Wednesday, 3 June 2015

Make Your Own Clothes Like The Ingalls

Bonnets were a part of pioneer women's wardrobes.


The Ingalls family is a well-loved part of American pioneer lore. Author Laura Ingalls first told their story in the series of books that began with "Little House in the Big Woods." A television series titled "Little House on the Prairie," which was a loose adaptation of the story, premiered in 1974 and ended in 1983. For nine years, viewers watched the Ingalls family as they struggled to build a life in the American Midwest. The show depicted the family as they would have appeared in the mid-1800s, with authentic clothes and settings. You can create your own prairie-style clothing with a few essential tools.


Instructions


1. Choose a pattern from an online retailer or visit your local fabric store. McCalls, Butterick and Simplicity are a few of the companies that have books with pattern samples. Look in the "Costumes" section of the book for pioneer-type clothing. A pioneer wardrobe was simple and consisted of few pieces for everyday wear with a special dress or shirt for church or special outings. If there was enough fabric, ruffles or trim were added. Boys and men wore pants made of denim material, simple button-down shirts and perhaps a suede or leather vest.


2. Purchase material that is consistent with what was available to a pioneer seamstress. Plain-colored muslins were used for everyday wear and calico or gingham fabrics for more dressy occasions.


3. Sew your garments according to the pattern directions. Use needle and thread to add embellishments. Young girls often wore pinafores over their dresses, and women wore aprons. Either can be sewn quickly using plain muslin or cotton fabric. Find a pair of suspenders and a worn straw hat to complete a costume for a man.


4. Find or sew accessories such as bonnets and pantaloons to add authenticity to your look. Stockings and hard-soled shoes or boots were also a part of the pioneer wardrobe. Complete the look by styling the hair with braids or a bun in the back of the head.

Tags: everyday wear, family they, Ingalls family, Little House, part pioneer