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Project Run and Play· sewing

Project Run and Play—The Audrey Cape Tutorial

*This Audrey Cape tutorial is for personal use only.  Please contact us to buy a limited-use permit.*
In case you missed this on Project Run and Play a few weeks ago.  The “Audrey Capes Tutorial.”
These capes are one of the girls’ favorite things that we have yet made.  I am not kidding when I say that this cape comes out everyday….and I won’t let it be worn to school yet (it’s still in the mid 80’s here—and apparently I am a mean mom) so someone is waiting for the day that it will finally be cool enough that she can wear it to school.  But I am glad that it is a keeper, because it was easy and cute.

Here is the thing about this cape…..and I know I say this often on our blog but you are all going to faint at how easy this pattern is.

All it is…..is a BASIC CIRCLE SKIRT! No.  Really.  It. Is. A. Circle. Skirt.
One of my favorite things is to take a super simple pattern and make it into something else.  It is the best!  (And no one will ever know that it’s a circle skirt made into a cape.)

Here is what you need:

One word of advice:  This was a thrifting challenge, so I ended up making the linings of these capes from regular cotton fabric.  In real life, I WOULD NOT.  Take the time to get real lining fabric….it will look much more like a professional coat, and you will be much happier with it.
Also, I made two capes.  I will give you the measurements for the Big Girl cape in the tutorial….and will give the Little Girl cape at the bottom.  (It was too confusing to put them both in…)  If you are looking for sizing, the Big Girl cape was put on a six year old but I am guessing would fit anyone up to about a size 8 or a small 10.  The Little Girl cape could go anywhere from about a size 2 to a size 4 or 5.
(If you are worried you could always cut a muslin and then try it on your little one…)

Big Girl Cape Tutorial

*You should work on the folded edges….and not the seldvege.
*One thing I forgot to tell you….you need to make to slit on one of the folds to make the circle open.
 Now move on to the collar pieces for a minute.
  HERE is a pattern for a peter pan collar if you need one.
The little girl cape measurements are
1.5 inches for the neck radius
and
13 inches for the length measurement
as well as the Birdcage hat tutorial is HERE.
Thanks everyone!  And we would LOVE to see your capes!   You can add them to the flickr pages….to the right of our blog!

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Comments

  1. Amy says

    Oh, this is so darling!! My daughter and I saw a cape in a little boutique and she “had” to have it, lol. I promised to make her one! What a fun tutorial, thanks!! 🙂

  3. pangaloon says

    Wow, what an amazing creation. I adore it, and I know my girls would love it too. I love that pose at the top- what a couple of little models they are x

  5. ooobop.com says

    These are so adorable and I am so grateful for the inspiration and the pattern instructions. Could I please be a total chancer and ask how you did the arm openings as in the last photo?

  7. elizabeth says

    ooobop,

    They aren’t real arm holes….they are fake 🙂 I just cut 2 rectangles, put them right-sides-together, sewed them together leaving an opening to turn. I then flipped each rectangle right side out and topstitched it onto the cape. Simple,(and totally fake) but I liked the look.

    Hope that helps! Thanks for your nice comments everyone!

  18. Angela says

    What is the yardage I would need for the little girl cape and the big girl cape? I am a new sewer and I can’t figure out how much fabric to start with before I sew, I would like to make these ASAP thanks!

  20. Mary Jo says

    Hi! Beautiful cape! My daughter, Audrey, would love it! 🙂 I am also wondering what material you used and how much yardage for the Little Girl cape?
    Thanks.

  21. Simple Simon & Co says

    I used wool for these two capes that was vintage. I used about 1 yard of 60 inch wool (they don’t make it that wide any more) for each cape. I did have leftovers but that would give you a starting point!

  22. Simple Simon & Co says

    I used wool for these two capes that was vintage. I used about 1 yard of 60 inch wool (they don’t make it that wide any more) for each cape. I did have leftovers but that would give you a starting point!

  23. VegasSigner says

    I would like to add your blog to my Pinterest board, as a blog worth reading, hope that is okay with you, you have amazing ideas that I would love to have my daughters see and make some for my grand daughters!!

  26. Madalynne says

    This is so amazingly adorable. I just clicked on this link from See Kate Sew and loved this post. Although summer is coming up, I’ll keep this is mind for winter. Would you suggest to hang the circle after it is cut to let it hang (since it is on the bias) for 24 hours and then recut it?

  32. TheQuiltedFiddle says

    HELP PLEASE! What kind of wool? I’ve never sewed with it before, and don’t wear it myself.
    Wool Suiting?
    20% wool felt?
    35% wool felt?
    Or something else completely?

    I just searched “wool” on the joann.com site and the above was included in the results. Is there a better place to get wool?

    I love, love, love, these capes and cannot *wait* to make them! Thank you for such a great tutorial!

    TheQuiltedFiddle(at)gmail(dot)com

  33. Hiromi Nobata says

    I LOVE this! I mean really LOVE IT!

    So I made my own grown-up version of it – why should little girls have all the fun! So I made a houndstooth “big girl” version of this great and easy project. It was totally doable for even a novice “sewist” like me. Just changed the collar using a pattern I had from another project, fused stabilizer in it to make it stand (although it’s a little bigger than I wanted) and made my own cover button with a button kit I had lying around. Used about 2 yds (60 in wide) of worsted wool from Fabric.com ($9.98/yd) and polyester lining material that I had to piece together by quarters since it was only 45 in. wide, cost around $2/yd and used about 3 yds.

    Here it is:

    http://pinterest.com/pin/266345765433715334/

    May try it again in camel if I can find reasonably priced wool…….yes ladies and gentlemen, if I can do it, so can you!

    Thanks so much for the inspiration.

  35. mrsm says

    Thanks so much for this. My little pink pink princess was going to freeze while trick or treating. Thanks to your tutorial, and some spare minky I had, she’ll have a pretty little cape. No big puffy coat over this girl’s costume!

  36. Emma says

    Thanks for this – it was so incredibly easy and looked great – I did a reversible cape for my niece with ties instead of a collar and button. She loved it!

  37. Charlie says

    I think I am going to make a fleece on for play and a wool one for reals! LOVE it! Thank you so much! And the hat is too much. I dress up a tad retro for church every Sunday and my princess always wants a hat like mommy. I’m going to make her one! :o)

  39. Desiree Desilus says

    I am so excited to make this for my little niece, who is the first little girl in our family (I have two boys), and her mom’s favorite movie is Breakfast at Tiffany’s! Thank you!!!

  40. ~*jane*~ says

    Hi Elizabeth, I’ve been meaning to thank you for this wonderful tutorial which was so simple yet made such a stylish finished product. It was the inspiration for my daughter’s Hallowe’en costume in 2012! (Yes, that how far behind I am on my to-do list… thank Simple Simon and Co—> Done!)

    Here’s a pic of her all dressed up:
    http://makejanemake.blogspot.ca/2012/10/diy-halloween-princess-of-autumnal.html

    Thank you again for your wonderful blog and inspiring sewing!

  41. Ukando says

    Hi,
    I just completed a little cape for my daughter, I made it a bit smaller as she is only 15 months old. I am entering it in into local sewing competition in my home town in Australia. It was so easy to make and came up really well. I bought an old full length coat from an Op Shop and cut it up. It cost me a dollar to get and is 80% wool. I only used one side of the coat so my best friends little one will be getting one too from the other side for her birhtday. I love seeing them dressed the same.
    Thank you for the tutorial was very easy to follow and I am really happy with the results

  43. Carol Ann Pileggi says

    Your capes were my inspiration! I purchased an ivory dress coat from a Thrift Store, but discovered moth holes. I took it apart and used the fabric to make capes for my two and three year old granddaughters. I lined them with a leopard print blanket fabric. I used feathers and strung pearls for their birdcage hats. I turned out to be the best $10 I spent in quiet a while. Thank you for the inspiration!

  44. VictoriaVM @ Frankfully says

    Thank you for this! I knew I wanted to make a simple circle-skirt cape, but your measurements are making my plan go so much smoother! The girls are adorable and I’m so glad your post came up first in my search! 🙂

  45. Beth says

    Oh my gosh, I can’t believe I made this! With two boys I never thought I’d get to sew something so girly- but my kids have been watching project runway, and when my nine year old wanted to sew something for a girl in his class, I knew we had to try this! I’d never sewn a lining OR a collar before, but the instructions made it easy. I used a stiff camel-coloured fabric that was almost like thin canvas- it really looks great!!
    Now I need to figure out how to a) sew a buttonhole, and b) figure out how to make this for ME!☺ THANK YOU!

Trackbacks

  2. […] What little girl doesn’t love dress up? Add in practical for the parents and you’ve got happiness! This fabulous cape is the perfect jacket and sure to be a favorite.   It looks so professional and classy with the hint of vintage – hence the “Audrey Cape” name.  This  free pattern comes from Simple Simon & Company and is easy to follow with instructions and photos for each step. She has even added a link for the tutorial for the Bird Cage hat the girls are modeling in the photo!   The cape is based on a simple circle pattern and really is a super easy project – suitable for even a novice sewer.  You can find it all HERE  […]