Friday, May 9, 2014

Cap and Gown Champagne/Wine Bottle Cover

(This post contains affiliate links, which means I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on these links).

It's graduation season! I'm sure you all know a few people who are graduating this spring. This champagne/wine bottle cover makes a cute and festive addition to a bottle of wine or champagne, making a nice gift for the college graduate. You could even use it for high school graduates by putting it over a bottle of sparking grape juice.


Cap and Gown Bottle Cover Tutorial | Apples to Applique #graduation #wine #gifts


I originally saw this idea on Pinterest, but when I went to the page, it was a dead link (so frustrating when that happens!) I tried searching for the original blog, but the blog had been removed. A further search brought up some results from Etsy, where these were being sold for $20. I knew I could figure out how to make this myself, and sure enough, I did, and was able to make it for about $2. I can spend that extra $18 on my graduate friend!

It took a little bit to figure out the pattern, but once I did it really wasn't so bad. Now I'm sharing the pattern with you, so you don't have to figure it out for yourself!



You will need:
Two pieces of black felt
Embroidery floss to make the tassel (I used yellow-gold, but you could use black or the school colors of your graduate)
Craft glue such as Aleene's Tacky Glue
A small scrap of white paper
A yarn needle
Sewing machine and thread

Cut out your felt pieces. You will need:
One rectangle 12" (the length of the felt) by 6"
One rectangle 12" by 5"
One 2" square piece of felt
One rectangle 1" by 4"

Cap and Gown Bottle Cover Tutorial | Apples to Applique #graduation #wine #gifts

Fold the 5" x 12" rectangle in half lengthwise (or what we teachers call "hotdog style"). Sew 3" in on each end (where marked in the picture below in white chalk). Leave the center 6" open. The sewn parts will form the sleeves of the gown.

Cap and Gown Bottle Cover Tutorial | Apples to Applique #graduation #wine #gifts

On the folded edge, cut a triangle (a diamond when it is unfolded) piece out of the center, roughly an inch and a half wide.

Cap and Gown Bottle Cover Tutorial | Apples to Applique #graduation #wine #gifts

Through one layer only, cut from the tip of the diamond you just made through to the edge. This will make the front opening of the gown.

Cap and Gown Bottle Cover Tutorial | Apples to Applique #graduation #wine #gifts

Now comes the finicky part, but I promise it's not that bad, it's just a little hard to explain, so bear with me. You're going to connect one of the 12" sides of the 6" x 12" rectangle to the top part of the gown you just created in order to make the bottom part of the gown.

The 12" length of the rectangle will wrap around the top part of the gown from the front, under the sleeve, across the back and under the second sleeve, and back to the other front edge.
This is your end goal:

Cap and Gown Bottle Cover Tutorial | Apples to Applique #graduation #wine #gifts

I found it was easiest to sew this in three separate seams.

Keep right sides together. Start by lining up the end of the rectangle with the open edge of the top part of the gown; pin it from there to the start of the sleeve seam. Sew just this length. Hopefully this picture will illustrate this a little more clearly.

Cap and Gown Bottle Cover Tutorial | Apples to Applique #graduation #wine #gifts

Repeat this process with the other end of the rectangle, matching it up with the other edge of the front opening.

Now sew the rectangle the rest of the way across the back of the gown. If either seam is slightly bigger than the other, just fudge it a little. The fit doesn't have to be perfect, it's going on a wine bottle. :)

Cap and Gown Bottle Cover Tutorial | Apples to Applique #graduation #wine #gifts

You've now put together a mini little graduation gown!

Cap and Gown Bottle Cover Tutorial | Apples to Applique #graduation #wine #gifts

Turn the little gown right-side out.

Cap and Gown Bottle Cover Tutorial | Apples to Applique #graduation #wine #gifts

Topstitch the front closed from the neck edge down to the seam (or a little above it, it doesn't really matter).

Cap and Gown Bottle Cover Tutorial | Apples to Applique #graduation #wine #gifts

Set the gown aside for a bit.

Cut a scrap of paper 2" by 3".

Cap and Gown Bottle Cover Tutorial | Apples to Applique #graduation #wine #gifts

Roll up the paper across the 3" side, so that you have a little diploma 2" tall. Tie a bow around it with embroidery floss.

Cap and Gown Bottle Cover Tutorial | Apples to Applique #graduation #wine #gifts

I put a little drop of glue on top of the bow to keep it from coming untied and to help hold it to the diploma.

Slide the gown over the wine/champagne bottle. Run some black thread from one sleeve to the other, as shown in the picture below.

Cap and Gown Bottle Cover Tutorial | Apples to Applique #graduation #wine #gifts

Pull the thread tighter to bring the sleeves together at the front of the gown. You can leave a small gap between the sleeves (1/4-1/2").

Cap and Gown Bottle Cover Tutorial | Apples to Applique #graduation #wine #gifts

Run the needle and thread through both sleeves another 3 or 4 times. Don't cut the thread yet.

Run the needle through the embroidery thread on the back of the diploma.

Cap and Gown Bottle Cover Tutorial | Apples to Applique #graduation #wine #gifts

Pull the thread tight to bring the diploma up to the sleeves. Knot the thread and add some glue to make sure the diploma is extra secure.

Cap and Gown Bottle Cover Tutorial | Apples to Applique #graduation #wine #gifts

Take the little rectangle and sew the ends together using about 1/4" seam allowance.

Cap and Gown Bottle Cover Tutorial | Apples to Applique #graduation #wine #gifts

Flip it so the seam allowance is on the inside. You should now have a cylinder.
Run some glue along one of the circle edges.

Cap and Gown Bottle Cover Tutorial | Apples to Applique #graduation #wine #gifts

Glue the cylinder onto the center of the square piece of felt.

Cap and Gown Bottle Cover Tutorial | Apples to Applique #graduation #wine #gifts

While the glue is drying, make a tassel from the embroidery floss. I like this method by Martha Stewart, and used cardboard about 1 1/2-2" high.

Cap and Gown Bottle Cover Tutorial | Apples to Applique #graduation #wine #gifts

I just love this little tassel! So adorable!

Thread the hanging part of the tassel through a yarn needle.

Cap and Gown Bottle Cover Tutorial | Apples to Applique #graduation #wine #gifts

Poke the yarn needle through the center of the graduation cap. Make sure the needle goes from the outside of the cap to the inside.

Cap and Gown Bottle Cover Tutorial | Apples to Applique #graduation #wine #gifts

Pull the needle and tassel through the cap.

Cap and Gown Bottle Cover Tutorial | Apples to Applique #graduation #wine #gifts

Pull the tassel all the way through so the top of the tassel is against the top of the cap. Don't worry, it won't be like this when you're finished.

Cap and Gown Bottle Cover Tutorial | Apples to Applique #graduation #wine #gifts

With the tassel being pulled all the way through, it gives you some more room to knot off the tassel from the underside. Put a decent-sized knot in the embroidery floss about an inch from the top of the tassel and cut the thread.

Cap and Gown Bottle Cover Tutorial | Apples to Applique #graduation #wine #gifts

Pull the tassel back out until the knot stops it, and it should hang neatly off the edge.

Cap and Gown Bottle Cover Tutorial | Apples to Applique #graduation #wine #gifts

Put the cap on top of the bottle and you're done! You have a fun gift to present to the special graduate in your life.

Cap and Gown Bottle Cover Tutorial | Apples to Applique #graduation #wine #gifts

If you want to give a little something extra (like maybe the money you saved making this yourself instead of buying it), I think it would be fun to roll up some money and slide it down inside the diploma. All graduates love cash!

What special people do you know who are graduating this spring?
What were your favorite gifts when you graduated from high school or college?

If you enjoyed this tutorial, please subscribe to my email list and follow me on social media; the buttons are at the top-right corner of my blog. Thank you!

Linking up with Sweet Tea Social, Treasure Box Tuesday, Worthwhile Wednesday, the Wednesday Roundup and Inspiration Spotlight.

28 comments:

  1. Such a cute idea to dress up a bottle. Will save this in my files for sure

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  2. Replies
    1. Thanks; I wish I could take credit for the cleverness of the original idea. :)

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  3. Wow, you must have put so much time into this post. I think I'd get the photos all in the wrong order and such. You're so crafty as well. I would have loved this for my recent graduation! =) Nice way to honor and celebrate graduations. I'll have to bookmark this one for next year! I better get invited to graduation parties. =)

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    Replies
    1. Thanks for the kind words, Meredith; I really try to put together well-thought-out posts, and I so appreciate you noticing. Congratulations on your graduation!

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  4. What a beautiful gift for a friend who is graduation! You put a lot of effort into this post! The picture are perfect for people like me who aren't very crafty! I feel like EVEN i could do it!

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    1. Thank you! That is my goal with my blog--I want people who are new to crafting to feel empowered to try things, so I try to break the process down step-by-step with lots of pictures. :)

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  5. You did a wonderful job! This is an idea I could try for clients.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks, Nicole! I hope you enjoy making these for your clients.

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  6. I love this idea! I'm planning a delayed graduation party for my son. I'll have use this! Thanks for sharing!

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    Replies
    1. I'm so glad you like it; have fun celebrating your son's graduation!

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  7. What a smart design idea! This would put a smile on any graduating student's face. :-)

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    1. Thank you! I know I would have liked something like this when I graduated from college.

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  8. What a cute idea! My daughter is graduating high school in a few weeks so I've been on the lookout for graduation ideas. Thanks for sharing!

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    Replies
    1. I'm glad you enjoyed it! I think high school graduates would love this...accompanied by sparkling cider, of course. ;)

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  9. This is so cute- absolutely genius! I'm so glad you shared this with us at Treasure Box Tuesday- PINNED! :)

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  10. Where do I buy the tassel or how to make it?

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    Replies
    1. There is a link in the post to the tutorial I used to make the tassel.

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  11. do you happen to have a video that you put together, its very confusing

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    1. No, I do not have a video. I'm sorry you found it confusing; I tried to show every little step clearly in the photographs.

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  12. is there an easier way of making this graduation gown

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  13. I just completed mine! Thank you for this!

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    Replies
    1. Glad you found the tutorial useful! I'm sure your recipient loved it!

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