Do your kids ever pretend to be superheroes? With a little creativity, and some basic sewing skills, you can help their imaginations go wild with a custom superhero cape and mask. It’s a fun accessory for dress-up play, or even Halloween!

Today, I’m sharing a quick and easy superhero cape pattern with you, and a bonus mask. Follow along to make your kids their very own cape and mask! This sewing project is perfect for beginners, and it takes less than an hour to complete.

Let's get started!

This superhero cape is completely reversible. It can be made from practically any fabric, too, but woven works best. I used satin because I like the shine and drape. I got 1 yard of red satin and 1 yard of yellow satin to make a double-sided cape.

• 2 yards of fabric: 1 yard for the front and 1 yard for the back.
• Coordinating thread
• Velcro closure
• Heat transfer vinyl
• Sewing machine and basic supplies

Note: The heat transfer vinyl is optional, but it is a great way to decorate and customize your cape. You don’t need a special machine to cut it, either. Alternatively, you could also add designs to your cape with fabric markers.

There is not a pattern to print for this cape. Simply follow the diagram below to mark and cut out your pieces. If you’re making a cape for an older child, add a few inches to the length.

• Cut out two rectangles that are 24”x33”. You need one rectangle for the front and one rectangle for the back.
• Place the rectangles right sides together and fold them in half lengthwise so that there is a fold down the middle.
• At the top, make a mark 7” from the fold.
• Using a yardstick or ruler, draw a line between the 7” mark and the bottom corner of the cape. I like to use a heat erasable marker for this step because it isn’t messy like chalk.
• Cut along the line to cut out the main portion of the cape.

• To create a neck hole, make a mark at the top 5” from the fold and another mark on the fold 5” down from the top.
• Use something round, like a plate, to connect the dots and draw a curve for the neck hole.
• Cut along the curve.

Pin the front and back pieces together, right sides facing. I used Madam Sew sewing clips. Then sew around the outside edges of the cape using a ½” seam allowance. Leave a 3-inch opening at the bottom so you can turn the cape right side out.

Before turning the cape right side out, clip the corners at the bottom of the cape and the corners on the tabs at the top. Get close to the seam without cutting the threads. Also snip around the curve at the top so that it will lay flat when you turn the cape right side out.

Turn the cape right side out through the opening at the bottom. Then, push out all the corners with something like a sewing stiletto and press all the edges.

There are a few ways to close the opening at the bottom. I used some fabric glue and simply fused the opening shut. I think that is the fastest way. Alternatively, you could use an invisible stitch to close the opening by hand.

Optional: If your cape doesn’t seem to lay flat after ironing, you can opt to sew a line of topstitching all the way around the cape. Madam Sew has an edge-stitching foot that is perfect for this task.

Attach Velcro to the tabs on opposite sides of the cape so that the tabs overlap when connected. I used some adhesive Velcro circles that were designed for fabric. All you do is peel off the backing and stick them where you want.

The Velcro on my son’s cape seems to be wearing well. He has used the cape all week with no problem. I don’t think the circles will fall off, but if they do it will be easy to stick new Velcro circles on. You can also use sew-in Velcro or plastic snaps for this cape. I like Velcro because I know it will break free easily if the cape gets caught on something while my son is playing. If you’re like me, you always think about these kind of safety things when making clothes and toys for kids....

You can add designs to the back of you DIY superhero cape before or after you sew it. If I was doing embroidery, I would have added the designs to the front before attaching it to the back.

For this cape, I got some heat transfer vinyl and cut out a large letter “S”. I chose an “S” because it is the first letter of our last and it can also stand for “superhero,” but you can pick whatever letter or design you want.

If you want to learn more about using heat transfer vinyl without a cutting machine, be sure to check out the instructions on Madam Sew’s blog about T-shirt designs.

If you’ve been following along, your DIY superhero cape should be finished. I’d love to see it. Please post pictures in Madam Sew’s Facebook Page.

Don’t forget to finish your kids’ superhero ensemble with a mask. Afterall, it’s important for all superheroes to conceal their identity. All you need is some felt, a mask template, and some elastic.

I created a couple of free mask templates you can use. CLICK HERE to download them.

• Mask template
• Felt, vinyl, or any fabric that does not fray
• ½” elastic or Fantastic Elastic
• Fabric glue

You can make a one-sided or two-sided mask. Pin or trace the mask template onto your fabric, and cut it out. Try to be as precise as possible. If you’re making a double-sided mask, cut two.

Cut a piece of ½” elastic 14 inches long. Using a sewing machine, attach the elastic to both sides of the mask at the edges. The elastic should sit halfway down both sides.

I used Fantastic Elastic for my son’s superhero mask. It is 1” wide, but you can trim it to any size you need. It’s very handy—I always keep a couple of rolls on hand for my sewing projects. It comes in both white and black.

A simple black mask works well for most superhero costumes, but you can also embellish your mask anyway you like. I outlined one of my kids’ masks with some decorative stitches on my sewing machine. You could also use heat transfer vinyl or permanent fabric markers to embellish your superhero mask.

Wasn’t that easy? I hope you enjoyed this superhero cape and mask sewing tutorial. Let me if you have any questions in the comments below.

Cara Stromness,
Blogging for Madam Sew and Sewing Society

Download the PDF of this cape and mask tutorial here

Download the pattern of the mask here