How to Sew a Biblical Costume for Children
If your child is taking part in a Biblical play or pageant, the right costume can make for a truly special performance. Making your own costume is much cheaper -- and more fun -- than buying one ready-made, and you can design it to suit the exact requirements of your child. A basic tunic shape can be adapted for many different kinds of Biblical characters by using different fabrics and accessories -- whether your child is playing a shepherd, a king or an angel, she will look the part.
Things You'll Need
- Tape measure
- Pencil
- Scissors
- Long ruler
- Paper (desired length of costume x 1/2 desired width)
- Fabric (twice desired length of costume x desired width -- widest point should allow for sleeves when arms are outstretched in "T" shape)
- Tailor's chalk
- Pins
- White thread
- Thread to match fabric
- Sewing machine
- Bias tape
- Cord
- Accessories (cloth headdresses, tinsel, crown, sandals)
Instructions
-
-
1
Take the measurements for the costume by measuring your child from shoulder height to the length you want the costume to be, and from wrist to wrist with arms outstretched in a "T" shape. Decide how wide you want the costume to be around the body -- this should be a few inches wider than the body at the widest part, as the tunic will be loose-fitting and cinched in with a cord around the waist (it should be wide enough to walk in).
-
2
Make a pattern for the costume on the paper by drawing a half-"T"-shape, where the top of the "T" is the sleeve and the center line of the "T" is the body (as though the front of your costume were folded down the middle). The sleeves can be as wide as you want, but should be fairly loose-fitting. Use a ruler to ensure your lines are straight. Draw a shallow quarter-circle shape where the head will go. Cut out your pattern.
-
-
3
Fold your fabric in half along the narrow edge so that you have enough fabric on either side of the fold for the front and back of your costume and so that the "right" side of the fabric (the side you see when the costume is worn) is facing inwards. Fold it again lengthways, so that it is as if your costume were folded in half down the center of the "T". Place your paper pattern over the fabric so that the top of the "T" is exactly against the top fold -- this is where the shoulders will go.
-
4
Pin the pattern to the fabric, and draw around it using the tailor's chalk. This will be your sewing line. Cut around it about an inch further out; this inch is for your seam allowance.
-
5
Remove the pattern and unfold the fabric. You should have one long rectangle with a wide point in the middle and an oval hole in the center. Fold the fabric back across the middle, with the "right" side of the fabric facing inwards, so that you have a "T" shape with a shallow semi-circle cut out in the center. Pin along the sewing lines you have drawn -- these will be the seams for the bottom of the sleeves and the sides of the tunic.
-
6
Tack along the sewing lines with the white thread and remove the pins. Tacking stitches (also known as basting stitches) should be large and visible, and do not need to be extremely firm -- they replace the pins before the costume is sewn properly.
-
7
Sew up the seams and remove the tacking stitches.
-
8
Try the costume on the child and check that the head hole is large enough and the length is correct. (Remember that the sleeves and bottom of the costume will be an inch too long at this point, as you have not yet sewn the hems.) Cut the head hole larger if necessary. Fold up the costume into quarters again to do this (as when you cut it out initially), so that the hole will be symmetrical.
-
9
Turn the costume inside out. Make hems for the sleeves and bottom of the costume by folding over the edges twice so that the raw edge of fabric is hidden. Pin into place, then tack and sew as before.
-
10
Hems are difficult to make on circular edges, so bind the head hole with bias tape (also known as bias binding). Pin on the bias tape so that it is folded in half lengthways along the neckline, forming a u-shaped covering along the raw edge of the fabric.
-
11
Turn the costume the right way out and have the child try it on. Tie a cord (such as curtain cord, twine or thin rope), scarf or strip of fabric around the waist to finish.
-
12
Add accessories to the costume to complete the look of the Biblical character your child wishes to represent, such as cloth headdresses for shepherds (a rectangle of fabric secured round the crown of the head with a band of cord), tinsel halos for angels, or cardboard crowns for kings. Complete the costume with sandals.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Wallpaper or lining paper can work well for pattern paper -- alternatively, tape together sheets of construction paper, baking parchment or newspaper to make a large enough sheet.
Cotton is the best type of fabric to use for this costume, as it is not stretchy (and so keeps its shape when you are cutting out), frays relatively slowly, and is thin enough to allow you to cut through four layers at once. However, if you are careful it is possible to use other types of fabric -- try sparkly silver fabric for an angel costume, for example.
If your fabric is too thick to allow you to cut out four layers at once, use the pattern twice to cut out the front and back pieces separately. You will then need to sew an additional seam along the top of the shoulders to fasten the front and back together. If you do this, remember to leave at least an inch at the top of the pattern for the seam allowance.
When cutting out large pieces of fabric, any tiled or wooden floor will work well if you do not have a table big enough. Avoid carpeted floors, otherwise the fabric will stick to the pile and stretch out of shape when you are cutting.
If your fabric has a tendency to fray, sewing a zig-zag stitch along the raw edges of the inside seams can reduce this.
For gathered sleeves, run thin cord or elastic through the sleeve wrist hem.
If you are pinning or cutting out on a wooden floor, take care to avoid scratching the floor with pins or scissor blades.
References
- Photo Credit Thinkstock Images/Comstock/Getty Images
