Super Hero Kit

Click image to enlarge

Designer: Lisa Truesdell
If there’s one thing I’ve learned as a mama to three boys, it’s that super heroes are always cool.  The fascination starts young, and as far as I can tell, never really lets up. Keeping that in mind, I created this super hero costume kit, perfect for all of my boys’ super powered adventures.  It includes a cape, a belt with a removeable communicator to keep in touch with your super hero team, and two star powered wrist bands.

Difficulty rating

Instructions (Print version)

Super Hero Cape
1. Fold your fabric in half.  Measure 34in down the folded edge and make a mark.  Measure 7 in back up from that spot and make another mark.  Measure 20in across the fabric from that mark, and then draw a line between the marks as shown in the photo.  This will create the curve along the bottom of your cape.

2. At the top of the fabric, measure 9in from the fold and make a mark.  Connect this mark with the end of the curve – use your Easy To Read Ruler to make a straight line.
3. Cut out your cape using your Comfort Grip Rotary Trimmer.
4. Use the cape you just created as a pattern to cut a second cape from your other color of fabric.
5. Apply iron on interfacing to your orange fabric.  Trace a circle using the USX super sized circle templates and cut out.
6. Iron the circle on to the blue cape and stitch around the outside.
7. Apply iron on interfacing to a small piece of red fabric.  Trace a star using the USX stars template and cut out using your No 5 Softgrip MicroTip Scissors.  Free hand additional accents from the red fabric.

8. Iron your star and accents over the orange circle and stitch around the outside edge of each piece.
9. Layer your cape pieces, right sides together.  Pin around the edges.  Stitch around the edges, leave the top open.
10. Flip the cape right side out.  Press the seams flat.
11. Stitch around the edges of the cape.
12. Apply the bias tape to the top edge of the cape, leaving extra bias tape on either side to serve as a tie for the cape.  Stitch into place.

13. Measure in about 1.5in from the side of the cape and make a 1.5in pleat. Pin in place and then stitch.  Repeat on the other side.

Super Hero Belt & Communicator
1. Cut a strip of red fabric that measures 4in x 32in long using your Comfort Grip Rotary Trimmer.
2. Press in half, right side to the inside.
3. Stitch along the length of your fabric.
4. Turn the tube of fabric right side out and press it flat.
5. Turn the ends of the tube in and press them.  Stitch across the end of the tube.  Repeat on the other side.
6. Sew several lines of stitching down the length of the fabric.
7. Add Velcro to both sides of the end of the belt. Stitch into place.
8. Now that the base of the belt is made, trim two pieces of blue fabric that measure 4inx6in each.  These will become your Super Hero Communicator.
9. Cut a small circle and star from red and orange fabric – use the scraps from your appliqués on your cape.  Iron them into place on the one piece of blue fabric and stitch into place. Accent with buttons.
10. Add Velcro to the other piece of blue fabric.
11.  Trim a piece of stiff interfacing or canvas fabric to 4x6in. 
12. Layer your fabric together – appliquéd piece, right side up - Velcro piece, right side down – interfacing / canvas on top.  Pin the pieces together and stitch around all 4 sides, leaving a gap so you can turn it right side out.
13. Press the seams flat once you’ve turned it right side out.
14. Add a small amount of batting to give the Communicator a little shape.
15. Pin the opening that you left in step 12 closed and stitch around all 4 sides.
16. Add to the belt using the Velcro.
17. Cut a short length of bias tape.  Fold the ends under and stitch the ends to the belt so your superhero can carry his or her super blaster.

Super Powered Wrist Bands
1. Use your Comfort Grip Rotary Trimmer to cut 4 rectangles of blue fabric, each measuring 5inx9in.

2. Fold one piece of fabric in half.  Make a mark 2in from the bottom of the fabric, along the unfolded side.  Connect the mark you made and the top of the folded fabric with a curved line. Cut along the curved line.
3. Use the piece of fabric you cut as a pattern to cut the other 4 pieces of fabric.
4. Lay two of the pieces together, right sides facing in.  Stitch around the edge, leaving a small gap so that you can turn it right side out.
5. Turn the fabric right side out and press the seams flat.  Pin your opening closed and stitch around the edge of the fabric again.
6. Sew several lines of stitching down the length of the fabric.
7. Add Velcro to both sides of the end of the wrist band. Stitch into place.
8. Trace stars onto your orange fabric scraps using a USX template.  Iron on to the wrist band and stitch into place.

Supply List:
Fiskars 12-97937097 45mm Comfort Grip Rotary Trimmer
http://fiskarscrafts.com/tools/t_45-mm-comfort-grip-rotary-cutter.aspx
Fiskars : 12-87327097 6.5x24.5in Easy To Read Ruler
http://fiskarscrafts.com/tools/t_65-x-245-easy-to-read-ruler.aspx
Fiskars : 12-83717097 18x24in Cutting mat
http://fiskarscrafts.com/tools/t_18x24mat.aspx
Fiskars : 12-9476 7097 No 5 Softgrip MicroTip Scissors
http://fiskarscrafts.com/tools/t_comfort-grip-micro-tip-scissors.aspx
Fiskars : 12-4856 7097 Stars Shape Template
http://fiskarscrafts.com/tools/t_shapetemplate-tool-stars-1-wcoloni.aspx
Fiskars : 12-4850 7097 Circles Shape Template
http://fiskarscrafts.com/tools/t_shapetemplate-tool-circles-1-wsca.aspx
Fiskars :  12-49107097 Super Sized Circles
http://fiskarscrafts.com/tools/t_super-sized-circles.aspx

Other: 1 ½ yards blue fabric, 1 ½ yards red fabric, 1/4yard orange fabric, orange bias tape, iron on interfacing, small piece of stiff interfacing or canvas fabric, Velcro, 4 red buttons, batting