A little re... um green riding hood. Useful to protect you from the elements when bringing a basket of goodies to your grandmother, or for wearing while riding as it is short enough that you won't sit on it while in the saddle. A more modern type of cloak used more in the 18'th and early 19'th centuries than in ye olde days, the details of construction aren't too different.
So here's how to make it.
Materials: Newspaper, pencil, needle, thread, tape measure, pins, scissors, two 34" radius round tablecloths or equivalent amount of other fabric, two pieces of ribbon.
Optional: Embroidery floss, more ribbon, clasp, fancy trim, material in a contrasting color to line the hood.
Sources for materials:
Fabric: salvation army or other thrift store.
Ribbon: fabric store or big box store with a sewing or craft department.
Embroidery floss: this is basically colorful string, fabric store, craft store, art store, big box store, anywhere a kindergarten teacher might shop.
Clasp: ribbon or online.
Step 1: Fold one tablecloth in half and then in half again to make a quarter circle. Pin in place.
Step 2: Along one of the straight edges of your quarter circle cut along the fold from the bottom up to the center. Cut only one layer of the fabric, not both. Pictured above you can see the new slit pulled open with the untouched second fold in the middle.
Step 3: Measure the circumference of your neck. Round up. Mark and cut out a circle of newspaper the same size, add a little bit so you don't get strangled later.
Optional: Make the neck hole double sized and then take out the extra length with pleats to give your riding hood extra flounce.
Step 4: Cut the neck hole. This will be a little tricky. What you want to do is put 2/3rds of your neck circle in front, (the side where you cut your opening) and 1/3rd in the back. I did this by folding the paper circle over into thirds and then pinning the bottom 2/3rds to the front centering it along the opening and the final 1/3rd to the back then cutting the hole.
The reason for doing this is that your neck isn't centered on your shoulders. It sits forward and so our neck hole will sit forward.
If you made the hole too big now would be the time to add some pleats to bring it down to size.
Step 5: Turn in and sew down the edges of the front opening
Step 6: Sew a length of ribbon along the inside collar on either side of the neck hole.
Step 7: Draw out your hood pattern on some newspaper. Line A is half the circumference of your neck hole. B is 14 to 18 inches depending on the size of your head. Measure around your face and add a couple inches, divide by two. C is 18 inches, that should fit most anyone's head with plenty of space to spare.
Optional: for lining the hood add a rectangle under line a with a height of 1.5-4 inches. Only use the extra length for the lining.
Step 8: Get the second tablecloth or spare fabric. Fold over and pin your hood pattern to it with line A resting along the fold. Cut out the hood.
Optional: Do the same for the lining. I used leftover material from the green cloak, don't forget the extra length at the bottom.
Step 9: Pin right sides of the hood together, the black line is the fold, sew along the red line in the pattern.The blue lines stay open.
Optional: Do the same with the lining and then sew the two together. Attach them along line B. I also sitched the two seams of the red line together. Right sides facing each other so when you turn it the right way around all the seams are hidden.
Triple check that all the seams will be hidden when you turn the hood the right way. Sewing one on backwards would um... be embarrassing and set you back an hour while you picked out the stitches.. A mistake I would never make myself, not me, nope. Quit looking at me like that!
Optional: decorate. One color and nothing else is boring. Use some ribbon, use some yarn, dress the thing up a bit.
At this point you should have half a tablecloth and change left over. Use it to make a cape. Don't epically fail at it like I did.
Here's a shot of the hood in the up position.
Cost
twos tablecloths: $7.00 at the salvation army
ribbon: a spool was $0.50 I used about a penny's worth
Total $7.01 plus decoration. You should also have enough leftover material to also make a cape.
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