Superhero capes!  I wanted to craft something special for my dear friend Mary’s daughter, Reagan, who was diagnosed with leukemia last November.   At only 15 months old, she entered treatment at CCMC in Hartford, and essentially lived there for the following 7 months. Let’s just say that this little girl kicked kancer’s keister (I read that if you change its spelling, you take away its power… I da know.)!  Reagan has remained “in remission” since her first round of chemo, and is back at home with her two older siblings, where she belongs!  

This isn’t Reagan by the way, but “Rainbow Reagan’s” cape modeled by Avery.

At her age, adjusting to the new norm was easy, but for Mary, Bill, Liam and Charlotte, it was a monumental shake up.  How they managed to keep it all together astounds me!  Indeed there is not just one superhero in this family…

“Lightening Liam”, at 5 years old, is also a force to be reckoned with!

And “Shining Charlotte”, 3,  will blind you with her star quality!

Oh, I’d be running for the hills if I were cancer, I mean kancer.

Though this project was not without its ups and downs, and rips and tears (funny that tears and tears are spelled the same),  it was very enjoyable and gratifying.   Keeping the Keany kids in my mind, I was motivated and inspired, and even experienced a rare crafters’ calm (maybe you knitters are familiar with this, but i think its safe to say that sewing doesn’t allow for much zenning-out).   I have now designed and sewn 5 capes (see batman and superman), so I am pretty much an expert.  These costume fabrics can be really tricky since they do not respond to a hot iron very well.  Reagan’s cape (like the batman cape) is basically reversible, which is probably an easier design to sew, given these fabrics.  Hemming the sides on Liam’s and Charlotte’s was by far the toughest part.  The appliques were fun and experimental, and secured with my friend steam-a-seam2.

The capes were happily received by the Keanys and I hope to update this post when Mary sends me photos of her little heroes!

-Caroline