DIY Costume - Superhero Cape and Mask

One day my niece Addy was talking to her mama and said "Mom, I need a red thing for my back." Michelle couldn't fathom what Ad was talking about, even after asking her a bunch of questions so she just let it go. Then the other day when Addy did her best superhero pose and said "I'm SUPER Adeline!" it dawned on us. A CAPE! That's the "red thing" that Ad needed for her back, haha! We should have known because she loves telling everyone that she is Super Adeline, so I'm very excited to give her this "red thing" for her back!

This is perfect for boys and girls alike.  Use it for dress-up just as-is, or dress your child in a solid color and add an easy superhero belt for a great Halloween costume! 

This costume is so easily customizable and you can make it as elaborate as you'd like.  Use a print fabric on the underside of the cape, paint stars or words on the back, add felt accents to the mask--anything!

Superhero Cape How-to

What you'll need:

• Two different fabrics for the cape, 1/2-1 yard each depending on the size of your child
• Elastic
• Black and white acrylic paint
• Textile Medium for acrylic paint
• Paintbrushes
• Scissors
• Stencil plastic (this is optional, for my cape I made a circle stencil, but you could easily just freehand it.)
• Measurements of your child's head and cape length

1. Fold your fabric in half.  Use the cape length measurement from your child to measure how long you'd like the cape to be.  At the top, measure out from the center for how long you'd like the top of the cape to be.  Mine was 20" long and 10" wide at the top.  Mark a straight line down from the top at an angle and curve the bottom of the cape to meet this line (see above).  Cut out from both fabrics.
2. If using a stencil: cut out a circle from stencil plastic using scissors.  Tape it down and cover the area around the stencil with paper towels (seriously do this, when I first tried this little drops of paint got all over the fabric from my painting!).  Mix fabric medium with white paint and use a stencil brush (holding it straight up and down) to fill the stencil area. Let dry.  If freehanding: Sketch out the painted area with a pencil.  Mix fabric medium with white paint and use a paintbrush to paint the area. Let dry.
3. When dry, sketch out your letter on the white background using a pencil.  Mix fabric medium with black paint and paint your letter. Let dry.
4. When completely dry, sew the front and back of your cape together, right sides together.  Leave the top open--just sew the right, left, and bottom seams.  Turn right side out and iron.  Fold the top raw edges in about 1/4-1/2" and press.  Then use the tutorial below on how to create a covered elastic strap.  (If you just would like to use raw elastic, measure the top edge of your cape and subtract it from your child's head measurement--this will be the length of your elastic.  For example, Ad's head measurement was 19 1/2" and the top of my cape was 10", I would make my elastic 10" or 11" to account for a 1/4" seam allowance on each end)
5. Sandwich the raw edges of the elastic in the top seam and pin.
6. Topstitch over the seam to secure. Done!

Covered Elastic Band

1. Measure the top edge of your cape and subtract it from your child's head measurement--this will be the length of your elastic.  For example, Ad's head measurement was 19 1/2" and the top of my cape was 10", I would make my elastic 10" to account for a 1/4" seam allowance on each end.  Its always better to err on the side of too-long in this situation, so don't worry too much.  Cut a length of fabric 2" longer than your elastic and double the width plus a seam allowance.
2. Fold the fabric in half and sew a seam.  Turn rightside out.
3. Use a safety pin to feed your elastic through the fabric tube.  Pin the elastic ends so they are flush with the ends of the fabric.  You'll notice the fabric bunches a bit but when you stretch the elastic it smooths out.
4. Stitch the ends catching the elastic in the seam.

Superhero Mask How-to

What you'll need:

• Superhero mask pattern from here: http://www.firstpalette.com/tool_box/printables/superhero.html
• Felt in desired color
• Elastic
• Fabric in desired color (if you want to cover the elastic)
• Scissors

1. Cut out two mask pieces out of felt using a pattern from the site above.  
2. Measure your mask and subtract this measurement from your child's head measurement.  This will be the length of your elastic.  For example, my mask was about 7" across, and Ad's head measurement was 19 1/2", so my elastic was 12 1/2".  If you'd like to cover your elastic, do so using the tutorial above.
3. Sandwich the ends of the elastic between the mask pieces on either side. Pin.
4. Topstitch (stitch about 1/8" from the edge) around the entire mask, catching the elastic in the seam.  Top stitch around the eye holes as well.

Fun fun fun! Now your little ones are ready to save the world! 

Stay tuned for tomorrow's costume!