Every doll needs a hair-styling cape for her at-home beauty treatments. Here’s a fun new project that’s quick and easy.

Start with some water-resistant fabric. I bought a pink nylon raincoat at the thrift store for $1. An old or ‘outgrown’ windbreaker will work just as well. You can even recycle a shower curtain if the plastic is soft and flexible enough. You don’t  need doll clothes patterns to make this cape for your American Girl dolls.

Just follow these directions:

1. Cut a rectangle 20 inches long by 12 inches wide. (This size will fit most 18 inch dolls.) Then find and mark the center point of the rectangle with a dot, as shown in the photo. Draw a line from the center point to the hemline on one of the long sides. This will be the center front opening.

2. Hem all four sides. Turn the raw edge up 1/4 inch. Press in place. Then turn up 1/4 inch again to create a rolled hem. Press again. Topstitch as shown below.

3. Draw a circle (about 2 inches across) around the center point to create an opening for your doll’s neck. I drew around a spice jar to mark my circle. It’s just about the right size.

Then cut along the line and around the circle to create the front opening.

4. Sew contrasting trim around the center front and neck  opening, near the raw edge. I used ready-made piping in a lighter color to add an accent to my cape. You can make your own trim. Or, you can skip this step if you don’t want to add trim.

5. You’ll need some kind of facing to finish the raw edge. I used seam tape because it’s easy. But, you can make your own bias binding out strips of the raincoat fabric if you prefer. With right sides together, sew the seam tape or self-binding along the edge of the front opening as shown.

Then turn it back and topstitch.

6. Next, you’ll need some kind of closure, so your cape stays in place while you’re styling your doll’s hair. I used more of the same seam tape to make ties. Attach one set at the neckline and another set near the waistline. For a final step, tack the rectangle with a few stitches under the doll’s arms, between the shoulder and the hemline.

You can open your cape in the front or back. I like to open mine in the front, so the cape will feel less bulky in back, when I brush the doll’s long hair. So get busy sewing! You can be styling in your home salon in no time. The only doll clothes patterns you need for this project are the instructions in this blog post.

And, please leave a comment to let me know if you like this project!

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