So, I really like capes.

Capes are awesome. They're fun to wear, work with lots of styles, and are super easy to put together. I guess the downsides are the amount of fabric they use and how they choke if they slide back. I tried finding information on stopping this, but short of attaching the cape to clothing underneath I can't find much - guess I'm not cut out to be a superhero.

Over the past couple weeks I've made 3 very different capes, using zero patterns and vague measurements:

1. I have to get to dress up for work on the weekends from now till Halloween, and when I saw this cheap red velour I thought it would be great for Little Red Riding Hood. It's a bit scratchy on the neck seam so I'll probably have to wear something with a higher collar underneath, but I like the look. This "pattern" is a half circle.

2. Some of my friends joke about me being a magical girl or superhero. Well, why the heck not? I haven't been able to come up with an emblem though... ideas?

 
I've also made the skirt and bow for this set, plus have a blue wig to go with it. The bow is actually a hair clip, I've just pinned it above since, well, my dress form clearly doesn't have a head. I ran into some trouble with the skirt, even though it's a plain circle pattern with bias binding on the hem. The cheap satin cut and stretched unevenly, plus ended up too short, so I thought to add another layer, and decided on the blue after finding the fabric for #3 below. I wanted to use green tulle at first, but it really didn't work and I'm pleased with the way the blue looks.

I got this wig for $1.50 (!) at a thrift store. It's nice quality with a skin top, just needed a good wash.

3. I was talking to my friend Zombie (hence the Z) about my superhero costume and how he needs to dress up for work too, which led to me saying I'd make him a cape. He wanted cobalt blue and it just so happened that I had several yards of this fabric that I never knew what to do with - it was meant to be! He seems pretty excited.

The Z is fleece applique (ignore the chalk lines)

My form is much smaller than Zombie, so hopefully the shoulders will fit him better.

Capes 2 and 3 are both trapezoids with curved bottoms and tops, cut as one piece and bound at the neck with bias strips.

I also made the pieces underneath the red cloak a couple years ago. The blouse is from an altered Gosu Rori mook pattern, and I think the skirt was from an online tutorial. The fabric has a pattern of tiny roses. Here's a better shot of those:

I'm thinking I want one more cape... not sure on the fabric though.