How to Make Indian Costumes at Home

Traditional Native American costume

Whether you need one for your Thanksgiving play to go with your pilgrims or for Halloween to go with your cowboys, an Indian costume is easy to make. By using a simple tee-shaped pattern in a comfortable piled fabric like flannel or velveteen, you can make a costume that is both fun and realistic. Craft stores and online websites offer beautiful, inexpensive, Native American themed trim, beads and decorations to give your costume a special and unique touch.

Things You'll Need

• 2 to 3 yards tan flannel or velveteen cloth
• Tan pajama pants
• 3 yards Native American motif trim
• Red or blue breechcloth, one foot wide and a yard and half long
• Beads, feathers, medallions
• Moccasins
• Sewing machine (optional)
• Scissors

Instructions

Boy's Costume

1. Measure from shoulder to mid thigh. Double this. Cut your material to this measurement.

2. Fold the material from top to bottom. Make a mark in the exact center of the folded end. Draw a line about four inches in both directions. Cut along this line to make a hole for his head.

3. Slip the cloth over his head like a poncho. With his arms outstretched, pin the two sides of the cloth at the wrist, under the arms and at the hemline. Be generous. It should fit fairly loosely.

4. Pull the shirt off over his head. If this is hard to accomplish, then the shirt is too tight and should be re-pinned more loosely. Lay the folded and pinned material flat. Draw a line from the wrist pin to the underarm pin to the hemline pin. This is your sew line. Draw another line about three inches outside sew line. This is your fringe line.

5. Cut the shirt out at the fringe line, and sew along the sew line.

6. Cut one inch strips from the fringe line to the sew line. Add trim to the arms, front and neck.

7. Add fringe or trim down the sides of the pajamas pants. Make a breechcloth by tucking a long rectangular piece of cloth over a belt, so that the flaps fall down in front and behind.

8. Wear with moccasins and a strip of trim around the head.

Girl Costume

1. Measure from shoulder to mid calf. Double this. Cut your material to this measurement.

2. Fold the material from top to bottom. Make a mark in the exact center of the folded end. Draw a line about four inches in both directions. Cut along this line to make a hole for her head.

3. Slip the cloth over her head like a poncho. With her arms outstretched, pin the two sides of cloth at the wrist, under her arms, at the hip and at the hemline. Be generous. It should fit fairly loosely.

4. Pull the dress off over her head. If this is difficult to accomplish, then the dress is too tight and should be re-pinned more loosely. Lay the folded and pinned material flat. Draw a line from the wrist pin to the underarm pin to the hemline pin. This is your sew line. Draw another line about three inches outside the sew line. This is your fringe line.

5. Cut the dress out at the fringe line and sew along the sew line.

6. Cut one inch strips from the fringe line to the sew line. Add trim to the arms, front, neck and skirt.

7. Wear with moccasins and a strip of trim around the head.

Tips & Warnings

• Add necklaces and other jewelry in turquoise, silver and natural stone.Craft stores offer a variety of Native American themed beads, medallions, feathers and charms. String them on leather straps.

References

• Stage Costume, Step by Step: Mary T. Kidd; 2002
• La Pelleterie; Helping you find your place in History