On those crazy days where it’s blizzarding, thundering or just plain blustery, it’s necessary to have an energetic outlet for little ones. Music seems to be the number one solution I hear from parents to help their kids get the wiggles out. A close second for me is playing dress up.
I love dress up because it appeals to boys and girls equally. We’ve had so many boys over to play and they love getting into the clown outfits that were handed down to us from Brent’s childhood. They even like to accessorize with capes, boots and hats. Sammi loves these outfits just as much. In fact, we ended up at storytime at the library one day with her in one of the clown outfits. She was so insistent and I just didn’t have the heart to say no! Here’s a fun video of Sammi and a friend dressing up as clown super heroes. Just too cute!
They sure expended a lot of energy together and were more than ready for bedtime! The cape Sammi is wearing in that video has recently become her Snow White cloak. Sometimes the red cape Jack is wearing becomes a Little Red Riding Hood cape. I love how versatile the cape is in a dress up box. It’s a foundational piece, in my opinion, and belongs in every dress up box! It’s also super easy to make.
How to Make a Dress-Up Cape
- Cut one square of fabric 45 in x 25 in. Cut another strip of fabric of the same or contrasting fabric 45 in x 4 in.
- Hem the sides and bottom of the square piece of fabric.
- Using your sewing machine’s longest stitch setting, sew a running stitch across the (unhemmed) top of the square. You can sew a second line a little farther in the give the gather some stability.
- Mark the center with a safety pin. Gather the square using the running stitches you just sewed. Gather until the fabric measures 12 in across (6 in on each side of the safety pin.)
- Take the strip of fabric. Fold it in half lengthwise and press it. Then open flat. Fold the top half over to the crease (so it’s in fourths) and press the fold. Do the same for the bottom half. Then fold it all together so it’s like bias tape, which is basically how we’re using it. It should be 1 in tall now. Mark the center.
- Slide the gathered end of the square between the two sides of the strip, matching up the two center markers. Pin it securely in place making sure the top of the square goes all the way into the center fold of the strip. Then secure the rest of the square inside the strip with pins. Continue pinning the strip until you get to the ends. Turn the edges inside so that when you sew it there will be only smooth hems.
- Now it’s time to sew! Start at one end of the strip and sew down the short side and along until you get to the square. Continue sewing the square and the strip together making sure that the front and back of the strip are sewn together. Then finish sewing the remainder of the strip and the other end.
- Now you have a finished cape with the strings to tie it on!
Sammi loved being a part of the process when I made this blue cape. From the second I started cutting the fabric she kept asking if she could wear it yet. Unfortunately for her, this cape is a gift. Fortunately for you, it’s a gift for one lucky entrant in the Winter Wonderland! I’ve also added a few surprises that are must-haves for any dress-up box. To enter, make sure you’ve left a comment on the Join the Winter Wonderland post. For additional entries, you can comment on this post, become a fan of Because Babies Grow Up on Facebook or Stumble any post in the Winter Wonderland Carnival (From January 18-January 31, 2010)
My gal LOVES hats. She often asks to go into my closet and get my hats, and we play dress-up in front of a full-length mirror. She also has her own collection of dress-up hats (firefighter, construction worker, cowgirl, etc.), but my hats seem so much more fun to her!
Even though my little one is still quite young, she already loves scarves that she can put on her head, peer through (when sheer), or wrap all around herself. Luckily, Goodwill and similar stores have scarves that are very inexpensive.