How to Make a Vampire Costume
Choose your fabric., Cut out your cape., Cut out the hood., Baste and gather the cape., Sew hood to cape., Personalize your cape., Alternatively, buy a costume cape.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Choose your fabric.
Whether you prefer bloody red taffeta, jet black silk or inky blue velvet, make sure your fabric and color choice is sufficiently vampiric.
You will need 1–2 yards (0.9–1.8 m) of fabric, depending on how long you want the cape to be. -
Step 2: Cut out your cape.
Lay your fabric out on a large space, such as your living room floor.
Use a measuring tape to measure from your shoulder to your calf, or wherever you want your cape to end.
Use this measurement to mark the length of your cape on the fabric.
Cut along this line to make your cape.
Another way to measure your cape is to lie down on the fabric.
Lie with the top edge of the fabric at your shoulders.
Sit up without moving your legs.
Mark with chalk at your leg where you want the cape to fall.
Make another mark a few inches lower.
This is where you will cut.
Use your measuring tape to mark this line all the way across the fabric.
Cut across.
You can hem all around the edges of your cape if you are going for a refined look.
For a rougher look, leave the edges raw. , Measure a 30" by 15" rectangle in the corner of the remaining fabric.
Mark this rectangle with chalk, then cut it out.
This will be the hood of the cape.
To hem the hood, fold in the short edged of the hood about 1/2".
Pin and then iron in place.
Stitch the hem and then set aside.
If you want an extra droopy hood, measure the rectangle as 35" by 20" instead. , Loosely straight stitch along the edge of the cape, a 1/4" from the edge.
You are putting a loose thread along the edge of the cape so that you can use it to evenly gather the cape.
This is called 'basting'.
After you have threaded the edge of the cape, hold the extra thread with one hand and use the other to scrunch the fabric down along the thread.
Continue to evenly gather the fabric along the thread until the edge of the cape is the same length as the hood.
If you are using a sewing machine, set it for the longest stitch available.
Leave plenty of loose thread on the edge. , Lay the hood on the gathered end of the cape.
Sew the cape to the hood.
Make sure you are touching together the right sides of the fabric so the hood is inside-out.
Use a straight stitch to sew the cape to the hood. , You can add applique patches, such as bats, moons or spiders to personalize your cape. , A costume shop will have them as props around Halloween, but comb vintage and thrift shops, too. -
Step 3: Cut out the hood.
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Step 4: Baste and gather the cape.
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Step 5: Sew hood to cape.
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Step 6: Personalize your cape.
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Step 7: Alternatively
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Step 8: buy a costume cape.
Detailed Guide
Whether you prefer bloody red taffeta, jet black silk or inky blue velvet, make sure your fabric and color choice is sufficiently vampiric.
You will need 1–2 yards (0.9–1.8 m) of fabric, depending on how long you want the cape to be.
Lay your fabric out on a large space, such as your living room floor.
Use a measuring tape to measure from your shoulder to your calf, or wherever you want your cape to end.
Use this measurement to mark the length of your cape on the fabric.
Cut along this line to make your cape.
Another way to measure your cape is to lie down on the fabric.
Lie with the top edge of the fabric at your shoulders.
Sit up without moving your legs.
Mark with chalk at your leg where you want the cape to fall.
Make another mark a few inches lower.
This is where you will cut.
Use your measuring tape to mark this line all the way across the fabric.
Cut across.
You can hem all around the edges of your cape if you are going for a refined look.
For a rougher look, leave the edges raw. , Measure a 30" by 15" rectangle in the corner of the remaining fabric.
Mark this rectangle with chalk, then cut it out.
This will be the hood of the cape.
To hem the hood, fold in the short edged of the hood about 1/2".
Pin and then iron in place.
Stitch the hem and then set aside.
If you want an extra droopy hood, measure the rectangle as 35" by 20" instead. , Loosely straight stitch along the edge of the cape, a 1/4" from the edge.
You are putting a loose thread along the edge of the cape so that you can use it to evenly gather the cape.
This is called 'basting'.
After you have threaded the edge of the cape, hold the extra thread with one hand and use the other to scrunch the fabric down along the thread.
Continue to evenly gather the fabric along the thread until the edge of the cape is the same length as the hood.
If you are using a sewing machine, set it for the longest stitch available.
Leave plenty of loose thread on the edge. , Lay the hood on the gathered end of the cape.
Sew the cape to the hood.
Make sure you are touching together the right sides of the fabric so the hood is inside-out.
Use a straight stitch to sew the cape to the hood. , You can add applique patches, such as bats, moons or spiders to personalize your cape. , A costume shop will have them as props around Halloween, but comb vintage and thrift shops, too.
About the Author
Alexander Gray
Specializes in breaking down complex home improvement topics into simple steps.
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