Each letter is on its own page.
http://photokapi.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/superhero.pdf
Thanks for the pdf link! That’s really helpful. When you are finished with your cape I’d love it if you would share a photo on my facebook page. We’d all love to see it!
Thank you so much. i had a lot of fun making my grandson a super hero cape.
Hi Claudia! I’m glad you like it! If you get a chance to take a picture and post it to the Facebook page that would be great! I’d love to see it 🙂
Love the simplicity/effectiveness of the photos. They look brilliant – and have inspired me to get creative. Little Superheroes in development… 🙂
Glad you like it! I’d love to see them!
Thanks for the tutorial and pattern! I made a Batgirl cape for my daughter and she loves it.
Hi Chris, I’m so glad she likes it! My girls have had so much fun with theirs as well. 🙂 If you had a minute to post a photo to my Facebook page I’d love to see it!
Thanks for the pattern. I could of done my own, but i figured why re invent the wheel. My 15 month old grand daughter will love this cape. Looks like your tutorial is great for people with basic sewing skills…..hard thing to keep it simple. Great job!
I’m glad you like it Lynn. I hope your grand daughter has fun wearing it! I’d love to see a photo if you had one 🙂
Hello Sherri,
I would like to day a BIG thank you for the free pattern. I am making some capes for children in hospital, and I love to do it but the pattern itself was going to cost $17 by itself! I could make another 2 capes with that money! So Thanks again, you have helped make some very sick children happy!
Cheers
Jenny
Hi Jenny! I’m so glad 🙂 Your comment just made my day. Thank you so much for taking the time to let me know! Sherri
Hi i am planning on making these capes for the children attending my sons superhero birthday party next month. I found a great site for the superman alphabet that i thought i would link for others attempting to make these capes as well. http://www.colorthealphabet.com/alphabets/alpha29/index.shtml
Each letter can be individually printed 🙂 thanks for the tutorial!
Thanks for the amazing link Halina! What a great bunch of lettering. I’d love to see how the capes came out once you’re done if you get a chance! Thanks!
Thanks for the free pattern and tutorial! My grandson and his little sister both love their capes. You can see them wearing them on my blog http://needlecase.blogspot.com/
Thanks so much for posting a link! I love your capes and I especially appreciate the time you took to let me know where I could see them! 🙂
What are the finished lengths of each cape?
Hi Martin, The larger cape is aprox. 20″ from back neck to the bottom and the smaller cape is about 17″. Hope that helps!
I love this pattern and I just finished three capes for my triplet granddaughters who will be 4 on Christmas. I cheated a bit to hurry it along. I used the lining fabric as the letter adhering it to ultra hold HeatNBond and then cutting out the innards and pressing it to the front. On one cape I even put it on both sides because I didn’t know which color she would favor. Time will tell if this holds up or I should have sewed it on, but when doing everything for three I tend to take shortcuts. Warning, if you do this you have to flip your letter when you draw it on the HeatNBond paper! Thank you so much!
Hooray! I’m so glad you let me know Sue! The Ultra HeatNBond is pretty good. I’m sure they will be fine – and the time saved is well worth it – I’m sure you know! Good tip on flipping the letters – Seems I’m always forgetting that step! 🙂
I just LOVE this! Made 2 capes today for my 2 yr old. I made the 4T size and they are perfect with some room for growing. Do you have a way of making the pattern bigger/longer, say for a 6 or 7 yr old? My daughter would love one but the 4T looks too short.
Thank you so much for sharing this wonderfull idea!!
Hi Allison! I’m glad you like these. About a larger size – I am thinking about make up quick post on how to lengthen/shorten the super-cape pattern. Do you need the larger cape before Christmas?
Oh that would be great!! Yes I would need it by Christmas. I plan on giving them to my kids as part of their present from Santa.
Were you able to come up with a guide to lengthen the capes? I can’t wait to make my daughter a couple.
Hi Allison! It’s been super busy here… I’ll send you a quick pdf and hopefully get it posted after Christmas. Let me know if you have any questions! 🙂
Would love the pdf to lengthen! 😀
Hi Bob! The lengthening tutorial is listed here – http://threadridinghood.com/wordpress/lengthen-the-super-hero-cape-pattern-tutorial/ Let me know if you have any questions!
Thank you for this wonderful pattern and tutorial. I am making them for charity, specifically Angels for the Forgotten charity, I have 8 cut out ready to sew as we speak.
Thanks again
Sue
WOW – thanks Sue! I’m so happy you can use it 🙂 I’d love to hear how many you’ve managed to make in the future.
This is awesome! I was just skyping with my two year old granddaughter and she wants a “purple cape” (we play super-Kathryn and super-Nanna with dishtowels around our necks! 🙂 ) so I wanted something simple to quick make up and mail to her for valentines day. This will do the trick! Thank you!!!
Hooray Laurie. I’m so glad you will use it – what a great idea for Valentine’s. I’m sure your granddaughter will have tons of fun with it! 🙂
Just whipped up a cape using an old pillowcase. Your pattern was so well made plus the tutorial, of course. Thanks.
I’m so glad you liked it! Thank you for coming back to tell me 🙂 Using a pillowcase is a really good idea – that would be perfect!
Brilliant tutorial and pattern, very easy to follow. I know 2 little superheros who are going to be very happy when they get home from school this evening 🙂 I posted a photo on my page, would you like me to post your tutorial too?
Shoutouts and links are never a bad thing for me 🙂 But obviously not manditory! Your capes are so cute! I love the photo.
oops forgot to share the photo with you
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=659062347517989&set=a.394649930625900.92970.308371119253782&type=1&theater
Here is the font I used…so simple to cut out and use as a template…I enlarged to 400pt
http://www.dafont.com/pauls-super-font.font
Love the pattern, I’ve made a cape for my 3yo and modified it for my 5mo for Halloween. Very cute.
I’m looking to make label and I really like yours. Where did you order them from?
Thanks Audrey! I actually made the labels myself with iron on inkjet print outs. It’s super time consuming, but it works! Sherri
This is just what I have been looking for! Thank you so much. My sons and nephew will be so excited on Christmas day!!
I’m so glad Alesha! Have a lovely Christmas.
I wanted to say Thank You!! After looking a long time online for a pattern that included the bottom, I found yours and it is going to work perfectlly.
I plan to BLESS a teacher in our community with them, she was looking for 25+ capes for her Pre-K special education classroom for a “zero the hero” day. I plan to make half a dozen out of old military uniforms and the remainder out of other fabric I already have. Your pattern has made this possible. 🙂 Thank You!
I love your cape pattern, its easy to use. But where can I find a pattern for the stars on the adult cape?
Hi Katherine, I didn’t include templates for the appliques since there would be so many options! One place to find a star shape is to search on google, there are lots of different sizes to print out.