How To Sew A Hooded Cloak In 5 Easy Steps

Cloaks, both with and without hoods, were very popular in the olden days. This type of garment is loose fitting and is worn over indoor clothing. It keeps out the cold, like a coat, except it is sleeveless. Some cloaks are waterproof and were commonly used as raincoats.

In fact, many emergency kits still include a form of plastic or rubber cloak. They can be rolled up into a small ball, so they won’t take up too much room in the emergency kit. Yet, when unfolded, they are large enough to wrap completely around yourself for warmth and keep the rain at bay in case you are caught outdoors when trouble hits.

A cloak is easy to remove and doesn’t constrain you with cumbersome sleeves. Over time cloak designs have been changed to match fashion and available textiles. However, most cloaks today are used mostly for dress-up as part of a costume.

So how do you make a hooded cloak? Making a hooded cloak is as easy as 5 simple steps: measure and cut the fabric, sew the pieces together, choose what style of hood you want and sew the hood onto the cloak, and attach the closure.

Cloaks generally fasten at the neck or over the shoulder and the usual length is about mid-calf. But, they can range from the hip down to the ankle. Other variations include a hood, fasteners down the front or completely closed all around like a poncho.

They generally have holes or slits on the side for your hands or arms to get out and are almost always sleeveless.

How to Sew a Hooded Cloak

Cloaks are used with a variety of costumes from princesses to wizards and appear in just about every fantasy play. So, if you need a cloak for personal use as a special dress-up party or have been tasked with creating the costumes for an upcoming performance, you have come to the right place!

The first step is to choose your fabric.

You can make a cloak out of just about any fabric, including plastic and rubber. It all depends on the look you want to create. If this is your first time making a cloak, you may want to choose cheap cotton so that you are not out too much money in case it doesn’t turn out quite right.

The lining is generally shiny, like satin, but again, if this is your first time, inexpensive cotton will be fine.

Velvet is one of the most popular choices for the outer fabric and satin for the lining. But, keep in mind, both of these fabrics are quite slippery and more difficult to sew.

Experienced sewers can work with these easy, however, beginners might find it daunting and difficult to work with these materials.

What You’ll Need

This project is about making a hooded cloak. You will need:

• Sewing machine – Pretty much any sewing machine will work. You could even sew the whole thing by hand if you like, but a sewing machine will make the job much quicker and easier. There aren’t any complicated sewing techniques required, so a simple machine is just fine.
  • If you need a machine, our affordable sewing-machine buying guide explains features to compare. Check that your chosen machine can handle your fabric and the layers at the seams; you may already have a suitable machine.
• Basic sewing skills – You don’t need to be an expert to make a hooded cloak. If you can sew a straight line and maybe a curve here and there, you are golden!
• Fabric and lining, if required – Use the fabric type, width, and yardage specified for your chosen pattern, size, and cloak length.
  • If you get a fabric that frays easily, you will have to hem the edges to keep your cloak from falling apart prematurely. Sewing the edges is not necessarily a bad thing, just a bit time-consuming. And it could add a great look to the finished project!
  • On the other hand, a fabric that doesn’t fray doesn’t need any hemming at all and looks great! Fleece is an example of a fabric that won’t fray and doesn’t need hemming. And just think how warm and snugly a fleece cloak can be!
  • Baum Textiles Winter Fleece Northern Lights Fabric is a patterned polyester fleece sold by the yard. The listing gives a width of 58 inches. Check the fabric width and yardage required by your pattern before ordering.
• A pattern or some type of design – Buy or create a basic pattern.
  • Simplicity S5794 women’s cape pattern includes printed patterns and instructions in sizes XS–L. It is rated intermediate, so check the envelope measurements, fabric suggestions, and hooded view before buying. Follow the pattern’s fitting instructions rather than enlarging or shrinking the whole outline.
• Thread, scissors, tape measure, pins, and needles – The thread you choose will depend largely on the type of fabric you are using. You want a strong, reliable thread that comes in an appropriate color for your cloak.
• Some type of closure – Like a clasp, a button, or a fancy ribbon.

Step By Step Instructions – 5 Easy Steps

Okay…let’s get started!

Step 1: Measure and cut the fabric

Layout the pattern and carefully cut the material. Double-check everything before you cut! You can’t easily fix a bad cut, so make sure to cut carefully.

Choose the cloak length before cutting. Follow the pattern’s length-adjustment instructions and include its specified hem and seam allowances.

Fabric requirements depend on the pattern layout, fabric width, size, and length. Use the yardage chart for the view you are making. A height-based calculation alone does not account for those differences.

Check whether the yardage chart already includes the hood and whether it lists lining separately. Allow for any extra fabric the pattern requires for a directional print or nap.

After you cut the fabric, the unfolded piece should look like a semi-circle. Continue to cut out all of the pieces according to your pattern and then repeat this step for the lining.

You should now have all of the pieces you need for the outer and inner layers of your cloak and hood.

Step 2: Sewing the pieces together

Pin the outer pieces together with the right sides facing each other. Sew all of the outer pieces, leaving a half-inch seam allowance, then iron the seams flat.

Once the outer pieces are done, do the same with the pieces for the lining.

Put the two sections together, with the right sides facing each other. Pin the sides and the bottom and sew them together. Make sure you leave the neckline open. Turn the cloak right side out and iron out the edges.

Step 3: The hood

The hood can be made in different ways. The best choice for first-timers is to follow the pattern and cut the pieces accordingly.

Sew the outer fabric and lining together. Turn the hood right side out and iron flat.

Step 4: Sewing the hood onto the cloak

The bottom edge of the hood should be a perfect fit for the top edge of the cloak. Line up the two pieces and pin them together. The cloak and hood should look complete, except they are not yet sewn together.

Leaving a half-inch seam allowance, sew the two pieces together. Remove the pins and iron the seams flat.

Step 5: Attaching the closure

The closure can be a variety of things. It can be a simple string, like the one on a hoodie. To do this properly, you will need to make a special seam around the outer edge of the hood for the string to be laced through.

Or, you can simply sew the strings or fine ribbon onto the edge of the hood. This can be a very attractive look!

Traditionally, the hook and eye method are used. It is invisible from the outside and keeps the cloak closed securely. For this method, you just sew the hook part on the back of one of the edges and the eye part on the other.

Make sure you don’t sew all the way through to the front of the fabric. This is supposed to be invisible, after all. Other super cool options include the frog closure or an attractive button. There is no right or wrong type of closure. Whatever suits your style is just fine.

And that’s it! Enjoy your new cloak and hood!

You know you can usually rely on me to find the best video tutorial for you. Check out this one by Professor Pincushion on YouTube!