Knot-Knotted Cape Tutorial + FREE Pattern

It's a bird...it's a plane. No. It's...

Super Reid!

Da, da da dah!

I know cape tutorials been done back and forward in blogland...but today I have one that uses just fabric and thread. That't it! No velcro, no buttons, no snaps. No snags in your laundry from velcro attacks, a cape small hands can put on and take off independently, and a safer alternative to just tying it on.

It looks knotted, but it's knot, er not....

...well it is, but it's knot. :) One side is knotted which passes through an opening in the other side.

Let's make one and you can see better what I mean...

Disclaimer: This cape should come apart when pulled very hard to help prevent strangulation, but I make no promises. Please use cape with adult supervision. Recommended for ages 3 and up.

Materials:

2/3 yard fabric A
2/3 yard fabric B
(you may keep it all one color and simply use one 2/3 yard cut if it comes 55-60 inches wide)
matching or contrasting thread

Fabric Notes: You can use almost any type of fabric. Wovens, knits...just make sure they are both the same type of fabric. I prefer fabric with some drape. I like to look in the clearance fabrics for strange, cheap, drapey stuff. I find some of the best shiny stuff for really inexpensive that make great capes!

PREPARE PATTERN

First, print my free pattern HERE.

*The pattern includes just the top portion of the cape so you can customize how long and wide you want the rest of your cape. (Forgive the wobbly lines. I am still making my patterns in Word and am working on learning Illustrator :) But hey...it's free yeah?).
*There are no arrows. Just cut the page border off of one of the pages and match the lines before taping it together.
* Cut it out and you're ready to go.

CUT OUT CAPE

*Lay both fabric A and fabric B on top of each other - right sides facing. I used a heavy colored pencil cup to keep the slippery fabric from sliding around and off the table. Several pattern weights would work great too.
*Trace the top of the pattern, then take a ruler and measure down 1.5- 2 feet. You can flare the bottom out a little bit by angling your ruler outward. (I cheat and use whatever writing utensil I can find, because the markings won't show later. I save my fabric marker for projects where disappearing ink matters more. :))

*Measure how much you angled it out and repeat on the other side.

SEW CAPE TOGETHER

*Cut both fabrics out, right sides facing.
*If you want to add any embellishments to your cape, add them to the right sides of the fabric now.
*Pin all the way around, right sides together.
*Sew all the way around with 1/2 inch seam allowance. Leave a 3 inch opening at the bottom of the cape.

*Trim the corners down,
*Cut notches at the curves that round out and clip where the curves round in.

* Be sure not to clip through the stitches. With slippery fabric I often slip and clip a stitch or two. Simply reinforce those spots with more stitching.
*Trim down the seam allowance to about 1/4 inch to reduce bulk.

*Turn the cape right side out through that three inch opening. A chop stick can help you get the tight spaces at the top all sorted out. I admit it's a tight squeeze through that little bottle neck on one of the sides.
*Press with a warm iron (hottest your fabric can handle).
*Press the opening in place with the seam allowance tucked in.
*Top stitch around, sewing the opening closed in the process. I find that a lengthened stitch provides a nice finish and can reduce puckering that is so easy to create when sewing slippery fabrics. You may want to put the needle down and lift the presser foot from time to time, as you sew, to help the fabric loosen up.

**Alternatively, you can blind stitch the opening closed and omit any top stitching, or just top stitch along the bottom straight edge of the cape.

KNOT-KNOTTING

*Now tie a knot in the longer end. Measure how big it is with your buttonhole foot.
*Sew a buttonhole in the smaller end - right above the bottle neck, following your sewing machine's instruction manual (most machines should come with a buttonhole foot). It's easier than you think and so rewarding! :)

*Snip the middle of the button hole with sharp scissors. You can use your seam ripper but I find that I often accidentally rip through the button hole when I do that.
*The knot you made in the other end, passes through the button hole. just. like. that!

Reverse it, flip it...whatever your little super hero needs to save the day!

I made this cape with just a slight flare. Flaring and widening it even more would make an awe.some evil villain cape or maybe just a more flamboyant super hero! :)

I have been meaning to make a cape pattern like this for a while, but I finally got myself to do it, because it goes with the post I'm sharing tomorrow. Can't wait.

See you then!

P.S. Reid's shirt is from THIS post.

Film Petit: Napoleon Dynamite

"Whatcha going to do today Napoleon?"

"Film Petit with Kristin and Jessica! Gosh!"

Skirt As Top, A Little Gray, ...I, and Film Petit, proudly present...

If you aren't familiar with Film Petit, it's an ongoing movie centric, kids sewing series put on by the awesomely talented duo Skirt As Top and A Little Gray. They sew creative interpretations of their favorite movies and ask one blogger to join them each time. Ever since seeing their interpretation of The Fantastic Mr. Fox, I wanted IN.

** Click HERE to see all the other fun movies they have done so far.**

I'm super excited to be joining in the fun this month with probably the most quoted movie in our house, Napoleon Dynamite!

The most notable quote we use from the movie is, "Eat your FOOD Tina!" which we would tell Owen almost daily when he was going through his picky palette toddler phase. (It wasn't quite as effective as you would hope - ha (really?), but it made us all laugh ;)).

If only we could have found a llama to pose with.

Oh, but I totally harp on my husband for staying home and eating all the freakin' chips (Kip!)...So, he is actually not home that often, but he is a nacho chip eating machine.

GOSH!

Oh and hey, how about my Liger... Don't laugh! Okay...laugh...

Deb: "What's a Liger?"

Napoleon: "It's pretty much my favorite animal. It's like a lion and a tiger mixed... bred for its skills in magic."

And crazy enough, I actually sewed the white shirt before doodling all over it with a fabric sharpie. Why sew a plain white tee? Well, like Napoleon, I live in a small town. I knew there was a good chance that by the time I got to the only store who would sell them in my son's size, they would probably be out (yeah, you know what store I'm talking about). 

So, to save time and frustration, I just took a large white men's tee and whipped one up for Owen. I kept the existing hem, which means I also had to sew straight lines about an inch long at the sides to prevent unraveling of the serged seams. 

Before I made that shirt though, I made this chicken one out of an old tee I thrifted. It reminded me of the scene where he goes to work for some chicken farmers who set out a lunch of nasty sandwiches and raw eggs to drink.

Napoleon: "Do chickens have large talons?"

Farmer: "I don't understand a word you said."

I was so excited about it, and then as I started cutting it, I found it was way off grain. Then my scissors slipped as I cut the neck which made it too wide. Ay ay ay, that shirt was annoying. 

But it served its purpose for the first photo shoot. See, part of the reason we were doing this movie for Film Petit is that I lived pretty close to Preston (before our recent move), where Napoleon Dynamite was filmed. I had awesome photoshoot ideas dancing in my head as I packed all the kids in the car and headed up, only to have those ideas foiled by a four year old who would under no circumstances get out of the car. 

Not wanting the trip to go to waste, I snapped a few pics of Owen in front of the high school.

And then of bits of the rest of the town. 

I just briefly peeked in but the DI looks like the one they used in the movie for sure and there were shag carpeted display windows in the hardware/general store next door. I couldn't have asked for more.

Yessssss...

Preston did not disappoint in that aspect. 

 The Pop'n Pins bowling alley Kip and Uncle Rico go to to discuss business plans is still there in all its glory.

And nearby there were lots and lots of cows.

Napoleon: "This tastes like the cow got into an onion patch."
FFA Judge: "Correct."
Napoleon: "Yesssssssss."

To complete Owen's outfit, I made him a little boon doggle.

Napoleon: "Pedro offers you his protection"...

I also made him some Figgy Banyan pants out of some bottom weight denim from Joann. I felt like the pleats added enough bagginess to give a nod to the dojo pants he wears after visiting Rex-Kwan-do, as well as to the high waisted jeans he wore everyday.

And of course I had to include a tater tot pocket!!

The Banyan pant pattern gives a sweet (!) polished and professional  finished garment and includes installing a zip fly in way I have not used before. It is not for a beginner though, the construction is a little more complicated than other patterns, and it runs a bit short in length, so keep that in mind if you decide to sew it up. I sewed a size 7 with an 8/9 length and I will have to go back in and add maybe 4-5 inches in length to that for this Fall when he is wearing pants again. He is also all legs, that kid.

Let's not forget Pedro!

Napoleon: "How long did it take you to grow that mustache?"
Pedro: "A couple days."

(and wrestling to get it on there, because the eye liner pencil was 'tickling too much')

For Reid I kept it simpler and made just one item. I made him his shirt using the Blank Slate Tuxedo Shirt pattern (sponsor but I love, love her patterns). I omitted the pleats (and modified the pattern) and instead added a Pedro-esque shoulder detail and flap pockets.
I sewed it up using an old thrift-ed shirt, so I had to get creative with how I cut it out. I barely eeked out enough fabric, but it worked!

This was my first time sewing a button up shirt. It was fun to do and the pattern was very straightforward and easy to follow. It sure was time consuming but when I was done I felt amazeballs that I had just made a button up shirt! Definitely a worth while sew. The fit is loose and similar to some of his other 4T button up shirts. I think I might make a 3T width with a 4T length next time to achieve a better fit,

Once the shirt was made, I slapped on some store bought jeans, drew on a mustache, and he was ready to go in his (over-sized) cowboy boots! :)

He tried to channel Pedro's half baked stare for me, but I kept having to remind him not to smile...

Which was a big turn around from my first and second photo shoot attempt.

He must have been still been hung up on the rejection from Summer. ;)
Thank goodness he didn't shave off all his hair!

Seeing Owen's Napoleon droopy face, makes me wish soooo badly that I did Kip! Kip is probably my favorite character.

Kip: "You're mom goes to college!"
Kip:  "Napoleon, don't be jealous that I've been chatting online with babes all day. Besides, we both know that I'm training to be a cage fighter."

 I did however get to take a quick crack at Uncle Rico.

I thought his priest looking shirt was just too hilarious not to copy.

Rico: "How much you wanna make a bet I can throw a football over them mountains?... Yeah... Coach woulda put me in fourth quarter, we would've been state champions. No doubt. No doubt in my mind."

I sewed it up with a mock turtleneck and a reverse appliqued white strip down the middle. I don't love to hem baby rib knit, so I left the sleeve and bottom as is.   

And there you have it, my version of Napoleon, Uncle Rico and Pedro. :)

Go check out Skirt As Top for her aweeeeesome Deb and Uncle Rico too! A Little Gray's is rocking another Napoleon and Rex Kwando - yesssss.

Mystikits: A new way to DIY

So, today I have a a brand new idea from a brand new company.

They are called Mystikit.

WHAT IS MYSTIKIT?

It's basically a site that allows you to buy materials to make a DIY project you see on a blog, in a kit online. See it, buy the kit of materials, and it's sent to your door. It takes work out of having to go get the materials for yourself.

DIY, done a little easier and more conveniently.

All the materials are pulled from Amazon.com which interfaces with the Mystikit site. Pretty cool right?
Still confused with how it works?

Go HERE to see a video from Founder and CEO, Jennifer Chapman, that might clear things up a bit.

When Jennifer contacted me to help launch the site, I knew I had to be a part of it. It's inventive and definitely fills a need. I think that this has the potential to be something really big.

That said, you have to keep in mind that it is still in the beta phase.

MY THOUGHTS

I really am excited to see it grow and for more products to pop up that are tailored specifically for the kits. Right now, some of the kits seem really expensive because they are limited by the prices and quantities that are available online. How can you remedy that right now?

- Simply remove items from your cart that you think you can get for less at a store near you or that you already have on hand.

- Also, remember that this is DIY convenience which by nature can come at a cost.

I look forward to see what Mystikit can become! I've already started creating some kits for some of my projects. Like my gel medium canvases:

See all of my kits HERE.

Check out some fellow bloggers that are actively kitting for Mystikit too:

• Roeshel from DIY Showoff
• Deb from Just Short of Crazy
• Rayan from The Design Confidential
• Tracy from Cleverly Inspired
• Jaime from That's My Letter
• Amy from WhisperWood Cottage

BECOME A KITTER

Speaking of fellow bloggers, you can become a kitter for Mystikit too! There are no monetary incentives at the moment, but there efforts in the works to try to make that happen in the future. Just email me and I'll send your info onto Mystikit.

If you have any questions I'll try to answer them in the comments section the best I can!
Hope you're having an awesome day! :)