by Sherri Sylvester | Mar 4, 2013
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. ()
- 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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Would you like to sew and sell the Super Hero Cape Pattern?
Please purchase a Seller’s License in my shop and receive an instant pdf download!
by Sherri Sylvester | Feb 18, 2013
Once upon a time there were two little girls princesses who loved to wear dresses. Their love for frills didn’t stop at night – so nightgowns became mandatory for all of the girls in the land. Thankfully their mom found a good knit raglan sleeve nightgown tutorial at ikatbag with free pattern pieces in exactly the sizes of the two princesses! All was well and everyone slept happily ever after. The End.
The ikatbag Raglan Sleeve Nightgown
I should first explain one of my goals for this year. I want to get rid of my fabric… in a good way! I have a closet full of fabrics that I am not super fond of. I bought a lot of fabric a few years ago and have accumulated quite a bit of “not so trendy” (read: not in style and working on possibly ugly?!). One way I want to accomplish this is by making my kids some clothes out of these fabrics. I think (because sometimes I like to be optimistic) that they can be saved and still look stylish and trendy by being creative and mixing them up in quirky ways. I am hoping (because mostly I like to be pessimistic) that I am right.
The highlight of the night – being allowed to jump on the bed!
This is the first project that has used up a lot of the yardage of knits that I had waiting for something. Also, because they are nightgowns I can make them out of just about anything because they won’t be seen outside of our house. Well, except for the fact that I am posting them here. (Note to self: this could backfire on me!)
I really like ikatbag because she has posted a lot of really helpful information on drafting your own patterns and on how to make things properly – like our moms and grandmothers do it! I just happened to find this pattern in a size 3 and a size 5 which is perfect for my girls and all I had to change was to make the sleeve longer so they could be worn in the winter.
I also added a bit of shirring with elastic thread on the sides, about empire waist height under the arms to make them less of a “peasant shirt” shape. I like how the gathers pulls the front flatter and adds an interesting detail to the finished nightgown.
I have made my oldest daughter 3 nightgowns now. Two previous have been sewn from extra knit yardage and re-purposed maternity shirts. She has called each by the name of the princess with a dress who’s colour is “closest” to that of the nightgown. So far we have Belle (pink/green/yellow/brown and white stripes and flowers) and Cinderella (blue/green/white stripe and solid). This new one has been deemed worthy to be like Sleeping Beauty. Oh to be a kid again!
by Sherri Sylvester | Feb 8, 2013
We have been hit by what they are calling a Winter Storm.
View from my kitchen window, AFTER the first shoveling!
Out back, those piles are at least 14″ high and still growing!
My daughters went out this morning to help shovel the snow. One lasted about 20 minutes, the other half an hour. It was another half hour after that before my husband came inside, he had finally finished shoveling!
The pink hat is a made-by-me, copied from one of their too-small hats. If you are interested, let me know and I’ll do a tutorial on it.
My youngest is wearing a Made By Rae Snowblossom Hat. Super-cute, and really easy!
Just for fun, this is a photo of where I found my youngest when I checked on her during naptime. She sleeps in the funniest places. Where will she end up next?!
Make sure to come back tomorrow, I have a super great fabric-y treat for all of you – you don’t want to miss this one!
by Sherri Sylvester | Feb 4, 2013
First, I have to say thanks to my husband for picking the right team! The Ravens won last night in a very exciting game (despite the 1/2 hour power outage). The Superbowl is a very big deal at our house. Actually, I should say – Football is a very big deal at our house. Each one of us has our own team and the girl’s teams were chosen by whomever won the Superbowl the first time they “watched” it! I can’t say that we all watch the games – but it is a bit of a fun rivalry, and our girls love it.
This year we had decided that we were too busy, and didn’t care as much as usual, so we weren’t going to make our usual DIY shirts for the Superbowl. (Un)Fortunately on Saturday I got a bit nostalgic and decided we should do it anyhow. The “Un” part is that of course now I was up late and it is still very busy in our house – the work keeps pouring in for our business! However, I am really happy with them, so here you are…
DIY Superbowl Shirts {Go Ravens!}
This will be my oldest daughters 5th Superbowl, and therefore, her 5th Superbowl shirt. I was wondering the other day what we are going to do with them once we have to stop making them because she won’t wear them anymore! Maybe a t-shirt quilt?
To make these I used 2 black kids’ $5 shirts and a small purple women’s tank on clearance for $3. I also had a piece of black knit material and a spare white t-shirt stashed that I used for the mandatory skirt on the larger shirt and the white stripes on the smaller one.
I also used freezer paper to make a stencil for the Raven’s logo, and painted them on with fabric paint. If you have not used freezer paper for stencils you should definitely look it up. It is really fun to work with. Here’s a good tutorial.
A good night’s work – and definitely worth all of the effort because almost everyone else at the party was cheering for the 49ers!
by Sherri Sylvester | Jan 21, 2013
So… I was going to post this in the early afternoon today – I even had a plan for how I was going to have time. But, we are in the midst of the start of potty training, and my youngest has announced that she has “Super Super Super Pee.” (Say it again in a cute two-and-a-half year old voice with a slight lisp and extra inflection on the third “Super” and it’s funnier!) So, the plans were delayed and we spent countless hours in the bathroom a lot of quality time together today.
I have been waiting to share this project for a while now – but somehow I didn’t ever find the time to get “the photo shoot I saw in my head” out onto the camera. If you are following on Twitter last night I said I was tearing the living room apart (and I wasn’t kidding), you do what you’ve gotta do when you only have one “photo appropriate” blank wall in your house!
Anyhow – the kids and I have had a blast and I am excited to show you what I made for my girls and their cousins this Christmas. (It is possible, however, that I am more excited about the photos than the project… we’ll see!)
the MADE Beach Robe
I have been waiting to make these robes for a few years. It seems this is my life right now – I am starting and (thank goodness) finishing things I have been wanting to do for a while. Such is life with little kids.
The pattern is from MADE, the Beach Robe. This thing is a really great idea. We have used them for the kids and they love how warm they are and the ties are great so they don’t fall off.
The hood is the best. I’m glad I chose to line them. The pattern includes lining the hood or not – but it really adds more colour and professionalism to the whole thing. I made my own bias tape also, to match the lining. At the time I went crazy making 8-9 metres of bias tape for each robe – ack! Now I am glad I did. The striped bias tape on the blue robe especially looks great because of the angle.
I mentioned these before in an October post, here. As you can see there is one more that didn’t get finished – the trucks just didn’t make it as the Christmas crunch time happened. It’s on the to do list for the little guy’s birthday!
There were so many photos I couldn’t leave out… so now you get to enjoy them too!
Of course the graphic designer in me can’t stop at the robe. I packaged them up with my little square tags. This year I decided to attach them by stitching them on and I’m pretty happy with the results. Also, it’s much easier than trying to tie them on with a ribbon. The robes tie quite neatly into a squarish “package” and stack up pretty cute too!
The parting photo and another quote (this time right before bed) from my little one make everything worthwhile. “Mommy?…. You are the best mommy… in the world… ever… luv you.”
by Sherri Sylvester | Dec 19, 2012
FINALLY! I have finished a second Christmas project (not counting the “zillion” things I have made as gifts). One more to go – hopefully tomorrow night.. and only after I finish the last 2 Christmas gifts. That means I will have finished everything a whole 5 days before Christmas! Amazing (insert rolling of eyes here)!
Moving on… I was able to finishing this shirt the night before my daughter went to school for her last day before Christmas – whew!
We had a little help with our photo shoot.
The shirt is loosely based on this tutorial. But as you can see it is basically totally different! I bought a size 6 shirt and a size 16 shirt in the same red and used the bottom of the larger shirt to make the ruffled skirt. Thankfully it is the perfect length to wear with a pair of leggings. The tree is made from one of my old green knit shirts – so it didn’t need hemming – hooray! The small bows on the tree help to hold the ruffles in place and add a touch of the “necessary pink” to her shirt.
Only six more sleeps ’till Christmas! I’ve got a cookie recipe that I’m going to share on Saturday – so come back for a visit! It’s a great (delicious!) kid-friendly project for the weekend before Christmas.
