Make the Cape: Drafting a Peter Pan Collar for Your Cape // Sewing the Collar

Peter Pan Collar Tutorial by thisblogisnotforyou.comMaking the cape? Pattern assembled and cut out? Then it’s time to draft the Peter Pan Collar!

Drafting a Peter Pan Collar for Your Cape

In order to do this, we will need to make some adjustments to the cape pattern piece. Best, you cut out your cape fabric before you draft the collar. If you want to cut out the fabric later, you will need to put the pattern piece back together after drafting your collar.

1. Take your cape pattern piece and lengthen the shoulder seamline by drawing a straight line down to the hem like so:Peter Pan Collar Tutorial by thisblogisnotforyou.com

2. Cut the pattern apart along this line.Peter Pan Collar Tutorial by thisblogisnotforyou.com

Now it’s much easier to join the shoulder seams, which we will do in this next step:
Peter Pan Collar Tutorial by thisblogisnotforyou.comTo make explaining this step easier, I have marked two points, A and B. A is where the shoulder seamline meets the neckline. B is where the small circle is marked.

3. Fold away the seam allowance like so:Peter Pan Collar Tutorial by thisblogisnotforyou.com4. Now join the two pattern pieces, so the As match up and the Bs overlap by approx. 1cm. Tape together (don’t glue, you will want to be able to separate the pieces again and tape them back together in order to cut out your cape if you haven’t done so yet).

The point of overlapping the two pieces is to help the collar lie very flat against your cape.Peter Pan Collar Tutorial by thisblogisnotforyou.comYour pattern will now look like this:Peter Pan Collar Tutorial by thisblogisnotforyou.comNow that we have a continuous neckline, we can start drafting the collar.

5. Place your pattern piece on a piece of paper (I glued together two A4 pages).Peter Pan Collar Tutorial by thisblogisnotforyou.com6. Copy the shape of the neckline, also marking the position of center front & back and the shoulder seamline.Peter Pan Collar Tutorial by thisblogisnotforyou.comIt should look like this:Peter Pan Collar Tutorial by thisblogisnotforyou.com7. Now add 1.5cm (5/8”) seam allowance. (The seam allowance is already included in the cape pattern, which is why we need to mark it on the collar piece. You don’t want your collar end up too narrow).
Peter Pan Collar Tutorial by thisblogisnotforyou.com8. Draw the center front line (parallel to the front edge).Peter Pan Collar Tutorial by thisblogisnotforyou.com9. For this step I used a lid, but you can also do this free hand. Starting at the center front line draw a curved line. Here it’s completely up to you how you want the shape of your collar to look. When you’re satisfied with the shape, measure the width.

As you can see in the picture below, my collar is 7.5cm wide (including seam allowance at the neckline).Peter Pan Collar Tutorial by thisblogisnotforyou.com10. Mark the width measurement on the center back seam. Depending on the fabric you use the collar will be either cut on fold or in two pieces. If you are using fabric in a plain colour, you can simply cut the collar on fold (make a note next to the center back line). If you’re using patterned fabric which needs to be neatly lined up in the front, you will have to cut the collar in two pieces. In this case you will have to add 1.5cm of seam allowance to the center back edge.Peter Pan Collar Tutorial by thisblogisnotforyou.com11. Mark the measured width all the way around the neckline.
Peter Pan Collar Tutorial by thisblogisnotforyou.com12. Draw a smooth line through all of the marks.Peter Pan Collar Tutorial by thisblogisnotforyou.com13. Now you’re almost done! Just add some seam allowance to the bottom edge of your collar.Peter Pan Collar Tutorial by thisblogisnotforyou.com14. Mark the shoulder seam placement and center front with notches. Now grab a coffee and admire your newly drafted Peter Pan collar!Peter Pan Collar Tutorial by thisblogisnotforyou.com

Sewing the Collar

Next to your pattern and fabric you will need:
♥ matching thread ♥ fusible interfacing ♥ scissors ♥ iron ♥ sewing machine ♥ pins ♥

Now it’s time to cut out and sew this beautiful specimen of a collar! Before you head off and cut into your lovely fabric, here a quick hint for those of you using plaid/striped fabric.

First of all, matching the pattern perfectly is easier when you only cut out one piece at a time (so no folding or layering of fabric). But that’s completely up to you.

The easiest way to make sure the pattern matches up nicely in the front is to use the center front mark on your pattern piece as a guide. As you can see in the picture below, I lined up the center front with the darker, vertically running line. Using my fabric as example, you could then mark the position of the lighter, horizontally running line on your pattern piece to make sure that the next piece is cut out in exactly the same way.Peter Pan Collar Tutorial by thisblogisnotforyou.com

1. Cut out 4x collar (or 2x if cut on fold), 2x fusible interfacing (or 1x if cut on fold). Cut out the fusible interfacing without the seam allowance (we don’t need extra bulk).

Peter Pan Collar Tutorial by thisblogisnotforyou.com

2. Using your iron, fuse the interfacing to the left side of your collar pieces. Peter Pan Collar Tutorial by thisblogisnotforyou.com3. If not cut on fold, sew your collar pieces together at the center back. Press seam open.Peter Pan Collar Tutorial by thisblogisnotforyou.com4. Pin or baste collar pieces together (right sides together) starting at the seam allowance mark at the front corner, all the way along the bottom edge. Leave the top edge as it is. Don’t sew it closed!

With this step I always prefer basting instead of pinning, but that’s just my personal preference. When basting, the fabric layers are less likely to shift, which is important when you are trying to match patterns.Peter Pan Collar Tutorial by thisblogisnotforyou.com5. Sew along the pinned/basted edge using 1.5 cm of seam allowance. Before you turn the collar inside out, clip the rounded edges to remove bulk like so:Peter Pan Collar Tutorial by thisblogisnotforyou.comYou can trim one seam allowance shorter than the other. this also helps to remove bulk.Peter Pan Collar Tutorial by thisblogisnotforyou.com6. Turn inside out and give it a good press.

After sewing together the cape, the collar will be attached to the cape’s neckline, matched up at the center front. If you’re sewing a lined cape, you can simply sew the collar to the cape left on right (see picture below).

I will explain how to add a lining in my next sewalong post.

If you are not lining your cape, you could sew the collar onto the cape left on right, finish the raw edges, press them in and stitch them onto the cape (without catching the collar!). The stitching will be hidden under the collar.

Peter Pan Collar Tutorial by thisblogisnotforyou.com

The next part of the sewalong will be coming this week next week and covers:

Cutting Out and Sewing the Lining


Happy sewing!

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Make the Cape: Hello Sewalongers!

Fairy Tale Cape by thisblogisnotforyou.comHello my fabulous sewalongers! My Fairy Tale Cape pattern was released over a month ago and it is about time to host a sewalong! I’m absolutely over the moon about how many of you downloaded the pattern – it’s even #1 in the Top To Sew category on AllFreeSewing.  Thank you guys, you are the best!

The pattern comes with detailed instructions and illustrations, so this sewalong will focus on how to make variations of the cape, such as:

  • drafting and adding a Peter Pan collar
  • adding armholes/armslits
  • adding a full lining

…and other useful tips for designing and sewing your very own cape!

Fairy Tale Cape pattern by thisblogisnotforyou.com

Here’s my varation of the Fairy Tale Cape:Fairy Tale Cape by thisblogisnotforyou.comVery sherlock-y, isn’t it? And it was raining here in Londontown, that’s why I’m wearing gumboots. (That was last week – now the weather is just perfect and sunny and I could wear my Elisalex at the NYlon blogger meet up last saturday!)Fairy Tale Cape by thisblogisnotforyou.comI kept the length of the cape, but decided to swap the hood for a cute Peter Pan collar! Instead of 10 buttons, I only added 6 this time plus two hidden snaps.Fairy Tale Cape by thisblogisnotforyou.comMy cape has armslits and a full lining. It’s made to be worn outdoors and will come in handy now that the weather is getting warmer everyday – byebye coat!Fairy Tale Cape by thisblogisnotforyou.comThe fabric is soft, lightweight linen I bought at Saeed’s Fabrics in Walthamstow. It is lined with soft lime-coloured cotton.
Fairy Tale Cape by thisblogisnotforyou.com

Are you sewing along? If you are, let me know!

There will be a link party at the end of this sewalong were you can link up your fabulous capes!

The next part of the sewalong will be coming this week and covers:

Printing & Assembling the Pattern // Choosing Design Variations & Fabric

In the meantime, go get your pattern if you haven’t done so yet! x


Happy sewing!

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There’s a tree branch in our living room. Let’s hang it on the wall.

tree branch wall decor by thisblogisnotforyou.comThere’s a tree branch hanging on our wall. At first I was afraid this thing could attack me by falling down, but I didn’t (so far) and I love it. Here’s a selfie of our shabby couch with our new (not so new anymore) roommate.tree branch wall decor by thisblogisnotforyou.comI found this nice little guy when I went running after a day of stormy weather. Out of pity I picked it up and carried it home. I thought Londoners would be used to so much weird stuff that they’d ignore this, but they stared anyway.  (The branch is about 1.5m long, our couch is just so big, that it makes it look tinier than it is)
tree branch wall decor by thisblogisnotforyou.comMr Thisblogisnotforyou was a bit surprised but was willing to help me find a place for it. We hung it on the wall with two small nails and a few bits of string. tree branch wall decor by thisblogisnotforyou.comI was planning on decorating it with white mini origami cranes and just hung this necklace there for the time being. But we liked this so much, we kept it like that. tree branch wall decor by thisblogisnotforyou.comIt has a great effect and it’s such an easy and really simple DIY decor project. I love tree branches because I love wood. That’s probably why I chose to live in a place with this:tree branch wall decor by thisblogisnotforyou.comAnd…this:tree branch wall decor by thisblogisnotforyou.comThis hole in the floor has eaten so many pins that I stopped counting. And a battery. But it hasn’t stolen any of my chocolates yet, so I can live with it.tree branch wall decor by thisblogisnotforyou.com

Hope you all had a great weekend and lovely mother’s day. I sent my mum a pair of leather feather earrings and she loved it. She even sent me a pic with both her and my sis wearing the earrings on the same day. Aww! 🙂

There will be more sewing-related posts later this week (including the start of the cape sewalong!), but the weather has been so horrible that I couldn’t take any pictures for the blog.

Anyone attending the London Blogger Meet Up on Saturday? I’ll be there!

Over and out. ♥

Inspiration Wall DIY by thisblogisnotforyou.com
other wall decor projects by me

Happy sewing!

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DIY Leather Feather Earrings

DIY leather feather earrings by thisblogisnotforyou.com

Hellooo everyone! After some server errors (sorry about that!), I’m back. Upgrading plug-ins can be annoying if they decide to break your website!

Hope you had a great week so far! London couldn’t decide between pouring rain and bright sunlight, so luckily my conscience didn’t make me feel guilty about playing stay-at-home in order to prepare this tutorial and update my FAQ page.

A little while back I recycled two leather coats into a bag for my little sister. From this project I had tons of leather scraps left and made a pair of black and silver feather earrings. I gave them to my sister (who loved them) after which my mum also wanted her own pair.

I made three more pairs and will share a little tutorial for making these DIY cuties. Mother’s Day is this weekend and these adorable earrings make a lovely last-minute handmade gift! DIY leather feather earrings by thisblogisnotforyou.comDIY leather feather earrings by thisblogisnotforyou.com

DIY leather feather earrings by thisblogisnotforyou.com

These are the earrings I made for my sister, here modelled by a friend of mine:
DIY leather feather earrings by thisblogisnotforyou.com

Ok, let’s get cracking! Here’s how to make your own pair of DIY leather feather earrings:

DIY leather feather earrings by thisblogisnotforyou.com

OPTIONAL: Silver jewelry wire, tape, tailor’s chalk.

DIY leather feather earrings by thisblogisnotforyou.com

1. Cut out two symmetrical feather shaped pieces from the leather scraps. You can mark the shapes with chalk on the left side of the leather if you you’re not sure about freehand-cutting.

DIY leather feather earrings by thisblogisnotforyou.com

2. Stitch down the middle of your leather pieces (about 2/3 down), either with machine or by hand. This will stabilise the shape of the feather and look like the shaft. Alternatively, you can use jewelry wire instead of thread:DIY leather feather earrings by thisblogisnotforyou.comDIY leather feather earrings by thisblogisnotforyou.com

Puncture the leather with a needle, making it easier to thread the wire through it.
DIY leather feather earrings by thisblogisnotforyou.com3.  Now it’s time to apply any textil paint. To create chevrons or other shapes with clear lines, you can mask the leather with tape. Wait until the paint is completely dry before you remove the paint.
DIY leather feather earrings by thisblogisnotforyou.com

4. Cut into the leather diagonally. Be careful not to cut into the thread/wire.DIY leather feather earrings by thisblogisnotforyou.comDIY leather feather earrings by thisblogisnotforyou.com

This pair I decoreated with dots to look like guinea fowl feathers.
DIY leather feather earrings by thisblogisnotforyou.com

5. In the next and last step you will apply the jump rings and earrings hooks. Having pliers helps, but if you’re very careful, scissors will do the job, too.DIY leather feather earrings by thisblogisnotforyou.com

Use a larger needle to punch a little hole into the top of your earring. Bend the jump ring up and push it through. This is a bit fiddly. Holding the ring with a pair of pliers helps!DIY leather feather earrings by thisblogisnotforyou.com

Slide on the earring hook and use your pliers or scissors to squeeze the ends of the jump ring together again.DIY leather feather earrings by thisblogisnotforyou.com

Make sure you mirror the earring hooks. Using this technique, the earrings will hang sideways (see picture above). If you don’t like that, you can either use two jump rings or omit them altogether.

Well, and that’s it!

It’s a really fun and quick project which also makes a great handmade gift!

DIY leather feather earrings by thisblogisnotforyou.com

Have fun making your own feather earrings! xx


Happy weekend!

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More Shrink Plastic Fun! Earrings and Pendants

shrink plastic earrings by thisblogisnotforyou.comI made these cute little earrings and necklace charms for my friend’s birthday. She loves owls and books, so these were the obvious choice!shrink plastic earrings by thisblogisnotforyou.com

The owls and books are about 1inch/2.5cm. I made the holes with a hole punch and used pliers to attach the hooks of the earrings. Earring hooks are quite inexpensive and you can get them in DIY/craft stores or order them online. I always have some at home in case I need small gifts. Using shrink plastic, beads and wire or even fabric, you can make some cute little earrings in no time!shrink plastic earrings by thisblogisnotforyou.comThe shrinkage is about 50%, which you have to consider when you choose the size of your image. You can draw directly on the plastic using a permanent marker. If you want to add colour, you can sandpaper the shrink plastic with very fine (!) sandpaper and then simply use crayons, acrylic paint or water colour. I recommend to keep the finished make from getting wet, as non-water-resistant colours might blur (even after baking the plastic).shrink plastic earrings by thisblogisnotforyou.comshrink plastic earrings by thisblogisnotforyou.comI made these chevron earrings for myself (I got my friend to wear them for the pic 😉 ).shrink plastic earrings by thisblogisnotforyou.comIf you like my shrink plastic DIYs, you might want to check these out, too!

DIY Lace Collar Necklace by Thisblogisnotforyou.com

shrink plastic earrings by thisblogisnotforyou.com


Happy crafting!

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