How to Make Colonial American Clothes

Elementary-school children learn about life in colonial times in America. Teachers often incorporate into these lessons a day where the children dress as colonial children did. Coming up with costume ideas for your child is not hard. You can sew an easy dress and use some things you already have at home, altered to fit in with the theme. Keep the colors and prints simple.

Things You'll Need

• 3 yards of small-print fabric
• Chalk
• Scissors
• Pins
• Sewing machine
• Thread
• Hook-and-eye closure
• 2 yards of white fabric
• 1 package ¼-inch elastic
• 2 safety pins
• Tan pants
• White button-down shirt
• White knee socks

Instructions

For a Girl

1. Wash all the purchased fabric to prevent shrinkage. Fold the small-print fabric in half widthwise with the right sides together. Lay the fabric on the floor and have your little girl lay on top of it with her arms spread out with the top of her arms at the fold.

2. Using the chalk, trace around her arms and down to her feet. Draw about 3 inches under the arms to make roomy sleeves. Do not trace around each individual leg, only the outside of her legs, leaving ample fabric for the skirt of the dress.

3. Cut out a half-circle in the middle at the fold of the fabric to make a hole for her head. Start with a small head hole and adjust it later if necessary. Cut out the remainder of the dress along the lines you traced.

4. Pin the fabric with right sides together. Sew from the cuff on one sleeve to the bottom of the skirt. Repeat with the other side.

5. Turn under the fabric at the bottom of the skirt ¼-inch and again another ¼-inch to make a hem. Pin the fabric to hold in place. Sew all the way around the hem.

6. Cut down the middle of the back of the dress 8 inches. Turn under the raw edges, hold in place with pins and sew.

7. Sew a hook at one corner of the back of the neck and an eye at the other corner to complete the dress.

8. Make an apron by cutting out a rectangle of the white fabric that measures 18 inches by 24 inches. Hem three sides of the apron, leaving one of the short sides undone.

9. Cut a strip of fabric measuring 4 inches wide by 36 inches long. Fold the strip in half with the right sides together and sew across one short end and the long side.

10. Turn the strip right side out. Turn under the raw edges at the other short end and topstitch.

11. Center the raw edge of the apron underneath the strip and sew the strip to the apron front.

12. Make a cap by cutting a 20-inch circle of fabric. Fold under the raw edges and sew a hem.

13. Cut a piece of elastic that fits around the little girl’s head plus one inch. Sew the elastic to the inside of the cap, 2 inches from the edge. Stretch the elastic as you go so that it just fits around the fabric.

For a Boy

1. Use a pair of old tan-colored pants that are too short. Cut off the bottoms of the legs 2 inches below the knee.

2. Turn under the raw edges to form a hem.

3. Add a white, button-down shirt, white knee socks and regular shoes (not sneakers) to complete the outfit.

Tips & Warnings

• For the girl, you could find old-fashioned-looking clothes at thrift stores if you do not have any sewing talent. Buy a child’s cooking apron to complete the look.

• Look for a three-cornered hat to finish off the look for your boy.

References

• Searingtown School: Passport to Colonial Life

Resources

• 1771.org: A Colonial Costume For a Day