Pioneer Clothing

Last Saturday we took the kids to an indoor Living History Fair and Trade Show.

Apparently there is an entire culture of lovely American people who work hard to keep history alive. 

They carefully make their own period-correct clothing and tools,

and maintain an authentic historical way of life.

Many of them participate in the Civil War and Revolutionary War reenactment events,

work at historical museums and societies,

and live as historical re-enactors at various historic sites, old world sites, forts, etc.

The show we went to on Saturday is a place where these people gather to sell

their own home-made things and buy the supplies they need to make more.

We saw piles of animal hides used for making leather clothes and moccasins and satchels.

We saw men carding wool and women spinning it into yarns and knitting it.

We saw a lady making lace and several others weaving on looms.

We watched men playing hand made wood flutes and old guitars.

We even saw some amazingly authentic and scary-looking Native Americans!

(Shaved heads and red skin and animal skulls on their belts.)

There were tables loaded with hand made bows and arrows, hatchets, wood flutes, looms,

hand woven fabrics, knitting, wools, clothing and shoes and hats...you name it.

This made the history stories my kids have read come alive.

And you guessed it...now they want pioneer and settler clothing and animal skins and prairie bonnets and moccasins.

So, the research and the making has begun!

The girls and I made settler style dresses from old sheets.

Shawn plans to make prairie bonnets with them too.

Miles will eventually get his own chemise style shirt and breeches.

They will learn to make their own moccasins.

And the future historical events we attend will be so much more fun with their outfits!