Happy Birthday My little Superhero - UP UP and AWAY!

What does a going-to-be-Three year old need for his birthday? A Superhero Cape of course! I based the idea on this superhero cape tutorial I found ages ago. As you know from this ballerina bag I find it hard to follow someone else's design, so I used some newspaper to make my own cape pattern.  In between about 150 games of hide and seek I managed to do a little sneaky measuring without too many questions.

Superhero Cape Pattern

Big brother had helped pick out a colour (a VERY bright green that the camera does not do justice to) so after cutting it out, I then designed some simple superhero-ish applique.  Naptimes this week have been filled with some secret sewing and I finished it off the other night.

Superhero reversible cape

Superhero reversible cape

Of course every superhero needs a mask to hide his identity so with some help again from big brother, I made a template and used two different colours of Eva craft foam, to match both sides of the cape.

I used a fairly close satin stitch to go around the edges. One colour stretched a lot and the whole thing needed a retrim which was pretty awkward, especially around the eyes. I still didn't like the way it looked so I ended up using a sharpie to colour the outside edge and around the eye holes. Voila! Now you will never know who he really is. . . .

Then for Big brother who was an excellent secret keeper I made one too.

A Ballerina Bag.... and the Naughty Corner

Now last year for Christmas I planned and started to make my Goddaughter a Ballerina Bag or a Tutu Bag. Then I got told she was getting a Tutu for Christmas from someone else, so instead I made her a little doll quilt and pillow which, thankfully, she loved.(I'll post some pictures soon!)

So in my New Year enthusiasm, I thought that I'd finish the bag early and give it to her for her birthday in July.

But, the tulle annoyed me so much, that I put the project in the Naughty Corner and it has been languishing there for months.  Does anyone else have a Naughty Corner? My projects go there when they've annoyed me by not doing what they've been told, when I'm waiting for that "Aha" moment or when I need to make a purchase before I can finish it.

Last week I took it out, gave it a stern talking to, introduced it to my new machine(Ella) and everyone was happy. The bag was happy I was finishing it, my machine was happy to be played with and I was happy it was finally working out how it was meant to.

The pink sparkly fabric is Make Believe Star in Pink(I'm sorry I don't know the designer), the lining a basic pink pinstripe. The Bling(sequin trim and buttons) I got from my local spotlight.

The pattern was published in Patchwork & Stitching Vol 8 No 12, however Jodie from Ric-Rac has it as a free pattern, which is where I found it. So Thank you!  Now I have to say, I find it very difficult to follow a pattern, I always think "what if I?"... so I redesigned the pattern to make it more 4-year old friendly, added a second layer of tulle and shortened the handles.

So after all the delay, including an extra trip for more buttons, 'cause I broke the first ones-long story, its finally on the way to her. So Happy Birthday beautiful girl, I hope you love it and take it to dance class with you.