Free Pattern Tutorial: Hooded Cape for Storybook Dresses

Fall is here and Halloween just around the corner. This cape is the sweetest compliment to storybook dresses and historical outfits.

It is a fairly quick to sew project, with great drape and flow.

Materials

⅝ yard of fabric

1¼ yards lace or decorative trim or 2½ yards of lace and gather to fit

1¼ yards of ½”-wide ribbon

Measuring tape or ruler

Fabric marker

Cutting Instructions

1. Fold the fabric in half with selvage edges together.

2. Use a ruler and fabric marker to measure 19½” from the corner across the fabric piece, marking every ½” or so to create a quarter circle as shown in the cutting diagram above. Make sure to include the folded edge. As you mark the cutting line, keep the ruler end on the top corner, so the curved cutting line measures 19½” the whole length.

3. Cut along the line. The cut piece will be a half circle.

Sewing Instructions

1. Draw a quarter circle 8¾” from the top corner in the same manner as step 2 in the cutting directions, and as shown in the diagram below. Turn the fabric over and repeat for the other side to mark the entire half circle.

2. Hem the lower edge with a narrow hem:  folding the fabric ⅛” toward the wrong side twice, pressing after each fold, and sewing across the folded fabric. Note: Using a rolled hem presser foot is absolutely the easiest way to create this hem. See my website for a video tutorial.

Optional: if adding gathered lace on the center front and hood, then gather it before doing step 3.

3. Pin and sew the lace to the right side of the center front (the straight edge), folding the short ends over ½” to be even with the hem.

4. Finish the raw edges with an overcast stitch or serger. Note: If using a finished lace, such as crochet lace, or you’re not adding lace, then sew a narrow hem instead of finishing the raw edges.

5. Fold and press the finished edge to the wrong side. Sew across the folded edge.

6. Sew gathering stitches on both sides of the drawn half circle line from step 1 in the sewing instructions.

7. Pull the bobbin threads to gather the fabric to 10½”.

8. Fold the ribbon in half lengthwise and mark the center.

9. Pin the center of the ribbon to the center of the gathered section, directly on the gathering stitches and on the wrong side of the fabric.

10. Pin the rest of the ribbon in place, directly on the gathering stitches.

11. Sew the edges of the ribbon to the gathered fabric. Remove the gathering stitches with a seam ripper.

12. Seal the ends of the ribbon with anti-fray sealant or preferred method.

Designed to go with the historically inspired Storybook Dresses, such as this old world style Little Red Ridinghood dress.

and the Little Bo Peep or Miss Moffet storybook dress,

as well as the 19th century inspired dresses from the same Avery Lane pattern.

The dresses have a slight scoop in the neckline at the back, which was popular at that time.

The Little Miss Storybook Pattern is available in both PDF and paper versions. It also includes the pantaloons projects.

Happy Sewing!
~Erin