How to Make a Viking Dress
The Vikings were Scandinavian pirates who hailed from many European countries, including Sweden and Denmark. They lived from around A.D. 800 to 1500 and were known for their ferocity and their world travels by boat. The Vikings' horned helmet stands out as an emblem of Viking fashion, and the dresses that Viking women wore have a recognizable, characteristic look. Make your own Viking dress and give your style a Viking twist.
Things You'll Need
- Measuring tape
- Pattern
- Fabric
- Scissors
- Pins
- Sewing Machine
- Brooches or buttons
Instructions
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Take your measurements. Measure your waist, bust, arms, neck and height. Select a Viking dress pattern online or in stores. Check the back of the pattern to find a size that closely matches the measurements you took. Viking dresses are not fitted, with no waistlines. They have straps that reach over the shoulder and are not very decorative or ornate.
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Select your material. Typically, Vikings wore solid, plain colors. Check the back of the pattern to determine how many yards of fabric you'll need for your dress size.
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Lay out the fabric on a flat surface, then open the pattern. You should have front and back pattern pieces, as well as a pattern piece for the shoulder straps. Cut along the pattern where it instructs you to do so, then lay the cut-out pattern pieces onto the fabric. Pin the pattern pieces in place on the fabric and cut along the lines as you did before, this time cutting the fabric to match the pattern pieces.
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Sew the fabric together by following the instructions on the pattern pieces. Use a bold thread so that the Viking dress seams are obvious, in adherence with the Viking style. Remove the pins as your sewing machine needle gets close to them to avoid damaging the machine.
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Add fabric straps to the dress, connecting them to the dress with brooches in traditional Viking style. If you do not want to use the brooches simply stitch the straps onto the dress or use buttons to connect the straps to the dress. The straps attach to the dress over the shoulder, much like overall straps.
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References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Polka Dot/Getty Images
