How to Make Celtic Costumes

Celtic usually refers to the European culture of the Scottish, Irish and Welsh people. Making a Celtic costume does not require you to buy a pattern. With a little information and some patience you can have a simple Celtic costume to use for any event.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Fabric
• Belt
• Measuring tape
• Needle and thread
• Old pair of pants
• Broaches or pins

Great Kilts

1. Buy the tartan or plaid material. For a great kilt, you need 9 yards of 60-inch wide fabric. The good news is that a great kilt requires no sewing.

2. Open the belt out on the floor facing down.

3. Spread the fabric out on the floor on top of the belt. Match the top of the fabric to the top of the belt. The waist of the great kilt is at the belt and the fabric reaches down to the knee.

4. Fold the fabric into pleats. Start in the middle and work your way out to the sides. Use smaller folds in the center. Bigger pleats make more swing and can make the costume look silly.

5. Lay on top of the fabric with the belt at your waist.

6. Pull the right side of the kilt across your body and line it up with your left leg. Lay the fabric back down on the ground. In the end, this side is going to be on top.

7. Take the left side of the kilt and pull it across your body. It is normal to have extra fabric.

8. Pull the right side of the fabric back across the body.

9. Cinch the belt at your waist.

10. Take the extra fabric and swing it over your shoulder. Pin it to the fabric at the belt.

Celtic Tunic

1. Measure across your chest and from your shoulder the middle of your thigh.

2. Cut the two pieces of fabric to match your measurements. This is the body of the tunic.

3. Sew the sides together, leaving holes for the sleeves.

4. Sew the shoulders together. Leave a hole for the neck.

5. Create the sleeves with a piece of fabric folded around the arm. Sew the sleeves and attach them to the tunic with the seam at the bottom.

6. Hem the all of the edges of the costume.

Celtic Pants

1. Find an old pair of jeans or slacks. Cut them along all of the seams. These are now the pattern for your costume.

2. Pin each cut pattern piece to the fabric.

3. Cut out each piece. Leave extra space around each piece for the seam. The pants need to be baggy on you.

4. Sew the fabric together at the inner and outer seams. Leave leg holes in each pant leg and a hole for the waist.

5. Attach belt loops around the waist. Elastic can also be used, if desired.

Celtic Woman's Dress

1. Take the woman's measurements. Measure from the shoulder to the ankle and across the shoulders. The dress needs to be baggy enough to wear under a tunic.

2. Cut out the fabric.

3. Sew the fabric together at both sides. The costume looks like a long sleeve at this point. Hem the bottom of the fabric if needed.

4. Slide into the dress and pull it up to your armpits.

5. Grab hold of the fabric on your back where a bra strap would be.

6. Pull this piece of fabric over your shoulder and to the front. Pin it to the bodice near the crook of the shoulder. This is now the shoulder strap. Repeat on the other shoulder.

Tips & Warnings

• You can add trim for an extra design.

• Practice wrapping the great kilt around your body a few times to get used to the technique.

• A Celtic woman's dress, called a Peplum, is a simple, straight dress with the fabric pinned at the shoulders.

• Use broaches or decorative pins to decorate the dress.

Resources

• Celtic Accessories on Celtic Garb Site
• Ideas for Celtic Clothing on Celtic Originals Site