Tate became the Chosen Parent over Labor Day weekend. He introduced the concepts of “capes” and “superheroes” to Carson and Ella. Using the Thomas blanket and sheet from Carson’s bed, he tied them around the kids’ necks and helped them soar through the air.
If only doing laundry and cleaning the pee off of toilets could bring the accolades that playing superheroes brings.
Using my crafty prowess, I one upped Tate’s novice bedsheet capes and made, lovingly, with my own two hands, personalized capes for the children.
I think I may have regained their favor.
(This would be a good time to remind you that my children’s names aren’t really Carson and Ella, and that their superhero logos correspond to their real names.)
Recognize the black lining of Ella’s cape? Why that’s just a certain lining from an old bridesmaid’s dress of mine (that had been cleaned, don’t worry), repurposed as a cape! I made Carson’s cape from the skirt of a different old bridesmaid dress that had a barf-free history.
There were a few foils in my quest to out-do Tate and make capes. The trip to Joann Fabrics for pink, glittery material for Ella’s cape, well, let’s just not talk about it. It was an unpleasant and sweaty trip thanks to one little boy who will remain unnamed. (Carson) Then after spending an hour or so of cutting up the dresses and pinning the patterned pieces together, my sewing machine decided to crap out on me. “No stitches for you!” the sewing machine mocked. Three hours later, adjusting settings, sweating, cursing, and cleaning components of the sewing machine, it still wouldn’t sew.
Not wanting to disappoint the children, I luckily had some Stitch Witchery on hand and I taped and ironed the pieces together. Another three hours later and the capes were finally ready for Carson and Ella to save the world.
I found the superhero cape pattern at thelongthread.com. This would have been a very easy, quick project if, you know, I had a functioning sewing machine.
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I want to thank each of you for your incredibly humbling comments on my last post. I’m honored by your kind words and compliments. Perspective is something I often lose sight of, but what I need to remember is that I do write for me and for you, not “them.” I should stop allowing numbers or lack of recognition from people who don’t know me to a factor into my blogging mood. What I need is what I have, and that is you, my friends. Thank you.
Carrie
September 9, 2009 at 8:47 pm
Those are great!
Carrie´s last blog ..Days like this
Heather
September 9, 2009 at 8:57 pm
Love the capes! Thanks for the link my boys will love them.
Heather´s last blog ..Scones
Cathy
September 9, 2009 at 9:01 pm
Those are kick ass! And shiny!
Love them.
Cathy´s last blog ..PreKindergarten
MadWoman
September 9, 2009 at 9:07 pm
HA! Superhero you! Those are great capes. I haven’t got a clue how to do things like that so now I just don’t bother. No wonder Hubby is always one upping me.
Scary Mommy
September 9, 2009 at 9:11 pm
I am in love with those. I’m in a wedding next month and I’m thinking the fugly dress would make a fab cape. LOVE those.
Scary Mommy´s last blog ..Pre-School Induced Narcolepsy
Tara R.
September 9, 2009 at 9:13 pm
Congrats on becoming a dresser to superheroes! Those are fabulous capes.
Tara R.´s last blog ..How far can you stretch a friendship
Aimee Greeblemonkey
September 9, 2009 at 9:36 pm
You kick booty!
Nap Warden
September 9, 2009 at 9:39 pm
Way to rock the capes girl!
I need perspective with my blogging. I feel like I’m losing my way in this blogging world. I suppose I already said that in your last post:P Just saying I so get what you were saying:)
Nap Warden´s last blog ..They’re Growing Up!
Michelle
September 9, 2009 at 9:51 pm
I love the capes. I keep saying it but learning to sew is top on my to do list. I am actually looking for the class now.
C @ Kid Things
September 9, 2009 at 10:24 pm
Awesome capes! Some days, I wish I had one with Super Mom on the back. It might actually help me feel like Super Mom.
C @ Kid Things´s last blog ..Friends with Filth, Not so Fond of Clean
coffeejitters (Judy Haley)
September 9, 2009 at 10:38 pm
these capes are so cute – and what a great way to repurpose those old bridesmaid dresses
coffeejitters (Judy Haley)´s last blog ..Snuggle Bunnies
Stimey
September 10, 2009 at 12:14 am
Capes are always winners! Great job!
Stimey´s last blog ..I Hate Doctor’s Offices
mom, again
September 10, 2009 at 12:36 am
When my mom was in high school in the late 50’s, she received a box of wonderful, handmade clothing from her seamstress aunt. In those days, the really rich didn’t buy ready made, they had things made to measure. Seems a clients teenage daughter for some reason c/wouldn’t wear the multiple dresses with exactly matching crinolines. She gained waight or got pregnant or became a beatnik, who knows what. Great Aunt couldn’t sell the collection to any other client b/c that sort of thing wasn’t done. So, my mom benefitted greatly!
My mom didn’t get a lot of wear out of them either. She wore uniforms to school and the whole crinole skirt thing was going out of fashion. BUT! The fabrics were exquisite and every girl took home ec back then.
The 8-gored perectly matched at every seam tiny plaid skirt eventually was cut up and remade into little suits for my brothers. She still has the bodice with it’s hand-cut and pieced same fabric scroll-work trim.
The black silk velvet dress w/with white silk satin lining was cut up and recreated into a tiny witches cape for my Halloween when I was about Ella’s age. I still have it. Sumptuos fabric. You can’t even buy such stuff except these days.
feefifoto
September 10, 2009 at 1:24 am
Beautiful capes — something to be proud of and wear with joy.
But–
I know I’m sounding kind of pilly right now, but when I was your kids’ age my grandmother made us Superman capes that we wore with pride, until the day my sister’s caught on part of our sliding board and she almost hanged herself. I’m not making this up; it didn’t happen to “a friend” or “someone I know” or “some woman in a shopping center parking lot.” I watched my sister dangling from the slide and turning blue. Luckily my mother must have seen her through the window, or heard me screaming, or seen me running in circles like a panicky duck, and she cut her down. That was the end of capes for us.
It’s hard to tell from your photos, but think about replacing pins with velcro.
feefifoto´s last blog ..Sleep
Michelle
September 10, 2009 at 1:58 am
And I thought the B stood for “Bouncy” and the A for ‘Adorable”…
They look great. And doesn’t it suck when the sewing machine doesn’t work?
…And I know you know this, but there isn’t really any one-up-manship with Tate, he just doesn’t have the same amount of time with the kids, so he doesn’t have the mundane (and constantly cleaning pee off the toilet…that’s mundane!)
Love you
Michelle
September 10, 2009 at 1:59 am
And I see the velcro on the capes (and love the easy pattern)
Jennifer
September 10, 2009 at 5:51 am
feefifoto, No! You don’t sound pilly! I had the same concern. I did use velcro for the neck pieces, but I also haven’t let the kids wear them out of my sight. Even with the velcro, it’s make’s me a little nervous.
ClassyFabSarah
September 10, 2009 at 5:53 am
Those capes are ADORABLE!!
And I’m sure you are definitely the most awesome parent now.
ClassyFabSarah´s last blog ..Friends Rock
Heather, Queen of Shake Shake
September 10, 2009 at 5:57 am
Now see, I thought the “A” stood for Angel and the “B” for Beautiful. And I suppose, depending on the day, the letters could stand for less flattering nicknames, no?
Heather, Queen of Shake Shake´s last blog ..Housecleaning Purgatory
Jen L.
September 10, 2009 at 6:49 am
CUTE! What a great idea. I usually wrap a towel around my kid and snap it shut with a clothespin.
I think I”ll ask Grandma to sew him a personalize cape. (The craft gene skipped my generation…it’s so sad.)
Jen L.´s last blog ..09-09-09 = FAIL
Kara
September 10, 2009 at 7:11 am
Those are AWESOME. You have inspired me. Thanks.
Mom
September 10, 2009 at 8:26 am
Love the capes. I am so impressed. Sorry about the sewing machine. But 45 years is pretty good.
Ashlie- Mommycosm
September 10, 2009 at 8:31 am
Those are WAY cute.
I have a working sewing machine. I just don’t know how to use it. Pathetic, I know. For now, I work a mean glue gun.
Ashlie- Mommycosm´s last blog ..BusyBody Book
mep
September 10, 2009 at 8:43 am
I’m totally nominating you for Mother of the Year.
Also, I feel inspired to think about Halloween costumes that could involve capes. I love the idea of dressing my kids as the superhero versions of themselves. If only I knew how to thread my sewing machine . . .
mep´s last blog ..Culinary Mysteries–MEP’s Cooking Up a New Series
feener
September 10, 2009 at 8:43 am
very crafty of you !!!!
Mary @ Giving Up on Perfect
September 10, 2009 at 8:55 am
I can’t believe you made capes! You are my hero, too!
Also – just read yesterday’s post. And I know it probably doesn’t help, but I SO hear you about Twitter.
Mary @ Giving Up on Perfect´s last blog ..All tuckered out
Donna
September 10, 2009 at 9:28 am
Amazing. Beautiful. I could never.
Donna´s last blog ..Six Years Ago
Domestic Extraordinaire
September 10, 2009 at 10:18 am
The looks of happiness on their faces is priceless. Great job!!
Domestic Extraordinaire´s last blog ..TGIF with some winners!!
Katie
September 10, 2009 at 10:36 am
Super cute! I have made that same cape 3 times! I love that pattern. It is so easy. Well, when the machine works.
Katie´s last blog ..Dippity Do!!!
MommyNamedApril
September 10, 2009 at 10:44 am
wow, you’re a much better mommy than me! i just put hooded towels over their heads and call them super heros (or super ghosts, depending on the situation, hah!) LOL! love the capes!
MommyNamedApril´s last blog ..Deep Thought For The Day…
Vic
September 10, 2009 at 10:49 am
See, you knew there’d be a future use for that bridesmaid dress.
Vic´s last blog ..The Simple Things
Maureen@IslandRoar
September 10, 2009 at 12:17 pm
Aw, these are great! I made my kids capes when they were little (a very UN characterisitic thing for me), and they still have them.
Maureen@IslandRoar´s last blog ..Spin Cycle: What Are YOU Good At?
Joe @ IrrationalDad
September 10, 2009 at 12:40 pm
I love how Tat made capes that the kids LOVE in about five minutes, then you make capes that the kids LOVE that took HOURS.
I think we know who the winner is.
valerie
September 10, 2009 at 12:49 pm
Those are great! I love that you got to reuse that dress.
I have a whole bag of clothes that I don’t/can’t wear anymore than I am saving to cut up and make stuff out of. One of the pieces I’ve saved is a pair of pajama pants that are lime green with blue hippos.
Maybe my two year old niece needs a purse for her birthday this month?
valerie´s last blog ..Oh and this too
Jamie
September 10, 2009 at 1:36 pm
You should sell these on ETSY! Seriously.
Jamie´s last blog ..Zen Goat And The Zoo
rachel-asouthernfairytale
September 10, 2009 at 3:34 pm
YOU ROCK
I still have the plain red capes my Granny made me something like 26 years ago.
And then, here you have it, you posted about it 
AWESOME
My kids wear them
I was thinking about making one of these for Monkey for his birthday next week
rachel-asouthernfairytale´s last blog ..Blogging For Boobs
Sarah
September 10, 2009 at 6:24 pm
You definitely outdid him!! You rock!! I’m trying to make over 50% homemade Christmas gifts this year…and loving it – despite feeling overwhelmed and it’s not even October!! It’s coming on FAST!!
Sarah´s last blog ..Time – it’s fleeting when the whirlwind hits…
kj @ Where my boys at?
September 10, 2009 at 8:33 pm
The capes ROCK.
Thanks for the idea.
My twins are really into Spidey and Superman. Maybe I could do this project for them.
kj @ Where my boys at?´s last blog ..Waiting for the bus, together.
MIL in STL
September 10, 2009 at 9:33 pm
The capes are SO cute. You did a great job. When Tate was Carson’s age I made him a red cape that he wore with his superman underoos….could’t get him to wear anything else. Maybe he needs a cape too!(ha ha) just sayin’
mpotter
September 10, 2009 at 9:34 pm
wow! they look like they’re ready to take on the world.
what a great thing you did for them.
i bet 20 years from now they will tell their spouse about the time mom made them real.live.capes.
awesome.
mpotter´s last blog ..stranger danger
Jackie Hall
September 11, 2009 at 11:19 am
First cute capes!
Second, I’m so glad you you are going to continue. I really enjoy YOUR writing. If I didn’t I would not keep comoing back. Nor would your other 15,000 other followers.
I have to confess I was so worried you would be gone when I clicked on your name in my favorites drop box just now. Glad you are sticking around for a while longer.
Hope you have a great weekend!
Shannon
September 11, 2009 at 11:38 pm
Oh, you are a rockstar mama! From now on, when your kids misbehave or whine you can say “Now who made you your very own PERSONALIZED SUPER HERO CAPE? ME. THAT’S WHO.”
Shannon´s last blog ..To the Inventor(s) of Wallpaper
Jessica
September 12, 2009 at 9:50 am
These are amazing! I want to make some… I have the bridesmaid dress. Now I just need a sewing machine and/or some sort of skill… crap.
Jessica´s last blog ..Call Me Crazy – Part I
rabbi's wife
September 12, 2009 at 6:33 pm
Hey! you’re now one of my favorite movie characters of all time…Edna Mode! (from the Incredibles)
rabbi’s wife´s last blog ..Wow…time flies!
Country-Fried Mama
September 13, 2009 at 8:34 pm
Best use for bridesmaids dresses I’ve ever seen. I might have to take a pair of scissors to some horrid “watermelon” raw silk that has been hanging in my closet for years.
The Fabulous Gal » Things I wish I could make
September 16, 2009 at 12:49 pm
[...] child needs a cape, that's all there is to it. This seems easy enough for someone like me [...]
From Eek to Chic | Playgroups are No Place For Children
October 8, 2009 at 8:44 pm
[...] won’t mention that my husband and children asked me if I was trying to be a superhero in my new cape.) [...]