How to Make a Colonial Style Apron & Bonnet

You can make a Colonial outfit for Halloween.

During Colonial times, it was commonplace for women to wear aprons to protect their clothing as they cooked and bonnets to protect their hair and skin from the sun and wind. If you are teaching children about living during Colonial times, you can make the lesson more interactive by helping the kids make a Colonial apron and bonnet out of everyday materials that can be found around a house or classroom.

Things You'll Need

• Dish cloth
• Ribbons, 1 inch wide and 3 inches wide
• Thread
• Needle
• Paper grocery bag
• Scissors

Instructions

Colonial Apron

1. Place a basic dishcloth vertically onto a table.

2. Cut a 3 ft. long piece of 1-inch ribbon. Place the ribbon horizontally along the top edge of the dishcloth.

3. Sew along the top edge of the dishcloth to secure the ribbon. You can tie the ribbon around your waist to put on the Colonial apron.

Colonial Bonnet

1. Cut two inches off the top of a paper grocery bag.

2. Cut out one of the narrow sides of the grocery bag, making the cutout curve towards the bottom of the bag.

3. Place the bag onto the table with the cut out side facing down.

4. Cut a 2-inch slit into each wide side of the bag, placing the slit about two inches from the bottom edge of the bag.

5. Cut a 3 ft. long 3-inch piece of ribbon. Thread the ribbon through the slits on either side of the bag bonnet, letting the ribbon drape over the top. Place the bonnet onto your head and tie the bottom on by the ribbon.

References

• 1771: Colonial Apron
• Pen Cader Heritage: Colonial Crafts